Dear guests,

Our relations go back to almost 500 years. But we are participating today’s event within the framework of commemorating the 100^thanniversary of the signature of the Friendship Treaty between the Republic of Türkiye and the Kingdom of the Netherlands signed in 1924 after Turkish people fought for and regained their independence. This was a very important agreement since it was one of the earliest treaties of its kind.

Certain places play a leading role in some periods of human history. Anatolia is one of them and Göbeklitepe is one of the recent excavations in Anatolia. It changed our perception of the world and humanity. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018. We call it 'Point Zero in Time'. Now our archeologists will most probably move that point even further back with Karahantepe and other areas within Taştepeler (Stonehills).

Taştepeler Project is carried out by our Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

It is a multidisciplinary project prepared very carefully for this important region. It has a very serious impact on the world. It will perhaps come up with scientific findings that can change the usual interpretation of the Neolithic Age.
Esteemed Prof. Dr. Necmi Karul will tell us about some of these findings shortly.

Thank you.