September 19, 2026
Supported by the Nevşehir Governorship, hosted by and held in cooperation with Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University (NEVÜ), the fourth edition of the program titled “Works on the Preservation and Research of Wall Paintings in the Cappadocia Region” was organized by the Nevşehir Regional Directorate of Restoration and Conservation Laboratory.
The event, held at the NEVÜ Governor Şinasi Kuş Culture and Convention Center, was attended by Nevşehir Deputy Governor Mücahit Öztürk, NEVÜ Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mutluhan Akın, Nevşehir Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Maskar, Head of the Laboratories Department at the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums Nilüfer Babacan, Director of the Nevşehir Regional Directorate of Restoration and Conservation Laboratory Hatice Temur Yıldız, faculty members from Tuscia University (Italy) and Tsukuba University (Japan), subject-matter experts, students, and guests.
Speaking at the opening of the program, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Paola Pogliani, a faculty member at Tuscia University in Italy, drew attention to the importance of international scientific collaborations in preserving the cultural heritage of Cappadocia. Stating that scientists from Italy and Japan are conducting studies aimed at protecting wall paintings and cultural assets in the region, Pogliani expressed that knowledge and experience sharing among experts from various disciplines makes significant contributions to preservation efforts.
Nilüfer Babacan, Head of the Laboratories Department at the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, stated that they are carrying out works to carry Turkey's cultural heritage into the future through scientific methods and strong institutional partnerships. Emphasizing that Cappadocia is a shared heritage not only for Turkey but for all humanity, Babacan expressed her satisfaction with the joint projects developed especially with Italian and Japanese scientists. She noted that international and interdisciplinary collaborations take the preservation efforts of cultural heritage a step further.
NEVÜ Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mutluhan Akın stated that as a university, they consider preserving Cappadocia’s natural and cultural heritage and handing it down to future generations as one of their primary responsibilities. Explaining that as a university specialized in the field of “Natural and Cultural Heritage Tourism,” the region’s rich cultural wealth, unique natural formations, and multi-layered historical structure constitute a vital area for academic studies, Akın mentioned that along with preservation and conservation efforts, sustainability, digital documentation, and educational dimensions are also being addressed.
Noting that the organized international seminars enhance knowledge and experience sharing with the participation of experts from Turkey and various countries, Akın stated that NEVÜ directly provides scientific contributions to a significant portion of the ongoing conservation projects. He also highlighted that the strong cooperation between NEVÜ and the Nevşehir Regional Directorate of Restoration and Conservation Laboratory significantly contributes to the development of these works.
Nevşehir Deputy Governor Mücahit Öztürk also stated that Cappadocia is an important region of world heritage quality and expressed that they attach great importance to cultural heritage efforts in the region. Highlighting that the cooperation among Italian and Japanese academics, as well as local stakeholder institutions, provides major contributions to these studies, Öztürk noted that the program would contribute not only to knowledge and experience sharing but also to developing new partnerships.
Following the opening speeches, the program continued with presentations by academics and expert researchers from Italy, Japan, Romania, and Turkey on the preservation, conservation, research, and documentation of wall paintings in Cappadocia.
