The “July 15 in the Press” exhibition, prepared by the Department of New Media and Communication at Istanbul Gelisim University to mark the 10th anniversary of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day, opened with a ceremony attended by academics and students.The exhibition explores how the treacherous coup attempt of July 15, 2016, was reflected in the national press. Newspaper headlines, photographs, and various printed publications from the period were presented to visitors. Highlighting the traces left by July 15—one of the most significant turning points in Türkiye’s recent history—in the collective memory of the media, the exhibition attracted considerable interest from attendees.
Research Assistant Güçlü Köse from the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Istanbul Gelisim University, who hosted the programme, began his opening remarks with the following words:
“History is written not only through the events that take place, but also through the documents that show how those events are preserved in our collective memory.”
Continuing his speech, Research Assistant Güçlü Köse stated that the “July 15 in the Press” exhibition brings the media coverage of the historic night on which the Turkish nation defended democracy and the national will into the present day. He also emphasised the importance of keeping collective memory alive through newspaper headlines and visual materials.
Following a moment of silence and the recitation of the Turkish National Anthem, the programme continued with opening speeches. Prof. Dr. Kenan Aydın, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences at Istanbul Gelisim University; Prof. Dr. Şenol Durgun, Head of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration; and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Taylan Maral, Head of the Department of New Media and Communication, highlighted the significance of July 15 in Türkiye’s democratic history. They also drew attention to the critical role of the media in accurately informing the public during times of crisis and in shaping collective memory.
Following the speeches, participants toured the “July 15 in the Press” exhibition and had the opportunity to examine newspaper headlines published on and after the night of July 15, photographs from the period, and various press materials. The exhibition enabled visitors to reassess the events of that night from a media perspective while closely examining an important visual archive of recent history.
Prepared by the Department of New Media and Communication, the “July 15 in the Press” exhibition once again demonstrated the role of the press in documenting historic events and shaping collective memory on the 10th anniversary of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day. The exhibition also received considerable interest from visitors.
