The project "OLKAS / Medieval Ports from the Aegean to the Black Sea" began in 2007 within the framework of the European Union ENPI (European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument) - Black Sea Basin Cross-Border Cooperation Programme.
The project's goal was to promote cultural tourism in the Black Sea region by establishing enhanced cooperation among Black Sea countries. To achieve this, the project first aimed to preserve cultural heritage, increase public interest in this heritage, and document the existing assets.
The project was carried out by a broad-based platform involving various institutions from Türkiye, Greece, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Russia, and Azerbaijan. The findings from the research conducted during the project were discussed at conferences organized by the project partners. In Varna, Istanbul, and Constanta, middle school students participated in educational programs and creative drama workshops focused on the historical ports of their cities, the ships that docked there centuries ago, and intercultural relations.
The results of the project were presented to the public through periodic exhibitions held in Istanbul, Thessaloniki, Aiani, Crimea, and Odessa.
Within this program, Türkiye benefited from the IPA (Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance) – a financial instrument for EU accession. The Department of Underwater Cultural Heritage Preservation at the Faculty of Letters, Istanbul University was one of the main implementers of the project. Cultural Awareness Foundation participated as a project partner.
You can access more information and the English version of the content on the project’s official website: http://www.olkas.net/