On 3 February 2025, students of the Turkish Language Department attended an open lecture delivered by scholar Dr. Eduart Caka on the topic “Evliya Çelebi Through the Centuries.”
During the discussion, Dr. Caka shared with the students in-depth insights into the life and travels of Evliya Çelebi, as well as the history, culture, Albanian language, Albanians, and many other important aspects of our shared past that deserve to be studied, documented, and preserved for future generations.
Evliya Çelebi lived in Istanbul during the 17th century and served as an official in the Ottoman Empire. He is best known for his monumental work, the Seyahatname (Book of Travels), an extraordinary travel account documenting nearly 40 years of journeys across almost all the territories of the Ottoman Empire, as well as other parts of Europe. His work provides valuable information on the societies, history, art, culture, and religious life of the places he visited.
Evliya Çelebi was an outstanding intellectual whose work encompasses subjects spanning numerous fields of knowledge and has been valued by scholars and intellectuals throughout the centuries. His writings also contain significant information about Albanian-speaking territories and Albanian society, providing historical and cultural insights that continue to be referenced by Albanologists and scholars, including Robert Elsie and others.
A prominent figure in Turkish civilization and cultural history, Evliya Çelebi and his work have received international recognition. UNESCO dedicated the year 2011 to Evliya Çelebi, marking the 400th anniversary of his birth.
We sincerely thank Dr. Eduart Caka for his time, for engaging with our students in such an enriching discussion, and for sharing his valuable knowledge and insights.
We also extend our appreciation to the professors of the Institute of History and the Faculty of Foreign Languages who participated in this academic discussion.
