ANKARA, (DHA) – A total of 82 academics and faith leaders convened in Ankara for the Alevism and Bektashism Encyclopedia (ABA) General Consultation Meeting, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Alevi-Bektashi Culture and Cemevi Presidency.
Extensive Participation and Project Evaluation
According to a written statement from the Ministry, “The Alevism and Bektashism Encyclopedia General Consultation Meeting, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Alevi-Bektashi Culture and Cemevi Presidency, was held with broad participation.” The meeting included members of the ABA Advisory Board and ABA Editorial Board, as well as 82 academics, faith leaders, and researchers from both within Turkey and abroad. During the meeting, the current status of the encyclopedia project, which aims to address the deep-rooted spiritual heritage of the Alevism and Bektashism tradition using scientific methods, was comprehensively evaluated.
Participants emphasized that the work is not merely a publishing project, but plays a critical role in preserving cultural memory and systematically recording accurate information.
Emphasis on a ‘Scientific Framework Against Information Dispersal’
The workshop highlighted the existing dispersal of information and conceptual confusion in the field of Alevism and Bektashism. The statement noted, “While it was pointed out that studies lacking a scientific basis hinder access to accurate information, the necessity of examining and recording the accumulated knowledge that has reached us through oral tradition with academic methods was emphasized.”
The encyclopedia aims to be a permanent reference source, covering a wide range of content from concepts to personalities, from rituals to historical processes. It was stated that the work, conducted with the contributions of experts from various disciplines, will be shaped on the basis of a pluralistic and scientific approach. The meeting also expressed that the ongoing consultation process would contribute to expanding the scope of the encyclopedia, strengthening its methodological framework, and improving content quality. At the end of the workshop, the expectation was voiced that the Alevism and Bektashism Encyclopedia would serve as a fundamental reference work that preserves cultural heritage and transmits it to future generations.
