It is always super inspiring and encouraging for me to interview women in academics, to begin with. This interview was a little personal to me since I do have an intense interest on archeology coming from my childhood.
Cultural Diplomacy has a way longer history than we thought. The discovery of ancient ruins holds immense value in promoting cultural diplomacy, and even though archaeology may not be the first thing that comes to mind, it has the power to unite different nations and preserve our shared history.
We had this beautiful interview with Ankara University Faculty of Public Relations and Communication Head, Professor Aslı Yagmurlu Dara, about Cultural and especially Archaeological Diplomacy.
During the interview I felt like I am taking a masterclass about the Diplomacy of Archeology and that is the exact reason why I did not remove nearly any part from the interview. Mrs. Yagmurlu Dara was eager and generous about conveying her very interesting experiences that she gained. I sincerely thank to her for making this interview happen.
It is crystal clear from both the examples she gives and her articles that she has extensive knowledge and experience in this field.
That is why I wanted to leave her articles in the end of the paper, so the people who are interested can reach out much easier.
It was such pleasure and honor of mine to interview Professor Yagmurlu Dara. Her attention both before and after the interview was truly invaluable and helped me immensely. Last but never the least, she wanted me to tell that she would help the International Relations students who are interested. So please do not be shy about reaching her.
Articles by Professor Aslı Yagmurlu Dara (for Turkish speakers)
Archeology as a Public Diplomacy Tool: The Zeugma Example
World Heritage and Public Diplomacy: The Case of Göbekli Tepe
Cultural Diplomacy: Its Framework in Theory And Practice