Dear Friends of Philosophy,
Dear Friends of Wisdom,
On behalf of UNESCO, the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO and the Philosophical Society of Turkey, it is a special pleasure for me to let you know that the main celebration of the World Philosophy Day this year will take place in Istanbul, hosted by Turkey.
As you probably know, the celebration of this Day started in the year 2002, with philosophical activities organized at UNESCO Headquarters and in many states all over the world (see www.unesco.org).
The main aims of establishing such a Day is to call public attention to the enlightening role that philosophical reflection and knowledge can play in public life and in facing world problems, besides the benefits that philosophical education and the teaching of philosophy secure in the life of individuals, whatever their profession might be.
In a world in which, despite the efforts of the UN, one third of the human beings living on our planet “have to do with one or two dollars a day” and the gap between the rich and the poor is broadening, in which terrorism has become a method to achieve any aim; and in which obscurantist worldviews try to gain –and in fact had gained– ground in many parts of our world, we need philosophical knowledge and action based on it.
After the magnificent celebrations held for three years at UNESCO Headquarters, it was decided to organize the big international event of the Day every year in a different member state of UNESCO. Thus in the year 2005 this Day was celebrated in Santiago, hosted by Chile, in the 2006 in Rabat, hosted by Morocco, and this year will be celebrated in Istanbul, hosted by Turkey. Candidates for the coming years are Italy and Russia .
You can find the provisionary programme of the 2007 World Philosophy Day on this web site.
You are cordially invited to participate in this event. Attendance is free for everybody; you are only requested to register to the Day.
We are looking forward to experience another World Philosophy Day which contributes to the realization of the aims of its establishment.
Ankara , August 8, 2007
Ioanna Kuçuradi
President of the Philosophical Society of Turkey
