500th anniversary of world map drawn by Piri Reis to be celebrated

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will organize memorial events in 2013 to mark the 500th anniversary of the famous world map of Ottoman admiral and cartographer Piri Reis.  A meeting was held yesterday to launch the events which was hosted by Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay and attended by Transportation, Maritime and Communications Minister Binali Yildirim and National Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz. Stating that they have applied for UNESCO in 2011 for the recognition of the year 2013 as the Piri Reis Year, and thus UNESCO accepted their request. "Remembering Piri Reis, who has marked his name in the history of the world's cartography, after 500 years by other countries in UNESCO's scientific, education and cultural commissions, is very important to refresh the world's memory and to remember what Turks gained in the history of science," said Gunay, adding that a decision was also made to print memorial coins, stamps and to use of the Piri Reis logo and slogan in national and international events, and documentary films, animations for children and symposiums will be shown throughout the year. For his part, Yilmaz said that the map drawn by Piri Reis was the one showing America in the most accurate way at that period.