The Executive Board members of Kabatas East Asia & World Project submitted a letter to the staff to be given to the Consul General of Japan in Istanbul and requested the support of the Consulate for the articles of the Project below;
2. Relations between Turkey and Japan started in the 19th century. While returning from a goodwill voyage from Japan in 1890, Ertugrul frigate encountered a typhoon off the coast of Wakayama Prefecture, subsequently drifted into a reef and sank. The maritime accident resulted in the loss of 533 sailors, including Rear Admiral Ali Osman Pasha. Only sixty-nine sailors and officers survived. The surviving sailors were taken back to Istanbul by two Japanese frigates.
So in 1985, the almost century old gesture of kindness was reciprocated during the Iran-Iraq war. As hostilities escalated to an extent that all aircraft were threatened with being shot-down, Turkey sent an aircraft in to rescue 215 Japanese nationals who were living in Tehran at the time.
The Turkish government issued a statement: "We have not forgotten the rescue of the sailors of the Ertuğrul. Thus, once we heard there were Japanese citizens in need of help, we went to their rescue."
We aim to transmit the memories of Ertugrul frigate martyrs and veterans to our students. To fulfil the objective, seminars, conferences and programs will be organised. Each year a special ceremony to commemorate Turkish sailors who lost their lives in Japan will take place in Kabatas High School.
5. As Korea, Japan and China are very beautiful countries with a rich culture and intriguing history, cultural programs will be presented to Kabatas Erkek Lisesi community to promote mutual understanding and respect for other cultures and traditions.
6. Kabatas High School gives great importance to social cooperation and ensures social, economic and environmental development through voluntary activities. Accordingly, it carries out various projects led both by the school administration and through the initiatives of its school and students.
We aim to seek the support of Korean, Japanese and Chinese embassies, consulate-generals and companies for our social responsibility projects.
14. Sister school partnerships broaden students awareness of the world around them and foster life-changing educational oppportunities.
International partnerships develop cultural comprehension, sensitivity and an appreciation of a different way of life.Intercultural exchanges encourage greater competency and confidence in language learning and communication skills.
We aim to sign sister school agreements with high schools from Korea, Japan, China, Australia, Britain, Canada and the USA to develop friendship, promote mutual understanding and cultural awareness.
February 27, 2017
