Harput documentary highlighting UNESCO bid screened for students

ELAZIG, Türkiye

A documentary prepared as part of efforts to include the approximately 4,500-year-old Harput neighborhood in eastern Elazig province on the UNESCO World Heritage Permanent List was screened in schools across the province on Wednesday.

Prepared by the Firat Development Agency, the film examines Harput’s multilayered historical background, cultural richness and distinctive architectural fabric within the framework of UNESCO World Heritage criteria.

The documentary was made available in all schools in the city with the support of the Elazig Governor’s Office and the Provincial Directorate of National Education to raise awareness among students about cultural heritage and the city’s historical identity.

The agency’s Secretary General Mehmet Sirin Budancamanak said the neighborhood, which is on UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List, deserves inclusion on the permanent list due to its historical and cultural potential.

He said efforts are being carried out in coordination with relevant institutions to secure Harput’s inclusion, adding that the process requires not only a technical application but also a comprehensive approach involving preservation, promotion and transmission to future generations.

Provincial Director of National Education Beraat Sahin said about 120,000 students had the opportunity to watch the documentary, which was screened simultaneously in schools across the province, describing it as an important step in strengthening awareness of historical heritage among young people.

*Writing by Merve Berker