AWARD-WINNING AA PHOTOGRAPHS EXHIBITION AT IUE
The opening ceremony took place in IUE foyer where 35 photographs selected among award-winning photographs of the AA photojournalist taken from 1994 to 2009 are exhibited. AA Administrative Board Director and General Manager Dr. Hilmi Bengi, AA Administrative Board Member Reşat Yazak, İzmir Chamber of Commerce Administrative Board and IUE Board of Trustees President Ekrem Demirtaş, IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Attila Sezgin, TRT İzmir Director Muharrem Acar, RTUK District Manager Cengiz Karakaşoğlu, AA Photography News Director Abdurrahman Antakyalı, AA İzmir Manager Muammer Başkan, Konak Mayor Hakan Tartan, Turkish Association of Journalists and İzmir Association of Journalists and Turkish Journalists Federation Director Atilla Sertel, communication sector representatives who are the members of Faculty of Communication Advisory Committee Members and guests attended the opening ceremony.
In his opening speech, AA Administrative Board Director and General Manager Dr. Hilmi Bengi stated that Anatolia Agency was established in the War of Independence days when communication was not possible, the victories were not being announced. Dr. Bengi told that AA was established two weeks before Grand National Assembly of Turkey on April 06, 1923 and it would celebrate its 90th foundation year. He said, “AA is established in an era when communication was a vital need as stated by the Greater Leader Atatürk. It is the first national institution of Turkey.”
Dr. Bilgin underlined the fact that each of the 35 photographs that took place in the exhibition was newsworthy. Dr. Bengi gave some information about the photographs in the exhibition. He said that the photograph of a calf in the rear trunk of a Murat 124 car taken by AA İzmir District Manager Muammer Başkan named “Ferhat the Calf” was known from the front cover of The Guardian. Bengi told the stories of the photograph taken by AA Photography News Director Abdurrahman Antakyalı in Valentine’s Day and Photojournalists Tolga Adanalı’s photograph taken in Olympics in Beijing, he said, “Anatolia Agency photojournalists do not just press the shutter, they are the heroes who leave a mark on history and write the story of the era."
IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Attila Sezgin stated that Anatolia Agency was a rooted institution, which showed the importance given by Atatürk to public relations and relations with media, and he said that AA photographs would contribute to the education of the students. Prof. Dr. Sezgin said that they would like to work more with AA.
After the opening speeches, Ekrem Demirtaş gave a plaquette to AA Administrative Board Director and General Manager Dr. Hilmi Bengi. After visiting the exhibition Faculty of Communication Advisory Committee meeting took place.
