Prof. Dr. Halit Eren was born in 1953. He graduated from the Faculty of Islamic Studies, Marmara University, İstanbul, in 1976. He received his Masters degree from the Institute of Social Sciences Department of History, Marmara University in 1989 and the Doctorate degree from the Institute of Turkic Studies in the same university in 1995 and in January 2014 he received the title of (Associate Professor) in the field of Social, Humanities and Administrative Sciences from the Presidency of Interuniversity Council in İstanbul, Turkey.
Prof.
Dr. Halit Eren joined the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture
of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (IRCICA) in 1981 as a senior
researcher and Head of the Library and Documentation Department. A few years
later he was assigned to the post of Deputy Director General while carrying on
with his former duties. He was the coordinator/member of the IRCICA Congress
Organizing Committee responsible for Caucasia, Central Asia and the Balkan
countries. He participated in the Islamic Summit Conferences, Islamic
Conference of Foreign, Culture and Information Ministers and other conferences
and committees of the OIC. He was appointed Director General of IRCICA in
January 2005 and is currently working in this capacity.
Within
his term of office, Prof. Dr. Eren organized the series of congresses under the
title of Islamic Civilization in Southern Africa (Johannesburg, 2006); in the
Balkans (Bucharest, 2006 & 2010); in Central Asia (Astana, 2007), in the
Volga-Ural region (Ufa, 2008 & 2010); in Asia (Dhaka, 2008) and in the
Mediterranean (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, 2010). In addition to these
series of congresses, he also organized the following symposia: “Bilad-ı Sham”
(Damascus, 2005), “Egypt in the Ottoman Period” (Cairo, 2007), “The Maghreb and
Western Mediterranean in the Ottoman Period” (Rabat, 2009), “Yemen in the
Ottoman Period” (Sana’a, 2009), “Al Quds in the Ottoman Period” (Damascus,
2009), “Islamic Archaeology” (İstanbul, 2005 & Islamabad 2011), “Tourism
and Traditional Crafts” (Riyadh, 2006), “The Usage of Crafts in Architectural
Projects” (Tunis, 2008) and “100th Anniversary of Meşrutiyet” (İstanbul, 2008).
On
the sidelines of the Sixth Annual UNAOC Forum, (Bali, Indonesia, 29-30 August
2014), Prof. Dr. Eren delivered a speech at session on “Coexistance of
different cultures: examples from history as lessons for the future”.
Prof.
Dr. Eren took part at 3rd World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, (Baku,
Azerbaijan, 18-19 May 2015) and presented a speech on “The Role of Art and
Heritage in cross-cultural relations”.
He
organized the translation and publication of IRCICA’s book “Ottoman State and
Civilization” into Russian in 2006 and into Albanian in 2009.
He
was instrumental in the publication of the album “Al-Quds in Historical
Photographs” (2009) in Turkish, English and Arabic.
He
prepared the catalogues of the exhibitions organized on the occasion of the
visit of H.E. Abdullah Gül, President of the Republic of Turkey, to Japan in
June 2008 published under the title of “One Century Old Turkish-Japanese
Friendship”; the catalogue “Turkish Yemen Friendship in Historic Photographs”
published on the occasion of the President’s visit to Yemen on January 2011 and
the catalogue “Turkish Afghan Friendship in Photographs” published on the
occasion of the Turkish Afghan Friendship Day on 1 March 2011.
He
was responsible for the preparation and publication of the facsimiles of the
“Mushaf-ı Sharif attributed to Caliph Uthman”, which is located at the Topkapı
Palace Museum in İstanbul (2007) and al Mashad al Husayni in Cairo (2009), as
well as the facsimile of “Mushaf-ı Sharif attributed to Caliph Ali bin Abou
Talib” (Sana’a copy 2011).
Prof.
Dr. Eren was the founder and administrator of the Turkish-Islamic Association
of England (1979-1981); Member of the Executive Board (1984-1994) and President
(1992-1994) of the Central Office of the Solidarity Association of Western
Thrace Turks, İstanbul; Secretary General of the Foundation for Research on
Islamic History, Art and Culture (ISAR), İstanbul (1990- ); Founding Member of
Turkish Society for History of Science (1989- ), Founding member of the Rumeli
(Eastern Europe) Foundation for Education, İstanbul (1993); Member of the
Preparatory Committee of the Seventh Development Plan of Turkey, Ankara (1993);
Founding member (1996) and Vice-President (1996-1998, 2002-2004) of the Western
Thrace Foundation for Education, Culture and Health, İstanbul; Second President
of the Cultural and Solidarity Association of East European Turks (1997-2001);
Member of the Executive Board and Second Chairman of the Cultural and
Solidarity Foundation of East European Turks (2001- ); Advisor on Balkan
Affairs to the Minister of State of the Republic of Turkey (1997). He has been
holding down the position of Founding Chairman of the Center for Balkan
Civilization (BALMED) since 2007; member of UNESCO International Coordination
Committee for the Safeguarding of Iraqi Cultural Heritage (2011).
Prof.
Dr. Halit Eren received the degree of Dr.h.c. from Sh.Marjany History Institute
of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences on April 2006 for his contribution to the
development of social sciences within the framework of Islamic culture and art,
as well as the organization of international projects and establishment of
international relationships. An honorary doctorate degree from the Tatarstan
Republic Kazan Federal University was conferred on him on 7 October 2010; he
was awarded with honorary professorship from UFA Bashkir State University, Republic
of Bashkortostan on 22 October 2010. Dr. Eren was presented with the Russian
Federation State Medal on December 2006 for his contribution to the development
of Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan and was granted a medal by the Tatarstan
Republic Ministry of Culture for his achievements in the field of culture on
September 2010. His Majesty Qaboos Bin Said of Oman conferred the Sultan Qaboos
Order for Culture, Science and Art of the First Degree on Dr. Eren in
recognition of his contributions to research on Islamic culture, arts,
civilization and history as well as his contributions to the development of
international cultural relations and institutional cooperation on 22 February
2012.
Prof.
Dr. Eren is the Founding Member and Deputy President of the newly established
International Union of Turkish-Arabic Dialogue (2013).
Prof.
Dr. Halit Eren knows English, Arabic, and Greek and can communicate in Persian
and the Slavic languages.
Prof.
Dr. Eren is married and father of one daughter and two sons.
KAYNAK:
Prof. Dr. Halit Eren (ircica.org, 08.08.2019).