The Faculty of Letters at Mardin Artuklu University and the Institute of Living Languages in Turkey organized a workshop on the concept of death under the motto "From Image to Reality, From Past to Present".
The workshop, held in the Central Lecture Hall Culture Hall on the MAU campus, addressed the concept of death from a multidisciplinary perspective, encompassing philosophical, social, and religious dimensions. Academics considered the concept of death as one of the fundamental concepts central to humanity's effort to give meaning to its existence. The workshop, which attracted significant interest from students and academics, was opened with a speech by MAU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Demirhan, who also chaired the workshop. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Gemi, Prof. Dr. Adnan Oktay, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kırkan, and Prof. Dr. Yunus Cengiz participated in the opening session with their presentations.
The workshop emphasized that the concept of death was explored through fundamental contrasts such as life and death, beginning and end, existence and non-existence, and through multifaceted meanings including transience, separation, and transformation. It was stated that death is not only an individual experience but also a decisive element in the construction of collective memory, cultural continuity, and social identity. Within this framework, death was evaluated through an interdisciplinary approach encompassing a wide range of disciplines, from metaphysical and divine interpretations to Sufi thought, philosophy, sociology, and psychology. The organizers stated that the workshop was a continuation of previous workshops themed "From Image to Reality, From Past to Future: The Concept of Love" and "Reunion and Separation."
In a workshop designed to reflect Mardin's multilingual and multicultural intellectual heritage, the reflections of the theme of death in philosophy, literature, Sufism, theology, anthropology, and cultural history were examined through classical and modern texts in Turkish, Arabic, Persian, Kurdish, and Syriac. In presentations given by 30 academics at the workshop, the theme of death as an end was explored.
Beyond mere existence, the workshop explored how concepts of transition, transformation, and meaning-making are conceptualized across different cultures through academic discussions. The workshop received high praise from participants for its interdisciplinary approach and rich content.
