The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Konya Metropolitan Municipality jointly organized a spectacular Sama performance in Istanbul, to mark the 750th anniversary of the death of Rumi.
The event, which took place in Sultanahmet Square, across from the Hagia Sophia Mosque, was attended by Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Konya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya, Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, and a large number of guests and citizens.
In the performance, titled "Mevlânâ Gülşenine Davet - GEL," 750 dervishes from Turkey and abroad performed breathtaking performances.
Ersoy said in a statement after the event, "We celebrated the 750th anniversary of Mevlana's death in Istanbul with a meaningful event. The Sama performance we performed with 750 dervishes was a fitting performance for Sultanahmet Square, one of the most important squares in the world. We will continue to convey Mevlana's messages of love, tolerance, and peace to the world."
The event concluded with a concert of hymns and Sufi music performed by Ahmet Özhan and Ömer Faruk Belviranlı.
Citizens who filled Sultan Ahmet Square watched the Sema performance with great appreciation. The dervishes' unique dances dazzled the audience.
Some of the citizens who watched the Sama performance said, "We were very happy to be at such a meaningful event on the occasion of Mevlana's 750th anniversary. The Sema performance was really impressive. We once again remembered Mevlana's messages of love, tolerance, and peace."
