Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Prof. Dr. Haluk Dursun has passed away...

It is with deep sorrow that we have learned of the passing of Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Prof. Dr. Haluk Dursun, who devoted his entire life to protecting our country's vast culture and history—first and foremost the Hagia Sophia Museum—and passing it on to future generations, following a tragic traffic accident in Van, where he was on duty.

His contributions to our country and our Sector throughout his life will always be remembered with goodwill and gratitude.

We pray for God's mercy upon the deceased and extend our condolences and wishes of patience to his grieving family above all, as well as to the staff of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, our Sector, and his friends and loved ones.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of TÜROB-Türkiye Otelciler Birliği
Müberra Eresin
President

***Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Haluk Dursun will be laid to rest in the family cemetery in Hereke, Kocaeli, following the funeral prayer to be performed after the afternoon (ikindi) prayer at the Sultanahmet Mosque on Tuesday, 20 August.

Prof. Dr. Ahmet Haluk Dursun was born in Hereke in 1957. After Galatasaray High School, he graduated from the Department of Late Era and Republic of Türkiye History at the Faculty of Letters of İstanbul University, and began his academic life as an assistant at the Atatürk Faculty of Education of Marmara University.

He completed his master's degree and doctorate in the Department of Modern History at Marmara University. An associate professor of history in the field of “History of Ottoman Institutions and Civilization,” A. Halûk Dursun was awarded the title of professor in the Department of Modern History at the Faculty of Science and Letters of Marmara University.

In addition to his academic work, Dursun also carried out significant activities in the public sphere, taking part in the preparation of the Miniatürk Project as Advisor to the General Manager of İBB Kültür A.Ş. Appointed by the Ministry of the Interior as a Board Member of the Türkiye Touring and Automobile Association, Dursun served as Acting President at the same organization in 2005-2006 and 2011.

In 2007, he served as Acting Director of Culture and Tourism for the Province of İstanbul. Dursun, who served as Head of the Hagia Sophia Museum between 2006 and 2012, also took on the role of Director of the Hagia Sophia Museum in 2009-2011. He served as Director of the Topkapı Palace Museum, a post he assumed as of July 2012, until mid-2014. In his roles at the Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace Museum, A. Halûk Dursun oversaw numerous events and arrangements, focusing on work that brought to the fore the cultural and historical fabric of the historic structures.

Between 2012 and 2014, he was elected President of the Association of Friends of İstanbul Topkapı Palace. In July 2014, A. Haluk Dursun was appointed to the position of Undersecretary of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and in April 2016 he left his post by requesting retirement.

By the Council of Ministers Decision dated 26 May 2017, he was appointed to the Council of Ethics for Public Officials of the Prime Ministry of the Republic of Türkiye. At the same time, he also served as a Board Member of the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language and History of the Prime Ministry.