Ali Reza İşipek, the Director of University of Kyrenia Maritime History Research Center, represented the University of Kyrenia at the conference that he was attended as an invitee of the Ministry for Culture of Malta.

Within the frame of 450th anniversary events, "1565 - The Great Siege Conference" was held at Fort Saint Angelo, Birgu-Malta on 29 and 30 October. 25 leading scholars from England, Rome, Turkey and Malta attended the conference. Mr. Ali Rıza İşipek, the Director of University of Kyrenia Maritime History Research Center, attended the conference as the invitee of the Ministry for Culture of Malta.

According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press & Public Relations Office of the University of Kyrenia, Mr. İşipek made a keynote speech on "Assessment of the Ottoman Fleet composition that participated in the Great siege of 1565" at the conference.

During his speech, thanks to information gathered from the Ottoman archives, Mr. İşipek shed light on many unknown aspects regarding the composition and number of ships that involved in the Great Siege of Malta. Thus, he provided the participants and the officials of the Ministry for Culture of Malta with proper information on many unknown or incorrectly known issues regarding the siege.

Following his speech, Maltese historians directed him questions regarding the comparison of 1570-1571 Cyprus and the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. Mr. İşipek shared a detailed analysis with the Maltese historians by comparing the two events in terms of their goals, gains and losses.

Within the scope of the conference, Mr. Ali Rıza İşipek also participated in the opening ceremony of the restoration of Fort St. Angelo which played an important role in the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. The European Regional Development Fund allocated €13.4 million for the restoration, conservation and re-use of the site. Underlining that St. Fort Angela can be considered as an icon for the transition process of current and future collaborations in the bilateral relations between Turkey and Malta, Mr. İşipek indicated that similar restoration projects should be realized within the frame of studies on Cyprus Maritime History.