Co-organized by the Turkish Cypriot Union of Tourist Guides and Tourism Promotion and Marketing Office that affiliated to the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, the 34th term course on raising tourist guides was realized at Ethnography Museum. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şevket Öznur, the Chairman of NEU Cyprus Studies Center and Turkish Authors Union, lecturer at NEU Faculty of Turkish Language and Literature, gave a seminar to the tourist guide candidates that attending the course. The topics themed on “Turkish Cypriot Literature” and “Ethnology and Folk dances” were covered during the seminar that lasted two days.

According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of Near East University, 90 tourist guide candidates participated in the 34rd Term Tourist Guide Course that held at Derviş Pasha Mansion (Ethnography Museum). Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şevket Öznur gave a seminar and provided information on the history of the Turkish Cypriot folklore and the ethnological developments experienced across the globe from the past to the present. He also introduced practical presentations on the art works in the museum.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şevket Öznur: "Local Culture has a great role in Forming the National Identity."

Touching upon the crucial role of local culture in forging the national identity, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şevket Öznur expressed his views: "In this respect, it is undeniable that compiling and examining the products that can contribute to the studies of Turkish Cypriot Folklore will greatly contribute to the Turkish Cypriot culture".

Considering the importance of the intangible cultural heritage as a mainspring of cultural diversity and a guarantee of sustainable development, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Öznur delivered information on open-air museums and intangible cultural heritage. Underlining the deep-seated interdependence between the intangible cultural heritage and the tangible cultural and natural heritage, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Öznur pointed to the far-reaching impact of the activities of UNESCO in establishing normative instruments for the protection of the cultural heritage, in particular the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of 1972.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şevket Öznur: "One of the aims of folklore is to record right away the cultural values that disappear from day to day and to convey them to future generations."

Pointing to the role of globalization and social transformation in giving a rise to threats of deterioration, disappearance and destruction of the intangible cultural heritage, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şevket Öznur underlined the necessity of recording these cultural values as immediate as possible and transferring them to the next generations. "There is a need to build greater awareness, especially among the younger generations, for safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage" said he.

Touching upon the significant role of our museums in introducing our country's cultural heritage, Assoc. Prof. Dr. delivered information about the roles of guides: "Tourist guides have a key role in bringing the tourists to our country and museums and introducing our cultural heritage. The contemporary guiding role can be considered as transmission of information and the interpretation of that information. All guides should be capable to promote tourism through the way they transacted their roles. The more you are capable to transact your roles, the more tourists you pull to our country and museums. Thus, it will be possible to promote our intangible cultural heritage and take place in the world's open-air museums list. I hope you, as well equipped guides, will be capable to safeguard our cultural heritage and promote our tourism in the best way possible" noted he.