Having been organized by Cyprus West University, the 2nd International Congress on Mediterranean Scientific Studies was held in Famagusta on 7-9 February 2020. The congress provided a scientific platform for participants to share their studies through panels and sessions held throughout the congress.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Yeşim Üstün Aksoy, the Chairperson of the Department of Hair Care and Beauty Services of the Vocational School of Near East University, participated in the event and made a presentation on “Turkish Cypriot Wedding Culture and Marriage Preparation for the Bride.”

During her presentation, Assistant Professor Aksoy addressed the stages of wedding in Turkish Cypriot wedding culture. Underlining that marriage had a significant place in the lives of individuals due to its cultural, social and economic aspect as well as its crucial role in establishing new relations, Asst. Prof. Dr. Aksoy stated that wedding had an important place in the culture of Turkish Cypriots as wedding brings the individual together and provides opportunity not only to strengthen the social ties between them in a cozy and happy environment but also to revive their value judgments, beliefs and traditions by comprehending the cultural heritage.

Expressing that wedding had stages based on certain rules and patterns, Asst. Prof. Dr. Aksoy stated that a wedding was planned so as to comprise pre-wedding, wedding ceremony and post wedding stages, all of which had a very rich content in terms of manners and traditions.

Indicating that marriage stages that comprised three stages covering numerous ritualistic contents such as pre-arranged marriage process, asking the parents for handing in their daughter for marriage, betrothal, engagement, dowry chest, furnishing the house, bridal bath, henna night, shaving the groom, bride's veil, choosing the best man and chief bridesmaid, the wedding procession, marriage ceremony, wedding ceremony, placing the wedding crowns upon the bridal couple, pinning money to the couple’s clothing during the wedding ceremony, dancing with pitcher pot, surrounding the wedding couple, tossing the bride’s bouquet and garter, nuptial night, trotter food day, wedding blessing day, mutual family visits, maintaining intra-family relations, Asst. Prof. Aksoy stated that Cyprus culture should be included as a course in the curricula of schools.