Gallipoli Study Tour students to meet Turkish Vice-Consul

16 Jun 2008 | Bernie Goldie

UOW’s School of History and Politics is running a Gallipoli Study Tour for the first time this year and ahead of the students’ departure on Sunday on 22 June they will tomorrow (Tuesday 17 June) meet the Turkish Vice-Consul when he visits Wollongong.

Associate Professor John McQuilton and PhD researcher, Jen Hawksley, will be the tour leaders for 14 second and third year history students soon leaving for an eight-day visit to Istanbul and the Gallipoli Peninsula.

“The students have all worked incredibly hard with second jobs, fund raising and supportive families to be able to come on the trip – the first of its kind for the school,” Professor McQuilton said.

He said that as part of the pre-departure classes, the group tomorrow would be hosting the Hon Mr Ozgur Sahin, Vice-Consul to the Republic of Turkey in Australia.

The Vice-Consul will address the students on modern Turkey and the influence of the Gallipoli campaign on Turkish culture and nationalism. Earlier in the day, the Vice-Consul will be officially welcomed to the University with a special morning tea hosted by the UOW Executive.

On 18 June the School of History and Politics will stage an address by Jennifer Lawless, who is the Inspector of the History Syllabus at the NSW Board of Studies, whose own PhD thesis looks at the experience of Australian POWs on Gallipoli.

She has travelled and researched in Turkey seven times, most recently as a result of an Endeavour Foundation Grant.

Media please note

Best photo/filming opportunity of the Turkish Vice-Consul with the students who are soon bound for Gallipoli would be just before 11.30am in the Commerce Building (Bldg 40) in Room 125. The Vice-Consul will be present

For further information contact Jen Hawksley on (02) 4221 5182 or 0425 313 474 (m) or Associate Professor John McQuilton on (02) 4221 3748.