Features

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Lest We Forget: Ottoman Empire bore heaviest civilian casualties during World War I

Sunday 11 November marks the centenary of the Armistice which brought an end to the hostilities of the First World War in which millions perished. The anniversary will be a chance to pay tribute to the fallen, with thousands of remembrance services taking place in the UK, France and around the world...

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The Anatolian origins of the US Congress 

Americans voted in the midterm elections this week, casting ballots for various seats in Congress including 35 in the senate and all 435 of the House of Representatives. As election fever swept the United States, T-VINE took a look at how an Ancient Anatolian civilisation influenced the authors o...

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We Remember: Yusuf Agâh Efendi – the first Turkish ambassador to Britain in 1793

  Exactly 225 years ago today, 14 October, the first-ever resident Turkish ambassador to Britain set off from Ottoman Turkey on a 3-month journey, arriving in London for his new post on 21 December 1793. A decision by Sultan Selim III on 23 July 1793 paved the way for Britain to receive i...

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Obituary: Kelami Dedezade – a tireless advocate for education (1952-2018)

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” said Nelson Mandela and indeed the same can be attributed to Kelami Dedezade, who passed away on the 13 July 2018. Dedezade was a huge believer that education is the only tool to make a difference in society. All his...

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Analysing the results of Turkey’s snap 2018 elections 

Turkey witnessed its first joint presidential and parliamentary elections a little over a week ago, marking a significant change in the country’s political history. The 24 June snap vote had a turnout of around 87% and ushered in a new system of government, bringing reforms to the Turkish constituti...

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Bloody Map of Cyprus 'not racist, helps peace and reconciliation', say Cyprus Wine Fair organisers

Organisers of the Cyprus Wine Fair in London say using the ‘Bloody Map’ of Cyprus is all part of their search for “a just and viable solution” to “reunite our island, and build a peaceful common future, away from the mistakes of the past”. They are stoutly defending the fact that, once again, sta...

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Turkish barbecues and ‘rebel’ football at Enfield Town for the CONIFA World Cup

The Paddy Power CONIFA World Cup kicked off in London on Thursday, with sixteen teams from around the world competing for the trophy. None of the territories they represent are recognised by FIFA, which denies them entry into its tournaments. Filling this gap is the Confederation of Independent F...

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An Ottoman history of vaccination 

Vaccination, one of the most important medical discoveries in history, is the method of injecting a weakened form of an infection into the body to prevent getting the disease later in life. Our body meets the deactivated form of the virus or bacteria in the vaccination, builds up the immune system a...

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Why it’s only a matter of time before all mosques follow Masjid Ramadan’s lead and accept Bitcoin

Britain’s first Turkish-owned mosque made history this week becoming one of the first UK Islamic institutions to accept donations in Bitcoin – a digital or cryptocurrency operating independently from central banks. The East London-based Masjid Ramadan, also known as Shacklewell Lane Mosque, “has...

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© Ertan Karpazli

Europe’s forgotten Greek Muslims still suffer 120 years after exile

A community of ethnic Greek Muslims who were exiled from Greece to Syria in 1897 seek to return to their homeland in Crete. Yet despite presenting the deeds for properties seized by the Greek Orthodox Church 120 years ago, they once again find themselves victims of public resentment and institutiona...

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