Uskudar University's High Human Values Awards, given by the Senate to individuals and institutions recognized by the public as examples in their field with the aim of upholding 24 golden values, found their recipients for the 6th time. Awards were presented at the ceremony to Sociologist Prof. Dr. Beylü Dikeçligil, Psychiatry and Neurophysiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Bilgen Taneli, Author Hayati İnanç, AHBAP Association President and Artist Haluk Levent, and posthumously to our first healthcare hero who lost his life in the fight against Coronavirus, the late Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu.
Uskudar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, pointed out that the value of the concept of 24 golden values was seriously understood during the pandemic. Tarhan emphasized the importance of teaching these values to younger generations, stating, “That’s why we are trying to revive and perpetuate these values in society. If we lose these values, their recovery will be very difficult.”
Uskudar University considers it a duty to uphold 24 golden values such as Justice, Honesty, Compassion and Mercy, Transparency, Courage, Empathy and Responsibility, Trust and Loyalty, Shame, Humility, Cooperation, Seeking Forgiveness, Greeting, Sincerity, Forgiveness, Generosity, Sacrifice, Gratitude, Pluralism, Participation, Liberalism, Accountability, Conciliation, Innovation, and Loyalty. For this purpose, every year, it presents the High Human Values Awards (YİDER) to individuals and institutions deemed worthy by the Uskudar University Senate.
At the ceremony, the 6th of which was organized this year by Uskudar University, awards were given to Sociologist Prof. Dr. Beylü Dikeçligil, Psychiatry and Neurophysiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Bilgen Taneli, Author Hayati İnanç, AHBAP Association President and Artist Haluk Levent, and posthumously to our first healthcare hero who lost his life in the fight against Coronavirus, the late Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “The value of 24 golden values began to be understood during the pandemic”
The opening speech of the award ceremony held at the Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall, Uskudar University Main Campus, was delivered by Uskudar University Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan.
Stating that they held the ceremony partially in-person and phygital despite the difficulties of the pandemic, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “This is a very important ceremony for us. During the pandemic, the value of the 24 golden values concept began to be seriously understood. When we pay attention to these concepts, we can say that they are actually what make a human, human. Humans are different from other living beings. At the very bottom of Maslow's hierarchy of psychosocial needs are eating, drinking, and reproduction, which are common to all living beings. This is followed by the basic sense of security, the need to love – be loved, and to feel valuable. Finally, the need for self-actualization, or the ability to grasp meaning, emerges.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Humans are relational beings and produce value”
“Among all living beings, humans are the only ones who can think abstractly, conceptually, and symbolically,” said Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan. “Because of this characteristic, humans produce value. Why are the values they produce important in their lives? As someone interested in positive science, the foundations of neuroscience have been understood in recent years. In the emergence of knowledge, humans first use the method of reason. The second method is the five senses, and the third method is the individual's own knowledge, science, and philosophy emerging from incoming information and news. These are the three important sources of science. Information received outside of the five senses creates a necessity for humans to form values. Humans are biologically relational beings and are not genetically coded to live alone,” he explained.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “There are 6 paths that lead humans to truth”
Tarhan stated that there are six paths that lead humans to truth: “Five of these are related to reasoning. One is laboratory experiments, the second is observation, the third is thought experiments, the fourth is social experiments, the fifth is rational intuitions, and the sixth is rational belief. For example, Einstein discovered the theory of relativity through thought experiments. The fact that the world is round was understood through thought experiments. The emergence of human behaviors and their consequences, and their relational nature, were revealed through social experiments and then confirmed by neuroscience,” he said.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “If we lose values, recovery will be very difficult”
“If there are no common values among people, there is no peace and tranquility. There is no inner peace either,” said Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, adding the following:
“The importance of these 24 golden values we are trying to establish has been scientifically confirmed. If we do not uphold these values, if we, as a university, do not produce knowledge about them, do not present them to the scientific world, and do not carry out work related to them for humanity, we will be held accountable. That is why we have been conducting values studies for 6 years. In doing so, we have strived to highlight beautiful people who have been examples to society, embodying the 24 golden values in themselves and their surroundings, not living solely for their own benefit, but also trying to contribute to the society they live in and the future of humanity, to be recorded in history. We will continue to present the High Human Values Awards, which we are holding for the 6th time this year. Unlike older generations, the new generation of young people must mature amidst abundance. Older generations matured amidst hardship. Young people maturing amidst abundance cannot learn values on their own. They have not experienced privation; they do not fully understand the importance of values like sacrifice and cooperation. The worth of these values will only be understood after they are lost. Like health, their importance is not understood when everything is going well. These values will also be realized after they are lost, but their recovery will be very difficult. That is why we are trying to revive and perpetuate these values in society. It is also necessary to teach these values to young people in modules.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Universities lead the way in science”
Noting that positive psychology emerged as a scientific discipline, actually encompassing the explanation of values from ancient cultures with scientific methodology, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that positive psychology, which they taught as a course in 2013 as a university, is also taught by prestigious universities worldwide. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “Our ancestors said, ‘Necessity is the master of knowledge.’ If there is a need, knowledge emerges for that need. In management, there is a rule called ‘Expectation Management.’ It is important to find expectations and manage them. Anticipating the needs of the future and managing them now, and being able to contribute, is very important. Universities lead the way in science. They are also institutions that present new information to the scientific flow and should be the reference for innovation and entrepreneurship. We are trying to be pioneers in some areas.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Uskudar University is 10 years old”
Stating that Uskudar University is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “The 6th YİDER Award Ceremony coincided with our university's 10th year. Due to the historical roots of the word Üsküdar, it is thought that we are a very old university. In fact, we have achieved a lot in a short time. In our first year, we had about 700 students. This year, our active student count is over 22,000. The number of our graduates is also 23,000. We can say that this is a good performance for a 10-year-old university. It is important to continue with the same pace and excitement.”
Sociologist Prof. Dr. Beylü Dikeçligil Presented with Award
Prof. Dr. Beylü Dikeçligil, one of Turkey's most recognized sociologists in her field, was presented with the High Human Values Award by Uskudar University “for her work in the fields of methodology, culture, women's issues, and family in social sciences.”
Prof. Dr. Beylü Dikeçligil, who received her award from Uskudar University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zelka and Prof. Dr. Nazif Gürdoğan, stated that she felt humility due to the award. “A saying from our culture of wisdom helps me express my feeling of humility,” said Prof. Dr. Beylü Dikeçligil. “We have a culture full of sweet wisdom. Unfortunately, even though this culture is not widely practiced, there are still people trying to live by it. That’s why these awards and the program are extremely important. That saying was: ‘Not by merit, but by grace.’ I thank Uskudar University, our esteemed Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, our esteemed Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zelka, our esteemed Prof. Dr. Nazif Gürdoğan, and all of Uskudar University for deeming me worthy of such a beautiful award. I also offer praise and thanks to my Lord who bestowed this grace.”
Prof. Dr. Beylü Dikeçligil: “You cannot change unchanging human values”
Noting that the point reached with the pandemic reveals a lot, Prof. Dr. Beylü Dikeçligil stated that change exists in all human societies and that changes in the history of civilization have also been gradual. Dikeçligil stated that there is a meaning embedded in the saying, “If there is one thing that does not change, it is change itself,” and added, “Everything changes. Yes, everything changes in the material world. But there are also things that do not change. Saying that everything changes leads us to a great misconception and actually disconnects us from reality. Changing and unchanging things are intertwined. A person's fingerprints do not change, their eye color does not change. Some characteristics do not change. Therefore, saying that everything changes is a mistake. It is one of the misconceptions that modernity presents to us as truth. Humans have unchanging human values. You cannot change them. If these high human values were changing, we would not be talking about holy books or classics today. No one would read Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Mevlana, Yunus Emre, Buddha. These would not appeal to anyone.”
Prof. Dr. Beylü Dikeçligil noted that today, despite the opportunities available to the modern rational individual, there is a great spiritual void. “That is why today, the emergence of interesting movements, worldly spiritualist and materialist movements, and the proliferation of life coaches are all due to this need. In fact, because they do not get to the essence of the matter, I call all these activities ventilation holes for the modern rational individual,” she said.
Prof. Dr. Bilgen Taneli Followed the Ceremony from Home
Neurology Professor Dr. Bilgen Taneli, who has made it her mission to inform and raise awareness in society about Alzheimer's disease through her social and scientific work, was awarded “for her contributions to the field of electrono-neurophysiology of psychiatric disorders.” Taneli could not attend the ceremony due to coronavirus measures.
Prof. Dr. Bilgen Taneli, who thanked with a video message, said, “I am extremely happy to be deemed worthy of the honorable High Human Values Award. 10 years of my scientific life between 1966 – 1976 were spent in Germany. My introduction to electroencephalography was in 1962 at Ege University's psychiatry clinic. For 45 years, I have been striving to be useful to society as a physician in Bursa. I try to inform the public through conferences. I wish success to all students studying at Uskudar University, not only in their chosen fields of science but also in realizing their university's 24 golden values encompassing human values.”
Author Hayati İnanç Among Award Recipients
Author Hayati İnanç, whose programs, seminars, and books are followed with great interest, was among the recipients of the 6th High Human Values Award “for his contributions to Anatolian wisdom, in addition to the books, programs, and interviews he prepared for the benefit of society.”
Author Hayati İnanç: “We are the narrators of the news and the transmitters of the work”
Hayati İnanç, who received the award from Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, also thanked Uskudar University in his speech, “I accept this award knowing that it is given by grace, not by merit, but I consider it an indicator of responsibility for what I will do, not what I have done. What I have seen so far has guided me. In conferences before the pandemic, the average age was around 20. We are the narrators of the news and the transmitters of the work. If there is a virtue, it belongs to the writer. I asked the children, ‘There's no entertainment here, no ball, no pop, what are you looking for, why this interest?’ They replied, ‘Teacher, we are treated ruthlessly. We are rushed from exam to exam, reaching 30 years old, and we can't find ourselves. Have we heard good words and not listened, have you given and we not taken?’ They reminded us that if there are some undesirable developments in Generation Z, we are responsible before them.”
Author Hayati İnanç: “We are removing the concepts of death and tears from our lives.”
In his speech, which included quotes from poets who guided him, Author Hayati İnanç drew attention to the fact that today's people try to stay away from the reality of death. İnanç said, “I would like to make a reminder that we seem to have forgotten two points. In the last 10 years, we have been doing our best to remove the concepts of death and tears from our lives.”
Meaningful Award to AHBAP Association President Haluk Levent
Artist Haluk Levent continues his social responsibility efforts, which he started individually, under the umbrella of the Ahbap Association. In this context, the Ahbap Association, founded by artist Haluk Levent, who has won the hearts of everyone from 7 to 77 with its ongoing aid efforts, was presented with an award.
Artist Haluk Levent: “This award is very meaningful to me”
Buse Vurucu, AHBAP Association Istanbul City President, accepted the award on behalf of Haluk Levent, who could not attend the ceremony due to his busy schedule. AHBAP Association President Haluk Levent shared his feelings about the award with a video he recorded. In his message, Haluk Levent said, “Dear faculty members, students, volunteers, and administrators of Uskudar University… I extend my regards to all of you. I am always in a rush. This award is meaningful to me. Thank you very much.”
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, AHBAP’a ödülünü takdim etti
Buse Vurucu, AHBAP Association Istanbul City President, received her award from Uskudar University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy. Buse Vurucu thanked Uskudar University for deeming them worthy of this award on behalf of all Ahbap members, especially Haluk Levent. Buse Vurucu noted that AHBAP currently continues its work in 8 different groups, including education, humanity, mutual aid, and environment, with nearly 30,000 volunteers in 74 cities and 65 universities. “Before the pandemic, we were carrying out our activities in the field, our Ahbap members were holding face-to-face events in our cities. But for a full year, unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we have been carrying out our activities online. Whether it's our mutual aid duties or the events and seminars we organize for the personal development of our Ahbap members, we carry them all out online. We have not paused at all, and I can promise you here that we will continue without pausing. On this path we embarked on in 2017, saying 'we are after love and truth,' seeing the smiles on the faces of the people whose lives we have touched makes us very happy, and we will continue to support those people's lives, so thank you very much for deeming us worthy of this award for your support. Thank you, be well,” she said.
Award to the Late Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşçıoğlu
The late Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu, Professor of General Internal Medicine at Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, who lost his life during coronavirus treatment at Çapa Faculty of Medicine, was presented with an award “on behalf of all healthcare workers who gave their lives in the fight against Coronavirus.” Cemil Taşcıoğlu’s award was presented to his colleague, Public Health Specialist and Uskudar University Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Dr. Haydar Sur, instead of his son Onur Taşcıoğlu, who could not attend the ceremony due to a last-minute development. Uskudar University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Muhsin Konuk presented the award to Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşçıoğlu.
Prof. Dr. Haydar Sur: “We are experiencing sadness and joy together”
Prof. Dr. Haydar Sur stated that it was a “sad award reception” for him, adding, “The world is a world of contrasts. Sadness can enter into joys, and joy into sadness, like this. I commemorate our esteemed Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşçıoğlu with mercy. In his person, I want to refer to all healthcare workers who dedicated their lives to warding off this scourge from society, and not only limiting it to healthcare professionals, but also all heroic people such as security officers who sacrificed their lives for the benefit of society, by commemorating them with mercy here. We will continue to live by proudly remembering such colleagues and, of course, always setting them as examples for our students and ourselves. I extend my regards. I also express once again my pride in being a member of Uskudar University, as it has once again demonstrated what a beautiful university it is.”
Recipients were presented with a “Feeling Human” sculpture and a Çekül Foundation sapling certificate. As in previous years, within the scope of the awards presented this year, a student's scholarship for the 2021-2022 Academic Year will be granted in the names of the award recipients.
The award ceremony, broadcast live on Uskudar University Television (ÜÜ TV) and YouTube, concluded with participants taking a group photo.