Konya Mayor Altay noted that the city of Konya carries the spirit of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi in its very essence, saying Mevlana has united hearts for centuries with his belief that "It is not those who speak the same language, but those who share the same feeling who understand each other."
He concluded by saying: "The Sema ceremony we will witness today, which is on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is an expression of that call. I invite all of you to experience the Sema and to visit my city Konya, home to the 9,500-year-old Çatalhöyük Neolithic Site and its natural beauty."
Italian MP Mollicone called the event a truly special initiative, emphasizing that a whirling dervish ceremony, thousands of years old, was held at the Temple of Venus.
Mollicone said, "With tireless efforts in cultural diplomacy, we are promoting our magnificent cultural heritage."
