During a visit to Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç, the Champion Angels Association donated a copy of the book titled Depremle Unutmadıklarımız: Voleybolun Unutulmaz Evlatları (Forever Remembered: Volleyball’s Beloved Children Lost in the Earthquake) to the EMU Özay Oral Library. The visit, held at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, was attended by Champion Angels Association Chairperson and EMU academic staff member Ruşen Yücesoylu Karakaya, as well as Association Executive Board Member and EMU Promotion and Marketing Director Murat Aktuğralı. During the visit, the book, which preserves the memories and life stories of the Champion Angels who lost their lives in the earthquake and carries their legacy into the future, was presented to EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç.
Prepared by Gülnur Özfer Görgün and published by the Association of Volleyball’s Unforgettable Figures, the book documents the stories of those who lost their lives through the accounts, memories and photographs shared by their families and loved ones. Aiming to keep their names and memories alive, the publication also contributes to preserving collective memory and passing it on to future generations.
“We Have Not Forgotten Them, and We Never Will”
Delivering a speech, Champion Angels Association Chairperson Ruşen Y. Karakaya stated, “They were more than volleyball players; with their dreams, their love and the memories they left behind, they became an unforgettable part of our lives. This encyclopedia was created to preserve the voices that once filled the courts, the dreams they shared and the stories that will remain forever in our hearts, ensuring that their legacy is carried into the future. We have not forgotten them, and we never will. Their names will always be remembered with love, and their memories will continue to live on with pride”.
“Preserving the Memory of Our Champion Angels Is a Shared Responsibility”
EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç emphasized that keeping the memory of the Champion Angels alive and passing their stories on to future generations is a shared responsibility, and thanked the Champion Angels Association for donating the book to the EMU Özay Oral Library. Prof. Dr. Kılıç stated, “Our Champion Angels will always live on in our hearts through their dreams, achievements and the lasting mark they left on our lives. This valuable publication, which brings their stories together with readers, holds great significance in preserving their memory. As EMU, we will continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring that our Champion Angels are never forgotten and that their legacy continues to live on.”
