A memorial ceremony was organized on Tuesday, 11 October 2022 at 14:30 at Mustafa Afşin Ersoy Hall for Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Arts and Sciences Faculty, Translation and Interpretation Department late academic staff member Dr. Rıza Tuncel who passed away on 16 September 2022.
The ceremony began with the late academic staff member’s biography and video screening of Tuncel’s photographs who sadly passed away at a young age due to liver failure. Former academic staff member of the EMU Business and Economics Faculty, Political Sciences and International Relations Department and Tuncel’s close friend Assist. Prof. Dr. Altay Nevzat delivered a speech during the ceremony providing information about Tuncel's character, academic and human aspects. Transferring his memories with Tuncel, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nevzat underlined that Tuncel was an honest and consistent person.
Following Assist. Prof. Dr. Nevzat’s speech, former Head of the Arts and Sciences Faculty, Archeology and Art History Department and also Tuncel’s close friend Assist. Prof. Dr. Müge Şevketoğlu addressed the participants on behalf of the Rıca Tuncel’s family and thanked everyone who attended the ceremony. During her speech, Assist. Prof. Dr. Şevketoğlu shared her memories with Tuncel, talking about how they had met and the years they spent together. Stating that they will dearly miss Tuncel’s sense of humor, Assist. Prof. Dr. Şevketoğlu added that Tuncel left behind great memories through his humanistic and scientific characteristics. Also talking on Tuncel’s studies and work, Assist. Prof. Dr. Şevketoğlu expressed that the loss of their friend deeply saddened the community of archeologists.
EMU Arts and Sciences Faculty, Head of the Department of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bülent Kızılduman began his speech with the phrase of “Know Thyself” which is inscribed on the forecourt of the temple in Delphi, Athens. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kızılduman stated that Tuncel had always been a self-aware person and a character who never followed the ambitions of the academic world, and wrote what he thought the way he wanted. Expressing that he lastly spoke with Tuncel on the phone while he was at the hospital, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kızılduman said that Tuncel wanted to return back to Cyprus following his treatment in Turkey and that he would retire, but that he would like to teach part-time if the Department of Archeology and Art History was reopened. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kızılduman emphasized that, as an archaeologist, he commemorates an archaeologist with the phrase of "Nothing dies, Everything Lives", which the ancient stonemasons of the ancient Egyptian civilization used to bid farewell to their brothers who migrated to eternity.
In his speech, EMU Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Translation and Interpretation Department Head Assist. Prof. Dr. Can Sancar stated that they are deeply saddened by the loss of Tuncel and emphasized that Tuncel was a bright, knowledgeable and intelligent academician. He stated that Tuncel contributed to the enlightenment of the secrets of history by working in many excavations. Stating that Tuncel was a good person that everyone misses, Assist. Prof. Dr. Sancar emphasized that his benevolence, kindness, humor and sincere presence will always be in them.
Speaking after Assist. Prof. Dr. Sancar, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Özarslan expressed his condolences to everyone and stated that they are deeply saddened by the loss of Tuncel. Stating that Tuncel made great contributions to the faculty, Prof. Dr. Özarslan stated that the importance he gave to people and the value he placed on his profession made him a very popular person. Prof. Dr. Özarslan emphasized that he wanted to dedicate the Archeology and Art History Department, which is on the agenda to reopen, to Tuncel.
EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın, on the other hand, stated that Tuncel's academic contributions to the university are extremely important and underlined that they had a 45-year friendship with Tuncel. Saying that Tuncel was a very consistent and honest person, Prof. Dr. Hocanın stated that Tuncel was a very good person who can express what he believed in the simplest way possible.
Following the speeches, EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hocanın presented a service plaque honoring the service of Rıza Tuncel to Assist. Prof. Dr. Şevketoğlu who attended the ceremony on behalf of Tuncel’s family. The ceremony ended after the loved-ones wrote their feelings and thoughts in the condolence book prepared for Tuncel