Within the scope of the collaborations of Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Tourism Faculty and the EMU Gastronomy Club operating under Social and Cultural Activities Directorate, an event titled “5 December, World Turkish Coffee Day – The Past, Present and Future of Turkish Coffee” was held on Monday, 5 December 2022 at 14:00 at EMU Tower Barista Café. Receiving great interest from both the students and academics, the event hosted Oza Coffee Director Ergün Oza and the Chairman of Turkey Barista Academy’s Executive Board Naim Koca.
“Determined as a Special Day by UNESCO”
Hosting the event that aimed embracing coffee culture and carrying it to the future, EMU Tourism Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç stated that 5 December, Turkish Coffee and Tradition Day, was declared as a special day in 2013 in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative List of Humanity. Saying that the adoption of the coffee drinking culture in Cyprus, which started with the spread of Turkish coffee from Yemen about 500 years ago, dates back to the 1900s, Prof. Dr. Kılıç emphasized the importance of coffee culture for the people of Cyprus and stated that coffee also shapes social life, and especially thanked the Social and Cultural Activities Directorate and the Gastronomy Club members who organized the organization.
Oza and Koca Shared Their Experiences in the Field of Coffee
During his speech, Oza Coffee Director Ergün Oza conveyed his experiences about coffee culture from the past to the present, adhering to family traditions and stated that he is the third generation coffee maker in the family. Naim Koca, the Executive Board Chairman of the Turkey Barista Academy, stated that he was interested in this field from a young age and took steps to train himself in coffee. Expressing how happy he is in his profession, Koca also pointed out the importance of coffee culture.
Following the speeches, different flavors of coffee were served to the participants. At the end of the event, EMU Tourism Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç presented appreciation plaques to Oza Coffee Director Ergün Oza and Barista Academy Executive Board Chairman Naim Koca.
