Prof. Kural discusses his book about Yemen.

Because of his love for Yemen, Professor Orhan Kural, a famous Turkish globetrotter and professor in Istanbul Technical University headed a group of fifteen Turkish writers and photographers to visit different regions across Yemen. When they ask me what counties you like, I said two countries Yemen and Bhutan. 

Yemen is a wonderful country. It is my third visit to Yemen. Kural wrote many books about countries in Africa and Asia. He focused on his books about efforts of those countries in protecting the environment and promoting tourism. He has also written extensively about Yemen exploring the historical relations between Yemeni and Turkish peoples.  He has written about Emam Yahya age and such places in Yemen as Marib, Thula Hababah and Sana’a. 

We are here because Yemen is very important country for Turkey, he said.  I brought famous Turkish writers and photographers with me who will also write about Yemen.” I will visit many cities, he said. Yemeni people are so nice and lovely.”  “I believe Yemen is one of the countries who are doing the most to protect the environment and their culture.”  The beauty of Yemen is not artificial. It is natural and I hope it will remain unchanged. The professor expressed his wish to promote for tourism in Yemen through his books about Yemen and articles in Turkish papers.

I will also come to study needs and problems facing the mining sector in Yemen, especially coal as Yemen have a promising mining sector. Kural is a talented scholar, who holds degrees from Columbia University. He has authored a 500 page textbook dealing with mining coal. The book is written in English and is mentioned  in the Guinness book of records for its 22 reviews written by 22 presidents of different states of the world. The aim of Prof. Kural who visited about 200 countries is the promotion of environmental protection and the development of ecotourism.  “In my second visit to Yemen, I met an Italian lady who asked me whether it was my first time in Yemen.

The scholar reminisced about his first visti to Yemen.

I said no it is the second time. As it turned out it was her second time as well. She told me that the first time; she was taken by force by some tribes to a village where she was kept for two month. So I told her you have bad experiences why did you come again. She said no I was happy with the people who took me.” Yemen still tries to protect itself; that it important for us, prof. Kural said, I make radio and TV programs and write many articles in reputable and important newspaper about environment and I always cite Yemen as an example.  

The Turkish group has been hosted by a traveling agency “Arabian Horizons”. The agency was established in Sana’a in 1989. Today they have offices in Yemen, United States of America, and Canada.  Gulten Dayioglu, a Turkish author, said that this is first time for her to visit Yemen. She comes to make a book about Yemen for young people.  She wrote 71 books.  Some books translated into different languages. There are many interesting things in Yemen to write about, she said. Yemen is an open museum.

I like to know how Islam spreads in Yemen and I like to visit old mosques here. Prof. Kural speaks several foreign languages, English, German, Italian, all of which helps to him during his travels. In 2001, he created The Traveller’s Club of Turkey consisting of inveterate travelers who visited at least thirty countries with aim of ecotourism.  “But we promote tourism brining our feasible contribution to a movement for environmental defense and peace throughout the world.