Traditional Fish Day at ITU Maritime Faculty

Traditional Fish Day, organized by ITU Maritime Faculty, brought together faculty members, alumni, students and their families. On the 138th Fish Day, held at ITU Tuzla Campus on December 10, the opening of Lifeboat Life Saving and Training Center was also made.

Traditional Fish Day, organized annually by ITU Maritime Faculty Alumni Association (DEFAMED) in cooperation with Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Maritime Faculty, was held at ITU Tuzla Campus on December 10 with the participation of a large number of mariner ITU members and graduates. In addition, ITU-Delmar Safety Lifeboat Life Saving and Training Center, which will make a significant contribution to our maritime education, was opened.

The event, which was attended by our Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu, Piri Reis University Rector Prof. Dr. Nafiz Arıca, ITU Vice-Rectors and Secretary General, ITU Maritime Faculty Dean, YTU Maritime Faculty Dean, heads of professional chambers and non-governmental organizations, brought together alumni, faculty members, students and families.

The Fish Day started with the parade prepared with great care by the students of Pipe Drum Corps. The band parade, which was followed with great interest by the families, added great color to the event. After the parade, the students went to the area where the booths of the student clubs of the Maritime Faculty were located, and they kept a tradition unique to the Fish Day: second year students buying gifts from the club products for their first year siblings. After that, the students took their places at Ruhi Sarıalp Sports Hall where the Fish Day ceremony was held.

“Our most rooted maritime institution”

Our Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu expressed the following in his opening speech on the Fish Day: “Our Maritime Faculty, the most rooted maritime institution, has raised very valuable mariners so far. Captains, ship owners, engineers, ship operators and academicians who proudly represent our country not only in our country but also in many parts of the world received education in this faculty. Today, when we say maritime education in our country, ITU Maritime Faculty is the first and most important institution that comes to mind. In our faculty, every year we do our best to provide a better education than the previous one. We work hard with our graduates, associations, foundations, companies and stakeholders, academic and administrative staff.”

Emphasizing that the Lifeboat Training Area will make a very important contribution to the faculty and Turkish maritime, Prof. Dr. Koyuncu also talked about the ongoing renovation works on the campus and added that they are trying to meet all kinds of needs of the faculty in terms of keeping the curriculum up-to-date and strengthening the teaching staff.

Piri Reis University Rector Prof. Dr. Nafiz Arıca welcomed the participants and stated that as a graduate of ITU Maritime Faculty, he was pleased to contribute to the development of cooperation between ITU and Piri Reis University.

“A faculty whose prestige is increasing day by day”

ITU Maritime Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Özcan Arslan thanked the participants and said, “We have taken important steps to improve the quality of students, education and infrastructure in our faculty with your support. Today, we opened the Lifeboat and Marine Survival Training Center, the world’s second largest facility in its class.” Prof. Dr. Arslan emphasized that ITU Maritime Faculty is an educational institution that has publications in international academic journals, participates in international projects and is recognized worldwide, and listed the infrastructure and education investments made at the Maritime Faculty.

Captain Ufuk Teker, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DEFAMED, spoke in detail about their efforts and activities as an alumni association to strengthen the YDO spirit. Teker also announced the future projects and thanked the alumni for their contributions. He commemorated the names of ITU Maritime Faculty graduates who have recently lost their lives in the line of duty.

“We will carry our school, which is the locomotive of the maritime community, to greater heights”

Asım İlker Meşe, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ITU Maritime Faculty Alumni Social Aid Foundation (DEFAV), stated that the capability of solidarity and organization is a reflection of the greatness of the ITU Maritime community and addressed the students with the following words: “Trust in yourself… You have ITU, a giant of two and a half centuries, on one side and ITU Maritime Faculty, the High Maritime School with more than 100 years of traditions and customs on the other.”

Ahmet Yaşar Canca, Chairman of the Board of the Chamber of Marine Engineers and our graduate, emphasized the importance of the concept of professional engineer and the role of professional chambers: “We strive to familiarize all sectors and professions, especially other engineering fields, with maritime.”

General Officer Poyraz Keloğlu made a speech on behalf of ITU Maritime Faculty students: “The bond of brotherhood established during the school years and continuing after graduation is the most important feature that has kept YDO in the first place among maritime schools since the first day it was established. Every year on Fish Day, just like the graduation ceremonies, this unity and solidarity is celebrated with enthusiasm.”

Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Hasan Tunç Kurtluoğlu, a 1982 graduate, shared his memories with the students in his speech on the history of the faculty.

Commemorative medals and certificates of attendance were presented on behalf of ITU Maritime Faculty and DEFAMED to graduates celebrating their 40th, 50th and 60th years in the profession. Captain Atilla Boyçay and Captain Önder Albututanan, two ITU graduates who graduated from ITU Maritime Faculty 60 years ago, received their certificates of attendance from our Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu.

The event came to an end with the special Fish Day dinner at the faculty cafeteria.