At the "A Turkish Wanderer in London" Book Signing Day and Talk event held at London Yunus Emre Institute on June 12, 2024, Dr. Emre Araci took the participants on a fascinating journey through London's Turkish heritage.

The event started with the speech of Dr. Aracı about his historical findings regarding the connections between Türkiye and Britain. Dr Araci's passion for finding and uncovering these hidden traces was clearly visible as he told stories from his book "Turkish Traces in London", which candidly describes the vibrant history of the city and the significant Turkish influences that shaped it.

An Expedition Tracing Three and a Half Centuries of History

In his speech, in which he presented anecdotes from his book, Dr. Aracı literally took the participants on an expedition tracing three and a half centuries of history in the crowded streets of London. The event was much more than an academic narrative; It was a labyrinthine exploration of epistolary and poetic memory, from the echoes of the 'janissary band' outside St James's Palace to historic Turkish coffeehouses and baths.

With his impressive narration, Dr. Aracı enlightened the audience with a tapestry of stories detailing the Turkish influence in the history of London and Britain. Dr. Aracı talked about the city's long-vanished historical Turkish coffeehouses, which were once a center of intellectual and social activity and a source of inspiration for luminaries such as Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and Virginia Woolf. Dr Araci also talked about the city's embrace of Ottoman culture and the Turkish baths that enrich London's history and stand as evidence of intercultural exchange.

Dr. Aracı also highlighted the cultural exchange between Britain and Türkiye, exemplified by the decorations awarded to Admiral Horatio Nelson by the Ottoman Empire, underlining the deep-rooted relations between the two countries. He told the story of Nelson being awarded the Order of the Turkish Crescent with the diamond wreath on his turban by Sultan Selim III as a symbol of gratitude for his role in restoring Ottoman rule in Egypt. Dr. Emre Aracı’s presentation also touched upon Virginia Woolf's literary narratives that reflect her connection with Turkish culture. He emphasized that Woolf's works make frequent references to Istanbul and that these references are historical signs of the city's rich Ottoman influences.

One of the most beautiful moments of the event was a signing ceremony where they had the opportunity to receive a copy of Dr. Araci's masterpiece, signed by the author himself. The event took its place in history as a memoir that added new stories to Turkish Traces in London with the narratives of Dr. Aracı, a historian who has devoted his life to uncovering and sharing these stories.