A photograph from the Aysen Nergiz exhibition now on display in the Willard Straight Hall gallery. The exhibit, part of a weeklong series of cultural and intellectual events titled "Turkey: Culture, Change and Development," runs through Oct. 7.

"Turkey: Culture, Change and Development," a weeklong program featuring numerous cultural events, photography exhibits, films, readings and leading-edge forums is now under way at Cornell University. Sponsored by the International Programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Mediterranean Initiative of the Institute for European Studies, the events highlight various aspects of this fascinating and geo-politically vital nation.

Cornell Cinema will present a series of classic Turkish films through October, starting with "The Bride," a 1973 film depicting the struggles of a migrant Anatolian family in urban Istanbul. It screens Sept. 29 at 7:15 p.m. in Willard Straight Theatre.

Events culminate with a two-day forum that focuses on Southeastern Anatolia titled "Southeastern Anatolia: The Forgotten Turkey?" starting Friday, Sept. 30, at 4:30 p.m. in the Ives Hall Conference Center, and resuming Saturday, Oct. 1, at 9 a.m. in B10 Sage Hall.

Southeastern Anatolia was, until recently, underdeveloped and isolated from the sophisticated urban centers of western Turkey and regarded as the "forgotten Turkey." It was also a center of racial and ethnic conflict, particularly between Turks and Kurds. Today, Southeastern Anatolia is the recipient of a $32 billion World Bank project. As Turkey prepares for discussions about membership in the European Union, Southeastern Anatolia will be a major focus of concern, not only because of its economic and social problems, but also because it borders Iraq and Syria, making it one of the most important strategic areas in the world today.

All events, including the forum, are free and open to the public. For a complete listing of events, visit http://ip.cals.cornell.edu or http://www.enaudi.cornell.edu/europe. For a Cornell Cinema schedule, visit http://cinema.cornell.edu. For more information on the forum, contact Gail Holst-Warhaft, Mediterranean Initiative director, at (607) 255-7592 or by e-mail at glh3@cornell.edu. For further information on the cultural week contact: Charlotte Jirousek, associate professor of textiles and apparel, (607) 255-8064, or e-mail at caj7@cornell.edu.