Cultural tourism and Sustainable development in Imbros and Tenedos.

Foteini Maniou

Philosophy NKUA, Msc University of the Aegean, Greece

 

Abstract: In this project, the meaning of sustainable development and cultural tourism will be analyzed, as well as the means society contributes to the identity of a place and its regional development. Moreover, the interconnection of the cultural identity of a region with the phenomenon we call cultural tourism will be clarified, which classifies it as a type of alternative tourism. For the above concepts to be more comprehensible both in theory and in practice, we will analyze the case study of Imbros and Tenedos, two islands that used to be part of Greece in the past, however, they were taken over by the Ottoman Empire and today they still belong to Turkey. In this project, historical documentation and information that have been gathered will be listed, which are directly related to the cultural identity of both islands. Lastly, the impact of the above will be further analyzed, in the phenomenon of cultural tourism and the development of the mentioned regions.

Keywords: Cultural tourism, Imbros, Tenedos, cultural identity , cultural entrepreneurship.

 

1.Introduction.

Tourism as a meaning, can be explained in a plethora of different ways, depending on the point of view of its approach. Tourism can be considered the commercialization of a region, the cultural place, the people, and their relationships. Many people claim that tourism is just a sum of business activities, however, apart from this, it constitutes an ideological manifold of history, nature, and tradition, which is based mostly on personal awareness and experiences. This connection between tourism and cultural management is built through the meaning of “authenticity” which comes from a sense of constantly seeking the past into the present, namely, the history of the specific place. This necessity to seek a unique history comes from the recent centuries' rapid economic, cultural, and sociological alterations. Western Europe brought the domain of cultural administration for the first time, with an overriding concern to preserve the material assets of the heritage of the past. Furthermore, in the same way, the Grand Tour's touristic field was born because aristocratic sightseers in the 16th century discovered the past.(Chartas & Sarandakou 2022).

The cultural identity of a place consists of its history, traditions, ethics, and folkway. Culture is what makes every destination unique and special compared to others, as well as being the prime motivation to seek out new places to deeply explore their cultural identity. (Paulatou, 2020)

This is a form of alternative tourism that is being observed often nowadays as well and it is named cultural tourism. The definition of cultural tourism is as such: “It is tourism that occurs for cultural reasons. Namely, a type of tourism that has as its prime touristic product contact, acquaintanceship, knowledge,  and the enjoyment of the culture of the touristic destinations and the different cultural events and activities. Cultural tourism at its core is visiting historical and archaeological sites, monuments, traditional neighborhoods, buildings with a distinct architectural character, and many others.(Μanola,2022)

 

 

2.Cultural routes and sustainable development in Imbros and Tenedos

Sustainable development and its purpose have spread in large percentages in recent years as it is a great challenge for all humanity. The main purpose of sustainable development is the maximization of human well-being and the provision of both a healthy environment, as well as providing economic and social foundations, which will restore both the current and future generations. Local development policies can help achieve this goal because they are based on facilitating structural adjustments, allowing economies and societies to adapt to changing conditions, combat social exclusion and maintain social balance, as well as providing better utilization of the social, economic and environmental resources of the region. (Mitoula et alς,2018)

The sustainability of a region is connected at the same time with regional development, which is as well a positive result of cultural tourism. It is important to note that this particular type of alternative tourism is eco-friendly to the specific region because its effects cannot be negative. The cultural and historical monuments, the ethics and folkway, and the traditions do not pose any danger to nature. (Μitoula  &Κaldis ,2018) 

Furthermore, exposure to the cultural identity of a region results in increased demand for the phenomenon of cultural tourism and therefore results in more sustainable and regional development. Through tourism demand, the local economy strengthens, and an improved social

background is created. “With proper management, cultural heritage can add value and prosperity to the lives of communities through economic development, and it can help prevent cultural globalization (a result of economic) and preserve cultural diversity”.  (Vardopoulos et als ,2023)

 

 

3.Historical Overview

In 1923, with the treaty of Lausanne, the Greek minority of Imbros and Tenedos emerged. The treaty was signed after the defeat of the Greek troops in Asia Minor by Kemal's forces and exempted the Greek Orthodox of Constantinople, Imbros and Tenedos, and the Muslims of Western Thrace from the mandatory population exchange between Greece and TurkeyThroughout the period until the islands were handed over to the Turks, superhuman efforts were made by the inhabitants of the islands to overturn what was decided. Regardless of the effort that was made, the islands were eventually occupied by the Turkish authorities. Turks, for 95 years now, trespass the treaty of Lausanne of Imbros and Tenedos, because in 1927 they closed the central school of Imbros and demanded through the law “About Islands”, that the education of Greek students must be in Turkish.(Maniou, 2011)“ When the Lausanne treaty was signed, 92.017 Greeks lived there and few Turks did as well, whereas, in 1960, 5.487 Greeks lived there and only 285 Turks. In 1990, only 300 Greeks and 7.200 Turks lived there. In Tenedos however, only a few Greeks remained. (Stoukas, 2018)


 

 
3.1.Greek villages – Settlements of Imbros

•    Imbros consists of seven historical villages, of which only six are still populated today by Greeks. One of which,
•    Agridia has remained mostly Greek. In the houses of the Greek villages, elements of Macedonian architecture stand out, influenced by the Asia Minor area, with an image of a distinct type of aesthetic.
•    Sxoinoudi and
•    Saints Theodoroi were built at the beginning of the 16th century, whereas Agridia was built in the middle of the 17th century and
•    Panagia, as well as
•    Eulampio were built at the beginning of the 18th century.
•    The Castle, is another village that took its name from a Byzantine castle, located in the region of the hill that the settlement extends. Today, it is regarded as an appealing touristic destination, even though in reality it has sustained aesthetic and environmental deterioration. .(Bequette, 1994).  

 

3.2.Churches of Imbros and Tenedos

Religion, and by extension the temples and the churches, are an integral part of the culture of a place. During the first Christian millennium, Imbros most likely belonged to the Metropolis of Lemnos and Tenedos belonged to the Metropolis of Mytilene, not as Bishoprics but simply as ecclesiastical parishes since they were considered insignificant. In 1010, for the first time, Imbros appears as a Patriarchal Exarchate, which was given to Mixail Kiroulario, the later Ecumenical Patriarch. The situation of the Patriarchal Exarch was maintained until the 14th century. (Ecumenical Patriarchate, Metropolis of Imbros and Tenedos) and the parishes of the Metropolis of Imbros and Tenedos have as follows: The holy temple of “Dormition of Theotokou” belongs to the community of Tenedos, whereas the rest of the churches belong to the community of Imbros, but the most famous Metropolis is the temple of “Dormition of Theotokou” in the capital, Panagia. From there it’s the original of the Ecumenical Patriarch k.k Bartholomew A’. Even though these islands now belong to Turkish lands, the islands have still maintained their Greek heritage through their orthodox religion.
 In 1633 the abbey of “Panagia of Karmilou” was built in Tenedos, which hosted the Franciscan monks after the Turkish occupation. It was a seminary for the catholic priests as well as the host for the library of the abbey “Agia Ioustini” which was in Garitsa. In 1943, most of the abbey was destroyed and it was never reconstructed. (VisitCorfu, 2022)

 

 
3.4.Castle of Tenedos
The castle of the island is regarded as a hallmark and plays the role of a martyr for the culture and history of the island. It is regarded as the main attraction, and it contains an outdoor museum, consisting of architectural sections of antiquities of the island, and is also open to the public. The findings inside the Castle reveal that the ancient Christian monuments on the island play an important role. In 1479, Mohammed extends it, and the old Castle with the big towers is divided into two sections. In the first section, the infirmary was located, along the Gkazi Xiountaverdigiar mosque (which no longer exists), the prisons, and the barracks. In the second section, the vaulted room, the cistern, the arsenal, and the warehouse for supplies were located. The inscription located on the external gate inscribes that: “the castle was made by sultan Mahmoud (the second) with the help of the god. The paramount shall make his enemies crumble every time. The castle was given to Mpotza Ada, and the city prospered in 1815”. The “Geni Kale” was an expansion of the castle, and had two arsenals, a prison, two bastions, a workshop for knives, a place for events and also houses (which can be seen in old photos), and it was built on 1815 and surrounded by a trench of 250 meters, 10 meters wide. In 1927, the “Tampia” was built by the warden of Tenedos, “Xazif Ali Pasa”, the bastion (now in shambles) in the opposite side of the port. This castle was occupied after 1456, by the British, the Russians, and then again by the Turks ( Emprosnet)

 
3.5.The museum of Tenedos
Even today there still is a Greek settlement whose center is in “Research Center of Local History of Tenedos” which consists of two floors. On the first floor, there are mainly objects related to the daily life of the Tenedians in the period between 1925 and 1965 and are related to professions that the Greeks of the island worked at that time. The second floor of the museum consists of rooms where maps and engravings of Tenedos from the years 1110 to 1850 are exhibited. Furthermore, the rooms contain official documents in English, Greek, and Turkish, and ecclesiastical objects of Greek Orthodoxy. Lastly, one can find photos and CDs that are referring to the island.

 
3.6.School – hotel of Tenedos

Today, there is a hotel in Tenedos named “HOTEL EGE” which is one of the historical buildings of the island, as it wasn’t initially a hotel. Around 1800 it was built with the perspective of a Greek primary school when the majority of the inhabitants were of Greek origin. In 1923 it was closed and then reopened in 1963 as a Turkish primary school. As time passed the building started to decompose and crumble. Afterward, in 1986, it was reconstructed with the approval of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the interior of the building was demolished. It was eventually rebuilt as a hotel with a capacity of 36 rooms(tenedos-ege.com)

 

4.Cultural associations
The two islands hide a long history and a very distinct culture. The people that originate from these islands have taken care of and maintained the “live” and cultural identity they have as much as possible.

 
4.1.Cultural associations of Imbrians
The Imbrion Association was founded for the first time in 1945 by refugees from Imbros, with the main purpose of maintaining relationships between its members with the region of Attica. Between 1964 – 1980, the majority of Imbrians settled in Greece because of the application of the “Program of dissolution” for the Greek residents of the island by the Turkish government. Thereafter, the association took care of providing support to the new refugees, as it mediated with the Greek authorities for the issuance of certificates, residence, and work permits and for solving their immediate survival concerns, such as housing, finding work, and education for their children. Today, the association of Imbrion consists of 5.000 members and its vision is the peaceful coexistence of the native people of Imbrion with residents of other ethnicities, their creative presence in their country, and the protection and preservation of their special cultural identity and heritage. The Association consists of five committees, each of which undertakes specific actions to achieve its vision. The Imbrian Coordination Committee aims to promote the Imbrian issue in international organizations around the world. The Village Committees are responsible for supporting the needs of the villages of Imbros and their residents. The Committee for Culture and Communication promotes the Imbrian issue through the organization of cultural events and the production of cultural products and at the same time aims to inform and raise public awareness. The Youth Committee has as its ultimate goal the connection of young people of Imbrian origin with their homeland and the promotion of volunteering through a variety of activities. Finally, the Ladies' Committee consists of women from Imbros with the aim of offering charity work, reviving ancestral customs, and organizing various events (imvrosisland.org)

 
4.2.Cultural Association of Tenedians
The association of Tenedians, also known as “The Tennis”, is an independent union that was founded in 2006 by a small group of refugees, who originated from Tenedos and settled in Attica, after being expelled by the tactics applied by Turkey in 1964. The goal of this association doesn’t differ from that of Imbros, as its goal is the maintenance of the relationships of all people who originate from Tenedos. Today, 225 members have registered, while dealing effectively with the problems of the Greek community on the island. (Kerkineoglou, 2009). The immediate priority of the Tenedian Association is its close cooperation with all the organizations of the European Union. The main goals of the association of Tenedos are the same as the ones of the association of Imbros. (tenedos.gr)
The sustainable development of a region consists mainly of economic, social, and ecological prosperity.( Fotiadi,2014).Cultural tourism is a form of alternative tourism that contributes to regional development, as well as through it, there is economic prosperity in the specific region. The culture of each region is what characterizes it and ranks it among the interesting touristic destinations. Altogether, it consists of historical elements of the region, the religion, the monuments, and the community as common features. (Stoukas,2020).

 
5.Qualitative research / statistical analysis
As part of the study, a survey was conducted through an online questionnaire. In this study, 100 people took part, of which 55 are men, and 45 are women. Of these, 48 have finished secondary education, 22 primary education, and 30 tertiary education. The 58 had visited one of the two islands in the past. In the question “do you know the history of the 2 islands?”, 59 responded with “yes” and 41 with “no”.

 

 

6.Conclusions

The case study was conducted for the situation of the islands of Imbros and Tenedos which belonged to Greece before the Ottoman rule with the Lausanne treaty. It is concluded that these islands have a special culture which is still maintained today. They are regarded as appealing touristic destinations, which contributes to their sustainability and regional development. With the tourist movement, which is on the rise, the local economy is strengthened and the social background of the two islands increases.
The refugees of these regions have taken care to create cultural associations, with the main goal of staying united with each other and preserving their cultural identity. Moreover, the results of the quantitative research conducted by the University of West Attica, showed that the Greeks are interested in the History of the islands and consequently, are interested in the attractions and their development and promotion.

 

7.Bibliography