Istanbul selected as 2010 cultural capital of Europe

[poiuytrewq0987]

This is pretty insulting, Asiatic invaders taking Constantinople from Europeans and only have it elected the cultural capital of Europe. The board must have stuck their heads so far up their arse because I don't see anything remotely European about Istanbul other than it's sitting on the very edge of the European continent.

http://www.istanbul2010.org/index.htm

[Tony]

Istanbul is no longer Europe since 1453.

[The Lawspeaker]

Since when is Istanbul Europe ?

[Falkata]

Well geographically there´s a part of Istanbul that is in Europe

[The Khagan]

The part of Istanbul that is over the Bosporus on the European side is the main part of the city, last time I checked it holds about 2/3s of its inhabitants and a majority of the ancient works and architecture.

Geographically and historically it is European. Plus the Bosporus is such an arbitrary line (much like all the other boundaries of the 'European continent') I don't see anything there as definitive or non-fluid as a boundary to Asia.

Culturally, I have no idea, I don't know much about modern Istanbul and Anatolia since the advent of the Turkic invasions and the Ottoman Empire. Seeing as Turkey is one of the most secular and western countries with a Muslim majority, and given the regions history as a periphery and major outlet for Europeans (Greek colonies, Constantinople seat of the Roman Empire), I'd say it's a fine choice for cultural capital of Europe.

So what makes everyone here so adverse to anything Turk? Aside from you Balkanites who have a recent grudge against the Ottomans.

Is it the Turkic languages? Is it Islam? The fact that Turkic Muslims conquered a once European cultural area?

I assume it's the combination of all those. Seeing as no one here has gripe against the Magyars, who quickly assimilated to European cultural standards at the time and didn't necessarily take over something as significant Constantinople, they kind of hollowed out their own niche in the South East European plains.

[Svanhild]

Istanbul is no longer Europe since 1453.

Istanbul was never European. But Byzanz and Konstantinopel were European.

[Monolith]

I assume it's the combination of all those.

Indeed. I don't like them for historical reasons. Also, those Turks residing in Germany aren't exactly helping to improve the picture people have of them. I consider them essentially alien anywhere in Europe, regardless of their diverse culture, even in some nearby countries, like Greece or Bulgaria.

[December]

Istambul is as much european as the European Union, the NATO, the UN, ASEAN, MERCOSUR, NAFTA, FIFA, UEFA and all those corporations. Their agenda has not changed. Just geopolitical financial lobbies, so just ignore and don't give a cent. Those in charge of this "Europe" we live in, could even choose Honolulu as cultural capital 2010, 11, 12 or whatever for all I care. As matter a fact, this choice makes sense. What else would you expect?

Don't you people tell me you are still surprised? 2005 Champions League Final was in Ataturk Stadium. Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel, they all compete in UEFA. Etc. Europe as we still dream of it, is alive only in our minds. That's the sad reality.

[Tony]

Istanbul was never European. But Byzanz and Konstantinopel were European.

Wow thank you , I always thought it were called Istanbul even before the Turks arrived...

[The Khagan]

Indeed. I don't like them for historical reasons. Also, those Turks residing in Germany aren't exactly helping to improve the picture people have of them. I consider them essentially alien anywhere in Europe, regardless of their diverse culture, even in some nearby countries, like Greece or Bulgaria.

Coming from a Balkan perspective but valid nonetheless. I have a Greek friend (American born, 2nd generation, family was born in Greece) who has an unabashed hatred for Turks. I always found blatant race hatred hilarious, but at the time I knew little about the context of it all, so I found it even lulzier because it seemed like such an arbitrary group to hate for an American. He blamed them for making Greeks hairy. Then coupled with the fact that I was with a serbian girl for awhile who was born in Serbia.

hm, I associate with Balkan people a lot...

Yeah, I've heard about their status in Germany, pretty big minority.