Heart-warming surprise from IUE

Students of Izmir University of Economics (IUE) Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts surprised young children in Bayır Primary School in Mardin's Derik District. Responding warmly to the children's message, ‘We are curious about Aegean flavors’, sent through their teacher, IUE students prepared fig and walnut cookies and olive and tulum cheese snacks. They carefully packaged these treats and sent them off to Mardin. The children, over 1,500 kilometers away, were filled with joy when they received the gifts from the university students, eagerly opened the packages, and sent back plenty of photos to express their gratitude.

“WE WANTED THEM TO REMEMBER US” 

Prof. Dr. Nazan Turhan, Director of the School of Applied Management Sciences at IUE, expressed that they built a bridge of love stretching from Izmir to Mardin. Prof. Dr. Turhan said, “Hakan Sönmez, the teacher at the village school reached out to us. He wanted to introduce the children to local products they had not seen or tasted before. He mentioned that they had decided to create a project to allow the children to experience these flavors. We believed the children would be very happy with this and that it would be a wonderful surprise for them. We discussed the idea with our students, who were very enthusiastic. They immediately got to work in the kitchen. Using Aegean specialties like olives, walnuts, figs, and tulum cheese, we prepared cookies and snacks. We carefully packaged these items. We also added memorabilia such as notebooks and pens so that they could remember us and our University, then we sent the package.”

A MESSAGE OF LOVE TO IZMIR

Expressing their happiness at making the children smile, Prof. Dr. Turhan said, “No matter where you are, love knows no boundaries. Both the children and our students proved this once again. As always, we are ready to participate in every project, big or small, that will benefit and bring happiness to children. I thank the students at our University and the children studying in Mardin and wish them lifelong success.”

The children, who thanked IUE students, sent photos and videos posing with the cookies in their hands, and sent the message, “Love to Izmir.”