Özel Ege Lisesi President Yansı Eraslan Convenes the Inaugural Hall Lecture
Özel Ege Lisesi President Yansı Eraslan convened with students for the inaugural hall lecture of the 2026–2027 academic year.
Held in the school auditorium, the session was attended by Middle and High School Principal Aylin Musluoğlu, High School Vice Principal Zafer Arslan, Middle School Vice Principal Pınar Dursun, Scientific Board Co-Chair Dr. Onur Akpınar, and Head of the Social Sciences Department Betül Ernas.
Underscoring that hall lectures serve as an open academic platform enabling students to rigorously deliberate upon matters of inquiry, Representative of the Founder Eraslan highlighted the imperative of evaluating divergent viewpoints and avoiding reductive, dogmatic cognitive frameworks. He affirmed that the cardinal objective of pedagogical practice is not to inculcate partisans of a given doctrine, but to foster intellectually sovereign, analytical, and inquisitive minds. Eraslan subsequently transitioned the assembly into an open-floor format, inviting students to deliberate freely on matters of their choosing.
“French Historiography is Defined by Recurring Political Upheaval”
The opening inquiry from the student body addressed civil liberties, the preservation of public order, and the normative obligations of the state within the context of recent demonstrations across France concerning the cost of living and the degradation of public services.
Eraslan asserted that while democratic polities must rigorously uphold the fundamental prerogative of citizens to articulate grievances, the exercise of such liberties must not infringe upon the civic rights, livelihoods, or daily pursuits of the broader public. He underlined the essential distinction between legitimate, peaceful civic assemblies and acts of civil disorder or violence.
Synthesizing France’s historical trajectories, Eraslan traced the structural continuity of political instability back through pivotal junctures: the French Revolution (1789–1799)—which dismantled absolute monarchy, curtailed the institutional influence of the Catholic Church, and instituted the republican order—the Paris Commune of 1871 marked by working-class ascendance, and consecutive republican constitutions. He remarked that although the French Revolution and the Paris Commune remain emblematic of liberty and egalitarian ideals, they must be critically examined alongside their underlying socio-economic drivers. Elaborating on France's historical alliances and imperial conflicts—notably its colonial rivalry with Great Britain across the Americas—Eraslan observed that Paris has also historically pursued positions adverse to Turkish geopolitical interests, citing its posture during Aegean diplomatic friction, the violent campaigns of ASALA and associated Armenian terrorist factions, and Kurdish separatist agendas. Moreover, noting that France systematically prioritizes domestic economic imperatives concerning European Union budgetary and agrarian frameworks, Eraslan illuminated the persistent socio-political fault lines generating systemic volatility within the nation.
Emphasizing that geopolitical decisions, strategic economic interests, and bilateral diplomacy across eras must be appraised through an integrative methodology, Eraslan stated that establishing rigorous causal relationships remains one of the paramount intellectual proficiencies required to decode contemporary statecraft and global affairs.
“Türkiye Steadfastly Champions the Cause of the Oppressed”
A further matter raised by the assembly pertained to international humanitarian crises—most saliently the genocidal campaign waged against the Palestinian population by Israel—and the pervasive inertia or selective response of the international community.
Observing that disenfranchised communities frequently lack the diplomatic, financial, and military leverage necessary to resolve structural crises independently, Eraslan argued that the ethical duties incumbent upon influential powers must transcend realpolitik and narrow geopolitical self-interest.
Designating the moral stance of “confronting the oppressor unconditionally while standing with the marginalized, irrespective of identity” as a foundational tenet of his personal worldview, Eraslan recalled that Türkiye has historically maintained active moral agency and deep-seated sensitivity toward vulnerable societies globally, defining this commitment as an integral dimension of the Turkish nation’s historical consciousness and state tradition.
He reaffirmed that from Somalia and Syria to the Uyghur population, as well as complex disaster and conflict zones worldwide, Türkiye and the Turkish people consistently feature among the vanguard of emergency humanitarian mobilization, giving precedence to universal human dignity over transactional diplomatic considerations—a distinct contrast to the prevailing posture of many European states.
“Combating Violence Requires Robust Civic and Institutional Consensus”
Addressing a subsequent inquiry regarding aggressive behavioral patterns observed within contemporary educational environments, Representative of the Founder Eraslan maintained that curbing systemic violence cannot be accomplished purely through statutory regulation or punitive codification. Instead, a coherent, institutional resolve must be systematically cultivated across families, educational institutions, digital and broadcast media, and influential public figures.
While acknowledging that certain overt forms of behavioral aggression historically observed in schools have receded, Eraslan articulated that profound structural and cultural transformations do not materialize abruptly; rather, they require resolute, coordinated, and sustained institutional engagement.
“Cultivate Confidence in Türkiye’s Highly Qualified Human Capital”
Prompted by questions concerning state-directed cyber operations, institutional data security, and systemic countermeasures implemented by the Republic of Türkiye, Yansı Eraslan advised the student body to maintain rigorous critical discernment when navigating digital spheres and emerging virtual architectures. He noted that striking an equilibrium between safeguarding civil liberties and securing public infrastructure constitutes an intricate institutional challenge, emphasizing that sovereign states must calibrate this balance through the lens of their unique internal parameters, cultural matrices, and institutional jurisprudence.
Situating the protection of civic integrity and the upcoming generation as a foremost institutional obligation, Eraslan emphasized the holistic duty to defend an individual's life, property, intellectual sovereignty, convictions, and intergenerational security, urging that technological policies and security frameworks be inextricably anchored to these fundamental human tenets.
Expressing profound confidence in Türkiye's indigenous scientific infrastructure, technical capabilities, and cultivated workforce, Eraslan referenced the groundbreaking contributions of engineers and researchers across critical disciplines, notably the defense ecosystem, to demonstrate that human capital serves as the paramount driver of domestic advancement. Eraslan exhorted the assembly to actively recognize national diligence and celebrated achievements rather than yielding to ungrounded institutional skepticism.
“Intellectual Cultivation Transcends Technical Knowledge: It Demands Conscience, Compassion, and Prudence”
Eraslan further asserted that alongside scientific methodologies and technical literacy, foundational grounding in historiography, literature, cultural heritage, and linguistics is essential to the holistic maturation of the individual. A comprehensive educational paradigm, he argued, must look beyond standard academic achievement to cultivate multifaceted individuals capable of interdisciplinary synthesis and systemic macro-level perspective.
Maintaining that rigorous reading habits, comparative inquiry, empathetic engagement with competing viewpoints, and methodical causal deduction are indispensable for sound judgment, Eraslan concluded that pursuing equity, legitimacy, and intellectual moderation relies not merely upon the accumulation of information, but profoundly upon conscience, empathy, and moral prudence.
Concluding his address with an injunction to the youth to sustain their intellectual and scientific inquiry with optimism, Yansı Eraslan reiterated his unwavering conviction that a generation capable of harmonizing rational intellect with ethical empathy, prioritizing civic peace, and operating with acute public responsibility will decisively elevate the nation into an enlightened era.
