A Candidate on “UNESCO World Heritage List” as a Seljuks' Capital

Konya, a candidate for the UNESCO World Heritage List as the capital of the Seljuks,has many historical, natural and cultural heritages. The Mevlevi Semah Ceremony was included in UNESCO’s “UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” in 2008 

The “Mevlevi Semah Ceremony” and Çatalhöyük Neolithic City are on the UNESCO’s cultural heritage list, with two intangible and tangible cultural heritages. Konya is also on the UNESCO World Heritage Temporal List as the Seljuks’ Capital 

The Mevlevi Semah Ceremony
The Mevlevi Semah Ceremony is a mystical ceremony that contains religious elements and themes and, as such, has detailed rules and qualities. While this ceremony, special to the Mevlevi community, was held in the time of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumî without adhering to a certain rule, it was performed in a disciplined manner starting from the time of Sultan Veled and Ulu Arif Çelebi. These rules were developed until the time of Pir Adil Çelebi and took their final form and have reached the present day. The ceremony consists of naat, ney taksimi, pesrev, Devr-i Veledî and four salutation sections, which contain different mystical meanings in integrity with each other. The ceremony is performed with traditional Mevlevi music in venues where the Mevlevi culture can be accurately conveyed.
The way of preserving the culture of the Mevlevi culture, which emerged in the 13th century, developed and shaped over time and became an important part of Turkish history and culture, and especially the Semah ceremony, is to be passed on and introduced to future generations without disturbing the technical and internal perfection and originality of this tradition. In order to ensure the realization of the Mevlevi Semah Ceremonies without losing their essence, a conservation action plan, which includes the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as well as many non-governmental organizations, has been created. 

In order to ensure that the Mevlevi Semah Ceremony is held without losing its essence, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a Circular on Semah Ceremonies in 2008. According to this circular; the ceremony must be held in places where this culture can be accurately conveyed and introduced, and in places where the necessary conditions are met, accompanied by works of Mevlevih music, which come from tradition and are an integral part of Semah. The whirling dervishes and musicians participating in the programs should have the necessary technical and musical competence, and act seriously in the awareness that they are performing a cultural promotion as well as a lovely and mystical practice during the program. Declared as a masterpiece in 2005 within the framework of the UNESCO Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Program, The Mevlevi Semah Ceremony was registered in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on behalf of our country in 2008 and introduced to the whole world.