The contract for the Karaman Taşkale Carpet Research Project, submitted by the Karaman Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism to the Mevlana Development Agency under the Technical Support Program, was signed by Mevlana Development Agency Secretary General İhsan Bostancı and Karaman Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Burhan Yemiş, with the participation of Mevlana Development Agency Chairman of the Board and Karaman Governor Mehmet Alpaslan Işık.

With the project, which will be implemented with the support of the Mevlana Development Agency, it is aimed to research in detail the Taşkale Carpet, a value on the verge of oblivion in the Taşkale Region of Karaman Province, and transform it back into a value-added product.

Evaluating the project they supported after the meeting, Mevlana Development Agency Secretary General İhsan Bostancı said, “The climate, landforms, soil structure, historical and cultural assets, and other physical geography conditions of any geographical location in the world form the basis for the human and economic conditions of that region and play a shaping role in these activities along with human factors. Research shows that the difference created by the concepts of trust and local culture in the preference of geographically indicated products by consumers increases marketing opportunities and provides great advantages in purchasing behaviors in the target market. Just like our country, our Region also has great advantages at this point with its rich historical, cultural, natural, and human characteristics. What is important here is to bring these potential values to light, transform them into value-added products, and market them to world markets in a multiple and sustainable way with brand value. As an Agency, we try to support every project that will mobilize potentials and contribute to the development move of our region with our financial resources, reporting studies, and consultancy and guidance services. With this project, which we signed today in the presence of our Governor, it is aimed to re-evaluate the Taşkale Carpet, a value on the verge of oblivion in the historical Taşkale Region of our Karaman province, and to bring it in as a tourism and cultural value. All technical and worth-preserving features of the Taşkale Carpet, from its yarn to its dye, from its weaving loom to the meaning it expresses for the local people, will form the main subject of this research project. Within the scope of the project, a geographical indication registration application will also be made in order to transform the Taşkale Carpet into a value-added product as a brand value and to protect both the producer and the consumer. Stating that our efforts to bring our cultural, historical, natural, and human assets in our region into the economy will continue, I wish this project, which we attach great importance to in terms of its aims and achievements, to be beneficial,” he said.

Afterwards, Mevlana Development Agency Chairman of the Board and Karaman Governor Mehmet Alpaslan Işık, evaluating the project, said, “Our city is one of the ancient cities of the Anatolian geography with its deep-rooted history and religious structure, unique culture, and tourism assets. Whichever region you touch, it definitely offers you a value and a story. The historical Taşkale Carpet is one of them. It is known to all of us that in recent years, as in the world, there has been an increasing demand in our country for products that carry the values of a region and have unique characteristics, standards, and production methods. At this point, promoting these historical and cultural assets nationally and internationally and creating a brand value will make great contributions to both the producers of these products and the people of the region. I would like to state that I consider this project, prepared by our Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and supported by our Mevlana Development Agency, to be extremely important in terms of giving the Taşkale Carpet the value it deserves, and I wish the project to be beneficial,” he said.