The second symposium by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts in 2007, organised in collaboration with Beyoğlu Municipality and on the occasion of the municipality’s 150th anniversary on 22-23 November, “The Past and Present of Beyoğlu” opened the past, present and future of Beyoğlu, the artistic and cultural centre of Istanbul, to discussion. The symposium tackled issues such as social structure, daily life, influences, art environment, education and religious universe, and expectations from the future.

Guest speakers of the two-day symposium, moderated by Prof. Dr. Artun Ünsal, Prof. Dr. Ersin Kalaycıoğlu, Şakir Eczacıbaşı, Prof. Dr. Kenan Gürsoy and Oktay Ekinci, were Prof. Dr. Nur Akın, Prof. Dr. Doğan Kuban, Prof. Dr. Haluk Sezgin, Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı, Prof. Dr. Edhem Eldem, Prof. Dr. Zafer Toprak, Prof. Dr. Dikmen Gürün, Engin Özendes, Doğan Hızlan, Necdet Sakaoğlu, Prof. Dr. Bekir Karlığa, Prof. Dr. Sercan Özgencil Yıldırım and Dr. Doğan Hasol, among others.