SOLOTÜRK Excitement at EMU: Col. Murat Keleş Meets with Students

Tourism Club and Faculty of Tourism operating under Eastern Mediterranean University, Student Development, Activities and Sports Affairs Directorate co-organized a talk event titled “SoloTürk Kuruluş Hikayesi ve İlham Yolculuğu / Founding Story of SoloTürk and A Journey of Inspiration”. The talk event feature Col. Murat Keleş – Founding Leader of SoloTürk and first ever air show pilot. Held at Mustafa Afşin Ersoy Hall, the said event was also attended by EMU Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Osman M. Karatepe and Prof. Dr. Ali Öztüren, EMU Faculty of Tourism Dean Assist. Prof. Dr. İlkay Yorgancı, Vice Deans and many students.

Delivering a speech at the beginning of the event, EMU Tourism Club Assistant Chair İrem Erçin stated that the Club views tourism not merely as an industry or a travel activity, but as a multidimensional field that places people at its center and generates social value. Expressing her pleasure at hosting Col. Murat Keleş at EMU, Erçin added that they believe the seminar would be enlightening for all participants.

Faculty of Tourism Dean Assist. Prof. Dr. Yorgancı also made an address, stating that they are honored to be hosting a figure that left a lasting mark in the Turkish aviation world. Assist. Prof. Dr. Yorgancı continued by providing information of Col. Keleş and noted that Col. Keleş not only made a mark in aviation but also in everyone’s hearts, Assist. Prof. Dr. Yorgancı expressed the faculty’s pleasure on having Col. Keleş at EMU.

Speaking at the event, EMU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Karatepe expressed his satisfaction at welcoming Col. Murat Keleş, founder of SoloTürk, to EMU, noting his confidence that the discussion would be both productive and insightful. He highlighted the importance of raising awareness, reinforcing existing knowledge, and educating those unfamiliar with certain subjects. Prof. Dr. Karatepe also shared comprehensive information about EMU, emphasizing that it is the island’s oldest university established by law. He pointed out that EMU was placed in the 51–75 band of the Shanghai Rankings in Tourism from 2019 to 2025, describing this achievement as a reflection of the University’s strong international standing in the field. Providing further details about the EMU Faculty of Tourism, Prof. Dr. Karatepe underlined its global recognition and its distinction through academic publications, and encouraged students to value both their University and the Faculty of Tourism. He concluded by expressing his wishes for the talk to be informative and successful.

During the talk, Col. Murat Keleş, the founding leader and first demonstration pilot of SoloTürk - a team established within the Turkish Air Force and recognized as a national symbol at both national and international levels - shared insights into the team’s formation and his inspirational journey with the audience. The event concluded with Prof. Dr. Karatepe presenting Col. Keleş with a silver plate in recognition of his contributions.