PEN EXHIBITION

“One Pen, One Story, Pens That Left a Mark”

This year marked a first in the history of Istanbul Stationery Fair, as the exhibition hosted such a unique and meaningful pen collection for the very first time. Drawing remarkable attention throughout the four-day event, the exhibition became one of the most talked-about and visited sections of the fair.

Presented to visitors as part of the Prof. Dr. Muhittin Şimşek Collection, the Pen Exhibition featured many remarkable pieces, including the pen used by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev during the same ceremony, the Golden Cross Pen of Turgut Özal, the Golden Pen of Süleyman Demirel, the pen of Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar, special pens and stories belonging to Nabi Avcı, the pen of Istanbul Governor Vasip Şahin, the fountain pen of Bahtiyar Vahapzade, the pen of Reisülkurra Abdurrahman Gürses, the pen of Aleksandr Pushkin, the pen bearing the signature of Alparslan Türkeş, the “Kiss-Worthy Pen” of Prof. Dr. Yusuf Ziya Özcan, memorable stories associated with Prof. Dr. İhsan Doğramacı, the pen that witnessed the design of the Turkish Airlines logo, “The Pen of Devrim” used in the drawings of the Devrim Automobile project, Özal’s pen from the Methodist Hospital room, and Ayşe Teacher’s pen.

Demonstrating that a pen is not merely a writing instrument, but also a witness to an era, a carrier of ideas, and a powerful symbol connecting memory to the future, the exhibition offered visitors a unique emotional and cultural experience. Each pen reflected a different story, shedding light on state memory, scientific achievement, literature, education, and social transformation.

This impressive journey from past to present offered participants both a nostalgic and inspiring experience, while the exhibition also received wide coverage in national and sectoral media as one of the fair’s most remarkable attractions. Visited by many distinguished guests, including Serdar Çam, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Prof. Dr. Nabi Avcı, former Minister, and Mehmet Develioğlu, Vice President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, the exhibition stood out as one of the special events strengthening the cultural and social identity of Istanbul Stationery Fair.