Turkish President Abdullah Gül awarded the Order of Merit to Cornell Fleischer, the Kanuni Suleyman Professor of Ottoman and Modern Turkish Studies, at a June 11 ceremony at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. The Order of Merit honors significant contributions made by international scholars to Turkish civilization, language, and culture.

While conferring the Order, President Gül highlighted Fleishcer’s work on Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. During the ceremony Fleischer delivered an acceptance speech on behalf of all Order of Merit recipients.

During this speech, Fleischer thanked the teachers and mentors who encouraged him to study in Istanbul and guided him toward his focus upon Ottoman studies. Fleischer’s mentors spanned the globe, showcasing that “scholarship is as much a communal as well as individual enterprise.”  

“This recognition is due, not only to the accomplishments of individuals, but also to those of a community, nourished by our predecessors, that spans centuries as well as continents” said Fleischer.