Buket Babataş Aydın (Turkey, ITP Fellow 2019)

Written by Claire Messenger, Manager, International Training Programme

We were devastated to learn last week that we have lost a member of our International Training Programme global network.  Buket Babataş Aydın (Turkey, ITP Fellow 2019) sadly lost her battle with cancer – a battle that she had fought bravely and stoically.

Buket joined us on the ITP in the Summer Programme as an independent researcher.  Such was her modesty, we had conversations before she came to London about whether her not being directly part of an institution was a concern for her place on the ITP.  I tried to dispel any worries of course, as her place on the Programme came at the recommendation of our late and greatly missed colleague Dr Ian Jenkins and recommendations don’t come any higher than that.

Buket’s experience of archaeology, excavations and museums meant she was able to bring important, wide ranging professional experience to the ITP 2019.  While here in the UK, Buket spent time in the Department of Greece and Rome and at Norwich Museum Service where she greatly impressed colleagues with her knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for the sector.

For me – and I know our ITP cohort 2019 will feel the same – what struck me most about Buket was what a wonderful person she was.  Her passion, dedication, energy and enthusiasm shone through.  She was a kind and thoughtful colleague and friend, supporting and encouraging those around her.  2019 was a challenging year for the ITP team with two of my colleagues leaving the project only weeks before the Summer Programme began.  Buket was an incredibly calm person to be with and her support, to me personally, particularly during our conversations on the British Museum colonnade, were moments of solace.  Buket was an amazing member of our ITP 2019 group and I am sorry that there was not more time for her to become a key part of our wider network, which I know she would have been.

Buket left a lasting impression on her ITP colleagues and our team and some of their lovely messages are here:

‘I had the privilege of meeting Buket very soon after starting my role on the International Training Programme. Having never helped deliver a summer programme before, I remember being quite nervous about making sure it was a success. Buket was incredibly kind, very patient and had a positive attitude which helped make my role in the summer programme much easier. A pleasure to talk to, Buket will always leave a lasting impression on my experience of ITP’. George Peckham (ITP Assistant)

‘Thanks Buket, for having known you, for the 40 days of memories on the ITP and for our conversations about work and life. I will never forget your warm embrace on the last night of training, your tears full of love before travel.  Our short messages during the last year were always full of hope. You were courageous, positive, and full of love’. Nagwa Bakr (Egypt, ITP Fellow 2019)

‘My Dear Buket ‘cim, I wish you could read these letters and the whole blog. You were so full of life and joy.  I will never forget for the rest of my life, the first day happiness and excitement of you in the first day we shared on the ITP.  We walked with you so many miles and steps together in the London streets. I consider myself a very lucky and a fortunate person that I’ve shared those moments with you.  You have been a true friend, sister and an energy resource that is full of life – I cannot describe it still. Sleep in lights my lovely Buket…’ Asuman Alpagut (Turkey, ITP Fellow 2019)

‘In our life we will all fulfil the cycle of life because sooner or later death will come looking for us but then it surprises us with the loss of a friend.  We will always remember Buket’. Your friend, Nyaz Azeez Awmar (Kurdistan, ITP Fellow 2019)

Our condolences go out to her family, friends, and colleagues in the sector. 

Buket will be greatly missed.