Zeynel Bak

Aegean province ?zmir's Selçuk district, home to the House of the Virgin Mary, which is a pilgrimage site for Christians, will soon have a massive statue of the mother of Jesus. 

Speaking at a tourism conference, Selçuk Mayor Zeynel Bak?c? said they had rolled up their sleeves for the construction of the structure. 

The ancient city of Ephesus near Selçuk in the Aegean province of ?zmir has begun counting down the days until its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List, with the voting taking place on July 5. Selçuk Mayor Zeynel Bak?c? said they were expecting good news after the vote. 

The UNESCO Headquarters in Paris is presenting an exhibition from Turkey titled "Safe Harbor Turkey - Restoring Hope," an interactive photography exhibition highlighting Turkey's historic humanitarian support and current response to the Syrian refugee crisis.

The town of Selçuk, in the western Turkish province of ?zmir, which hosts around 2.5 million tourists visiting the nearby ancient site of Ephesus every year, is hoping to improve its faith tourism potential and draw more tourists.

A tender will be initiated tomorrow for the restoration of St. John?s Church, which is popular among tourists in the ?irince neighborhood of Selçuk in ?zmir.

The ancient city of Ephesus in western Turkey is expected to enter the UNESCO World Heritage List this year, after 22 years of efforts.