With a thoughtful theme to pass on today's trends to upcoming generations, Middle East Technical University (METU) organized Alumni Day, during which graduates and students buried a time capsule – to be opened after 25 years – they prepared.
METU employees, students and alumni will convey their messages to future students through nearly 1,500 letters locked in the capsule.
Stating that they wanted to create a bond between generations with this project, rector advisor professor Eren Kalay said the capsule includes drawings by primary school children of the alumni depicting what kind of a world they imagine in 25 years, along with memorial objects such as coins, T-shirts and newspapers of that day.
“We buried it about 2.5 meters (around 6 feet) underground in the 'Time Park' created in the forested area of the campus. We buried the capsule to be opened on July 11, 2048, on 'Alumni Day' to be held 25 years later,” Kalay said.
A similar time capsule was made by Boğaziçi University in 2014 as part of its 150th-anniversary events. The capsule was also buried underground to be opened 50 years later.
During the ceremony, issues of local newspapers of that day, dining hall menus, posters of students and memorial materials were placed inside the capsule. The university’s capsule was buried on campus, in front of the rectorate building, and will be opened in 2064.
