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Report by Ret. Col. Donald Ware Istanbul UFO and New Age Symposium, 23-25 Jun 00 by Donald M. Ware The Second International UFO and New Age Symposium of Eastern Europe, Balkans, and the Middle East was superbly organized by Haktan Akdogan and associates of the Sirius UFO Space Sciences Research Center. Most of the 14 speakers arrived on June 21, and we were greeted at the airport by Haktan and about a dozen TV and media cameras. We were escorted to the downtown Richmond Hotel by a very sharp five-man security team of Bosphorus Security Systems. These hot-wired gentlemen in gray suits volunteered their service and stayed with us all six days. After a short rest we had cocktails and a buffet on the rooftop terrace overlooking the waterfront of ancient Istanbul. Thursday morning after two hours over an excellent breakfast buffet, we had a couple of more hours to catch up with the recent activities of our fellow speakers. Then we went to the new convention center for a press conference. Twenty-some media personnel stayed with us for about 90 minutes with many still and video cameras. Each of the many newspapers we sampled contained photos and mostly positive coverage. We concluded the day with a private dinner cruise to the meeting place of Europe and Asia, thanks to the generosity of Mr. Nuri Sozkesen, Chairman of Funika, Bornoz. I received a special pleasure that day by seeing a new bird species, a flock of Levantine Shearwaters feeding low over the Bosphorus. Friday morning during our free time several of us spent two hours with Richard McIntyre, Vice President of Perfect Science A.D. to learn more about their effort to use "super ionization" processes to convert toxic hydrocarbons in the land, sea, or air to water and nutrients. The symposium started with lovely Anjelika Akbar performing a new-age piano concert on stage with her image tastefully superimposed over video of the universe on a giant screen. Haktan Akdogan then acknowledged our generous sponsors, and he made an opening address describing a broad and deep view of the symposium subject. The first invited speaker, Stanton Friedman, made it very clear that some UFOs were vehicles controlled by ET intelligence. He presented data from government sources that proved that objects from unknown sources were numerous and that there was a government cover-up program. Then Nick Pope, a British MOD civilian executive officer and UFO investigator, described his work and findings. He said the December 1980 Rendelshiem Forest landing/contact case was the most famous one in Great Britain. Sometimes, higher government officials told him not to worry about a specific UFO because "it was one of ours." He mentioned a recent MOD radar report of a vehicle 10 miles by 2 miles in size traveling over 3000 mph, yet their position is that UFOs have no defense significance. Pope also mentioned that an Italian AF Colonel spoke on UFOs at the recent San Marino conference indicating a change in policy, and that a similar event occurred in Chile. After a break Australian abductee, Kelly Cahill, described her August 1993 abduction with five other people from three cars. I noted her surprising comment that civilian researchers had received some funding from the Australian defense department. Marcia Schafer, recent author of Confessions of an Intergalactic Anthropologist, then used her extensive contact experience to help "Break the Mythology of Contact." She referred to the ET's means of communication as holographic since much information and pictures are transmitted instantly. A dolphin researcher told her that cetaceans also communicate that way. Once a reptilian asked her to study their faces to see the divergence among them. There were five speakers Saturday from 10 AM to 7 PM. Sean Morton showed a series of video clips and media reports including the March 1997 Phoenix lights and the alien interview film. Wendelle Stevens showed his excellent collection of 180 slides where a series of photographs were made of various UFOs. One group of vehicles taken by Mr. Arranda was apparently coming from a valley where aliens from Itibi RA are reported to visit. They were apparently hybridizing plants using theirs and ours. Derrel Sims presented data, photos, and some objects removed from abductees' bodies. He also showed photos of mysterious identical physical marks left on the bodies of a mental patient, the patient's psychiatrist, and his dermatologist. John Mack, author of Abduction and Passport to the Cosmos, said that what got him in trouble with Harvard officials is when he said, "we might have to change our views of reality." He said that differences in researcher's perceptions reflect differences in us. He said "I see hybrids in the context of planetary crisis. They take over the planet after it is not habitable by Homo sapiens sapiens." Lyssa Royal, a "semi-conscious channel," spoke that evening on channeling processes and some of the experiences of her contact group in Phoenix. I [Donald Ware] was the first speaker Sunday. Following highlights of my various paranormal experiences since age five, I spoke about The Rising Culture" as we join a galactic society. This included; our changing ways of knowing, institutional changes, changes in our physical bodies, and an example of government on a neighboring planet as described in The Urantia Book. K.T. Frankovich then described her experiences with an alien being and a blue-gray fur ball in a Florida lime grove. She also described in detail encountering two other alien beings watching her through the window of her home. Robert Dean described his experience of reading "The Assessment" in the SHAPE Headquarters Operations Center. He also relayed to us a message that the aliens are trying to impart to us, that we must learn to love each other. Budd Hopkins then presented an excellent lecture on the psychosocial development of abductees. Supported by many photos of physical effects on the body, he described general effects on many long-term abductees at different stages of their life. Sheldon Nidle was the final speaker before a 90-minute Q & A session where each speaker was asked one question that had previously been submitted in writing. Nidle, from Hawaii, heads a Planetary Activation Organization oriented toward building a galactic society. He spoke on "The Consciousness of Contact." He spoke about the "physics of spirit" and divine intervention of the spiritual hierarchy. During the closing ceremony the charming new age artist, Beygu Gokcin, displayed his harmonica talents. Samples of his paintings and sculptures were on display in the Center's foyer. Certificates of appreciation were given to the speakers and other participants, and each speaker was presented an ample bathrobe with the Funika logo. Mine was put to good use as I slept in the Atlanta airport on the way home. My scheduled flight from New York was canceled. The only disappointment is that I did not see more than 300 people in the large auditorium at one time. When the earthquake forced a postponement, the date available was the first weekend that school was out, and many people did family things. We each made wonderful new friends in Turkey and were greatly impressed by the outstanding skills of Haktan and his special friend Esen who often played the role of mother hen to keep us happy. -- Donald Ware, June 2000.
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