HALIS ÇEVEN, father

I am Halis Ceven. I was born in 1956 in a mountain village of Dogubayazıt. When I was 6 or 7, we moved to Topçatan Village, which is next to the Mount Ararat. While I was going to school, I was always looking at Mount Ararat and I always said that one day I would be able to climb to this mountain. This was one of my best wishes and I knew that I would achieve my wish. When I was 16, for one day I went to Dogubayazıt from the village. I met with a man, whose name was Yücel Dönmez, and his group in Dogubayazıt. I said them I wanted to join their group for climb to Ararat. But they said to me "You are too young to climb and you can't able to do this. "But I insistantly said that "I will able to do". In the end they accepted me to the group. I climbed to the top of Mount Ararat firstly with Yücel Dönmez and a colonel, Şahap Atalay. After that I climbed with a group of Turkey Tourism and Mountainnering Federation. The manager of the federation was Bozkurt Ergör. One member of group, Kemal Çapa, injured his leg. Bozkurt Ergör wanted one of us to get Kemal Çapa back to Dogubayazıt. I said I could do. I get Kemal Çapa to Dogubayazıt. After that Bozkurt Ergör appriaceted me and in the same year invited me to a federation camp in Erciyes.I went to the camp and they gave me a mountaineer certificate after the camp had finished. After years, in 1985 I got the federation professional mountaineer certificate after an exam. May be I have been to top of the Mount Ararat more than 700 times but I have been counting my climbs for 3 or 4 years. My last climbing in 2007 (with the whole climbs until 2007) was 516 times. This is just a raugh number.

MEHMET ÇEVEN

I’m workink as a professional mountaineer guide since 15 years. First time I climbed to top of Ararat when I was 12, with my father, Halis Çeven. He taught me everything about Ararat, he showed me secrets rights of this mountain. Ararat for me is like home – i was born in village on the feet of mountain and I spent whole my childchood, whole my life on the shadow of Ararat. On the top I was more than 300 times. I was guiding many groups (6-15 persons) from whole world: Germany, France, Austria, Spain, Italy, Great Britan, USA, Poland, Russia, Czech Republic, New Zeland, Sweeden, Sweetzerland, Neederlands, Ireland, Turkey, Iran, etc. Now I’m member of Rescue Team in Dogubayazit (Doğubayazıt Dağ Arama Ve Kurtarma Derneği) and Turkish Mountaineering Federation (Türkiye Dağcılık Federasyonu).

METIN ÇEVEN

I was born in Topcatan Village, which is next to the Mount Ararat. I’m interest in tourism too. I am a mountaineer. This job comes from my father and my family. I have been feeling admiration to Ararat since my childhood. All of my close friends call me ARARAT. Because they know that I love the Mount Ararat so much. I and all of my family mountaineers perform this job with love. I always grateful to my father, Halis Ceven, because he taught us this holly job. I will continue to perform this holly job till I could afford. And I call to all mountain lovers: YOU SHOULD COME TO SEE MOUNT ARARAT. I’M SURE YOU WILL LOVE TOO.

KEMAL (AHMET) ÇEVEN

I am Kemal. I am a student but I work as a tourist guide every my summer holidays. I study in English at school. Firstly I climbed to Ararat when I was 16. It was really beautiful feeling to be there. Now I am 20 years old. I have been to the top of the Mt.Ararat twice. I learned how to climb to Ararat from my father. He is the most professional mountainguide of Ararat. I like climbing very much because it's enjoyable. Why don't you come to join us? :)