The Directorate General of Press and information (DGPI) is the latest institution joining the Flickr Commons. They are one of the oldest institutions in Turkey and they coordinate the country’s press information processes, in addition to chronicling the history of the Turkish press.

The DGPI hosts a extensive collection documenting the country’s political history, urbanization, industry, education policies and social life reaching to the 1930s. The collection has been curated to represent and promote Turkey to the world. The entire collection, composed of 500 thousand black and white photos, colored negatives and slides, was digitized in high resolution in 2013.

The DGPI’s wants to share and spread the beauty and knowledge captured in their photographs by being included in the Commons, which they believe contributes to the history of photography and to the world’s aesthetic heritage. Artists such as Othmar Pferschy, Osman Darcan, Cemal Işın, Şinasi Barutçu were notable photographers working at the DGPI and capturing the spirit of their times in pictures.

Be sure to check out the DGPI‘s collection!