İsmail Kaşdemir served as a Deputy of Çanakkale in the Turkish parliament and as a member of the Presidency Council of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. He is Director of the Gallipoli Historic Site within the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism. He is the senior Turkish official responsible for preservation and care of the Gallipoli Historic Site, where the New Zealand and Commonwealth War Graves are located, maintenance of safe access to the Gallipoli sites of national significance to New Zealand, and arrangement of the Turkish government’s contributions to Anzac Day commemorations. Mr Kaşdemir has contributed to strengthening bilateral relations between Türkiye and New Zealand.