Didem Yaman

5:30 AM Wednesday Mar 16, 2011

University of Otago PhD student Didem Yaman was confirmed by police as a victim of the Christchurch earthquake on March 15, 2011.

The 31-year-old political science student, originally from Turkey, was visiting her friend Sisi Xin in Avonside when the earthquake hit. Sisi has also been confirmed as a victim of the earthquake by police.

Just before lunchtime on February 22, a neighbour saw the pair walking into town.

Didem was a "citizen of the world" and had been living in Dunedin for three-and-a-half years, her friend Sumana Islam said.

"She's a very warm, kind and generous person. She's travelled, she loves movies and dancing. She was very close to handing in her thesis - she's just a very popular person."

"She is very bright, very clever... Her heart is so beautiful," said friend Gamze O'Neill.