Cultural Season of Turkey in France
Cultural Season of Turkey in France, held between June 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010 and organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture of Turkey and France, together with the collaboration of İKSV and CulturesFrance has ended. Turkey’s dynamism, creativity and diversity in the field of culture and arts have been presented to the French public with activities held all around France throughout a period of 9 months.
“Cultural Season of Turkey in France,” which was organized following the “French Spring” held in Turkey in 2006, has ended after an intense 9-month program consisting of cultural activities, collaborative projects in the field of education and economic activities carried on throughout France. The Müsenna performance held on Tuesday evening, April 6 at the Palace of Versailles in Paris and organised under the auspices of French Senate President Gérard Larcher and Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was the closing activity of the Season.
With more than six hundred activities, which also include around one hundred conferences and scientific meetings, Turkey had the chance to present to the French public its cultural richness, creativity and diversity, its modernness and the long history of its strong ties with France. During this large-scope project in which one hundred and twenty local governments took an active part, Turkey’s modern face and it’s sophisticated, open and progressive nature was presented to the French public.
The huge interest sparked by these activities was the most important evidence of the Season’s success. Among the activities that were held during the Season, “Kaftans from Topkapı,” “From İzmir to Smyrna, Discovery of an Ancient City,” “Hittite Civilisation” exhibitions were visited by one million and three hundred thousand people. The exhibition titled “From Byzantium to Istanbul: One port for two continents” held at the Grand Palais and the exhibition “The Magnificence of Camondos” held at the Museum of Jewish Art and History were visited by two hundred and fifty thousand people and forty thousand people, respectively. “Istanbul Traversée/Istanbul Traversed” exhibition organised in Lille was visited by one hundred and fifty thousand people. Turkey was the guest of honour of the Technoparade attended by three hundred thousand music lovers, Bastille Day celebrations in Nantes, which drew twenty thousand people and the Europe Education Fair attended by four hundred and forty thousand people. In October, countless people from around the world watched and were mesmerized by the lighting up of the Eiffel Tower with the colours of the Turkish flag. Ten conferences held as part of UTLS (Université de Tous les Savoirs) gave more than eight thousand French participants the opportunity to see Turkey from a new perspective. The “Roots and Wings” program dedicated to architects of Istanbul has reached over three and a half million viewers. With its activities appealing to every age and a variety of people, the Season had a real success in view of both the public opinion and the media.
During a period of nine months, this rich program was not only Turkey’s showcase in France but also created sustainable works by giving priority to co-productions and by acting together with collaborations between artists of the two countries and their institutions. It created the opportunity to develop future-oriented common projects by strengthening the relationship between high school and university students, and teachers and academicians; it also supported various collaborative projects in the economic field.
The dynamism of young Turkish artists highlighted by contemporary art activities held during the Season was a great discovery for France. With their talent and resolution, directors, writers, musicians, dancers, plastic artists, designers and photographers aroused the curiosity and stirred the interest of French art lovers.
In the future, the rapprochement between two countries, which was strengthened by the Season, is expected to provide basis for new collaborations in different fields.
For more information: www.saisondelaturquie.fr
For high resolution images of activities held as part of Cultural Season of Turkey in France: www.iksvpress.com/fransa2009
