World’s Best Festival is About To Begin!
The 25th International Istanbul Büyükçekmece Culture and Art Festival brings together 1200 culture and art ambassadors from 75 countries in Büyükçekmece this year.
The press launch of the festival, which will take place between July 24 and August 3 in cooperation with Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Büyükçekmece Municipality, took place at Feshane Artİstanbul.
The 25th International Istanbul Buyukcekmece Culture and Arts Festival will once again host a variety of captivating international events this year. The festival will feature the International Sculpture Symposium, the International Güler Ertan Photography Competition, the International Altınköprü Folk Dance Competition, the International Handicrafts Exhibition, the International Embroidery Workshop, the International Puppet Workshop, the International Children’s Handicrafts Workshop, as well as public concerts and water shows. Additionally, the festival will host interesting exhibitions.
The launch event at Feshane ArtIstanbul was attended by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Group President Nuri Aslan, along with CHP 24th Term Member of Parliament Süleyman Çelebi, numerous press members, and artists.
During the launch meeting, Büyükçekmece Mayor Dr. Hasan Akgün emphasized the importance of the festival being the first and only A-category festival of the World Festivals Association CIOFF in Turkey, saying: “It’s a challenging festival. It consists of four main components. The first one is the Sculpture Symposium.” Sculptors from all around the world create their sculptures and leave them in Istanbul, Büyükçekmece, decorating our city. The second component involves Handicraft Workshops that showcase and even sell traditional crafts, preserving our past way of life which is in danger of being forgotten. The third component is the World Folk Dance Competition, an award-winning event that portrays our historical life as a significant cultural treasure in the world’s folklore. It should not be forgotten. Here, the Turkish Folklore Institution has provided us with tremendous support from the beginning. The fourth component is the World Photography Competition. Photographers from all over the world submit their photographs, which are then judged by an international panel. After determining the first, second, third, and other awards, the winners are invited. This competition emerges as a significant contribution to the world of photography. Bringing these artists together at one point and introducing their contributions to the world of art through this event helps to showcase them to the world.
Therefore, the Istanbul Buyukcekmece Culture and Arts Festival is an international cultural treasure. For this reason, the International Istanbul Buyukcekmece Culture and Arts Festival should continue. Since Ekrem İmamoğlu became the Mayor of Istanbul, declaring the festival as Istanbul’s festival has made our job easier today.
I believe that from now on, the infrastructure, spatial setup, and artistic content of this festival, including its artistic value, will definitely be improved and implemented as necessary. Today, this festival is already sought after and well-known globally, and in the future, when people hear “Istanbul Buyukcekmece International Culture and Arts Festival,” it will become a festival recognized by everyone worldwide. We have brought it to this point over the past quarter century, and we have done it entirely on our own. Not a single penny has been received from the state; all its costs have been covered by our sponsors. We owe them our gratitude, and the physical manpower has been provided by the youth, women, and families of Buyukcekmece. Our employees have also contributed. We have not organized this festival by handing it over to any company or production group through bidding. It has been entirely run with an amateur spirit and will continue in the same spirit.”
Anadolu Ateşi (Fire of Anatolia) will celebrate its 25th anniversary
The International Istanbul Buyukcekmece Culture and Arts Festival will officially kick off with a magnificent ceremony on Monday, July 29th at the historic Kültürpark, enriched by the works of Mimar Sinan. The ceremony will feature the Flag Ceremony on the historical Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Bridge, adorned with flags from 75 participating countries. Following this, breathtaking dance, water, light, and flyboard shows will captivate audiences over the Büyükçekmece Lake.
The official opening ceremony will take place at the Kemal Sunal Amphitheatre in Kültürpark, with the participation of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and other dignitaries. As part of the ceremony celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, “Adımlarla Çalışmak,” a collaborative project between Anadolu Ateşi and Altınköprü Folk Dance Group, will be performed.
This year, the festival is expanding across Istanbul
As part of the 25th International Istanbul Buyukcekmece Culture and Arts Festival, this year’s participating countries’ dance groups and handicraft workshops, along with Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Turkish Music Choir, Turkish Classical Music Ensemble, Municipal Band, and Mehteran Band, will spread across Istanbul. Throughout the festival, these teams will organize performances for the local residents in various squares and cultural venues across different districts of Istanbul. With cultural, artistic, and dance performances once again aiming for the title of “The World’s Best Culture and Arts Festival,” the festival will culminate on the night of August 3rd with a magnificent closing show.
Nine-time consecutive winner of the ‘World’s Best Festival’ award
The International Istanbul Buyukcekmece Culture and Arts Festival, which began in 2000 and became a member of the World Dance Festivals Association under UNESCO in 2003, is the only A-category festival in Turkey and the first member of CIOFF. Celebrating its 25th edition this year, the festival has been honored nine times with the “World’s Best Culture and Arts Festival” award by the International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts (CIOFF) and the International Dance Festivals Federation (FIDAF).
