The official opening ceremony of the festival took place with a magnificent ceremony

The 25th International Istanbul Büyükçekmece Culture and Art Festival’s official opening ceremony took place with a magnificent ceremony.

The ceremony, which took place in Kültürpark Kemal Sunal Amphitheatre, was attended by former CHP Presidents Hikmet Çetin and Altan Öymen; Ekrem İmamoğlu, President of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye and IMM; Consul Generals, MPs; Karin Welge, Mayor of Gelsenkirchen, Germany; Filiz Gencan Akın, Mayor of Edirne; Abdurrahman Tutdere, Mayor of Adıyaman; Erhan Güzel, Mayor of Çatalca; IMM bureaucrats and many local and foreign guests.

Stage shows increased the enthusiasm even more
After the dance performances of the countries accompanied by the flags of 75 countries participating in the festival, the visual feast on the stage increased the enthusiasm even more. Folk dance groups from all four corners of the world danced to Turkish songs in their traditional costumes and were applauded for a long time. After the performance, Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of IMM, Dr. Hasan Akgün, Mayor of Büyükçekmece, Karin Welge, Mayor of Gelsenkirchen Germany, Filiz Gencan Akın, Mayor of Edirne, and Abdurrahman Tutdere, Mayor of Adıyaman, lit the festival torch for the 25th time, symbolising the official opening of the International Istanbul Büyükçekmece Culture and Arts Festival. The performances of the Fire of Anatolia and Altınköprü Folk Dance Ensemble were highly appreciated and applauded for a long time by thousands of people filling the amphitheatre.
‘’A festival where cultures unite, love meets art, culture meets friendship‘’
Büyükçekmece Mayor Dr Hasan Akgün stated that culture, art, love, friendship and peace were experienced together at the festival and said: ‘’ Dear Mayor; You are a person who has witnessed how this festival, which is the first and only festival in Türkiye in the A category of the World Festivals Association, which has been in the book and record of UNESCO for 25 years since the first day, has grown. Now, as the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality for the second term, I would like to thank you on behalf of myself and our people, on behalf of all art lovers, on behalf of world art and culture, on behalf of all art lovers, on behalf of world art and culture, for the great support you have given to our culture and art activities by declaring this festival, which we have made a part of the world culture in the face of difficulties, as Istanbul Festival from 2019 and saying to your colleagues ‘Büyükçekmece Festival is now Istanbul Festival’. Thank you, thank you. The announcer explained that the festival is a festival of culture and art, which includes sculpture symposiums, handicraft workshops, workshops for children, a world photography competition, the award-winning World Folk Dance Competition, which you can only see here, and many other exhibitions. We insistently emphasise that this festival is a culture and art festival. This festival is a mix of cultures, a meeting of cultures where cultures come together, where love, art, culture and friendship meet and where 1200 young people from 75 countries hold hands on the Mimarsinan Bridge and say ‘Love to Each Other, Peace For All’ and give a message of friendship to the world. For this reason, it is a festival that we attach great importance to and that UNESCO and the World Festivals Association attach great importance to for this reason. The efforts of Ekrem İmamoğlu and his team, the valuable deputy general secretaries of our Metropolitan, our sponsors, our Büyükçekmece family, the teams of the Directorate of Culture Department of Istanbul and Metropolitan, and the women and young people of Büyükçekmece have contributed a great deal to this festival. For 25 years, this festival was shouldered and carried by our Büyükçekmece family, our young people, our women. We have grown it together with our city councillors, but I firmly believe that it will rank much higher in the world from now on. Our strength has increased after our Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said, ‘As the Türkiye’s Festival, as the world festival, we are now in it as well.’‘’
‘’Strong works of this colourful festival are exhibited in many districts of Istanbul‘’
Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, stated that he has been a follower of the festival since its 10th year and said: ‘I am a person of this region. I have been living here for years and our esteemed Hasan Mayor, as a businessman, made me a part of the festival 15 years ago. When I first attended, I was very impressed. Now when I look back, I met the festival in its 10th year. Today it is 25 years old. I would like to thank Hasan Akgün, the people of Büyükçekmece and all those who contributed to the festival, which has become everyone’s favourite festival. The people representing the countries coming from abroad are the people who represent peace, being together, representing the world, representing all the good feelings of the world in my heart. I condemn war, I applaud every nation that is far from war, I do not think war is appropriate for the 21st century and I describe myself as an executive who is dedicated to the fight against war. I promise in the presence of all our citizens that I will fight for peace everywhere in the world on behalf of Istanbul, on behalf of this beautiful power that unites the continents. Such a powerful organisation is 25 years old, a tremendous work. Our desire and wish to turn this into the culture and arts festival of Istanbul has been accepted by the Mayor of Büyükçekmece and also Mr Gürhan and all his teams and the people of Büyükçekmece. Now, in many districts of Istanbul, the strong works of this colourful festival are being exhibited, its show is being shown. Now it has become a project that has spread to Istanbul. We want it to grow even more. A great work has already been achieved. Both international and national experts, institutions and organisations at the highest level have confirmed that such a festival is one of the most special festivals in the world. It has been selected 9 times as the most successful festival in the world. It is an extraordinary service to achieve such a powerful organisation almost flawlessly, to host so many people, to promote this country, to promote our city, to promote the district. In the presence of all of you, I wholeheartedly support our Mayor Hasan Akgün, whom I know not only as a mayor but also for his diligent efforts in international relations supporting culture, art, life and peace. I wish him many more successes.‘’