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Defending Democracy
Educational Program

We are carrying out the educational activities within the Museum of Memory for Historical Justice, with various workshops under the main theme of ‘Defending Democracy’. Our main goal is to remind people that the flowering of democratic thought and the establishment of a culture of democracy is possible through permanent struggle. While doing so, we aim at creating a platform, a pathway, that could help widen our view of the world in our daily lives. We think that in the building of the idea of democracy it is a must to develop new ways of dialogue that would not marginalize those different from us, and to defend universal human rights and therefore the rights of ‘others’. We believe that such educational activities will be helpful in developing communication between different levels of society that are open to understand each other. We think that when the current political tension and climate evolve into a more favorable environment, such external educational tools will be functional in creating the possibilities for a fundamental transformation of society. Therefore, we believe that we can re-establish this forgotten culture of togetherness and the dialogue platforms through these creative workshops.

The questions and concepts that the state distances itself from, such as genocide, massacre, torture, state violence, forced disappearance or polyphony, pluralism, equality, freedom of thought and expression, were further tabooed with the military coup laws of September 12, and education policies were squeezed more and more into the confines of the official ideology that ignored the truth. In today’s Turkey, where the constitution of the military coup is still in force, it seems unlikely to mention these issues – which are considered taboo or unacceptable to discuss – let alone to deal with them in formal education. For this reason, we believe it is essential to meet with young people through creative workshops and discuss these issues with them. We find it meaningful to create a ground for discussion to think together on the concepts of discrimination, hatred, reconciliation, and historical justice, and to end the collective silence caused by social tragedies.

In the workshops to be organized around the main issues of the Museum, such as memory, art, memory activism, human rights, and law, we envisage creating platforms where young people from different walks of life will meet in a creative atmosphere and enable collective production.

THE TEAM

Project Coordinator

Ü. Aylin Tekiner

Consultants

  • Tülin Sağlam (Former Dean of the Faculty of Languages and History-Geography in Ankara University, Academics for Peace signatory, dismissed through a statutory decree.)
  • Wendall Harrington [ZZ1] (Head of Projection Design Concentration at Yale School of Drama)

Project Preparation Team

  • Narrative/Scenario developers: Tülin Sağlam, Cevdet Bayram & Aylin Tekiner
  • Art Therapist: Cevdet Bayram
  • Puppet designer and producers: Canan Su Vardal & Aylin Tekiner

Aylin Tekiner: Co-director of the Research Institute on Turkey, artist, writer, and human rights activist. She continues her studies on concepts of memory and justice, especially related to social traumas and tragedies. She completed her PhD in 2008 at the Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Cultural Foundations of Education at Ankara University. Based on her PhD dissertation, her book Atatürk Heykelleri: Kült, Estetik, Siyaset (‘Sculptures of Atatürk: Cult, Aesthetics, Politics) was published by İletişim Publishing in 2010 and reprinted in 2014 and 2021. In the years 2015-2016, while continuing her post-doctoral studies at the Yale School of Drama, Aylin worked on shadow-play techniques. She exhibited her works in group and personal exhibitions in Turkey and abroad. Aylin is a member to the Social Memory Platform which was formed by 28 families of victims of political murders in Turkey, member to the Columbia University Center for the Study of Social Difference, and member to the Çocuklarız Bir Aradayız (‘We Are Children We Are Together’) Initiative, which conducts collective memory studies on the 1980 military coup.

Tülin Sağlam: Completed her undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate studies at the Theater Department under the Faculty of Languages and History-Geography at Ankara University. For her PhD thesis, she made research on drama in education at the Theater Department of Manchester University (1992-1994). She worked as a faculty member and head of department at the same department at Ankara University until February 2017, when she was discharged through the No. 686 statutory decree for signing the Peace Petition. Alongside her articles, she wrote two books, titled Kendi Oyununu Kendin Yap (‘Create Your Own Game’) and Liseler İçin Drama (‘Drama for High Schools’), and was a co-author of Meraklısına Drama Atölyeleri (Workshops for Drama-Lovers). She directed plays such as Sen Gara Değilsin (‘You’re Not Gara’), Eşek Arıları (The Wasps), Bir Evladın Terbiye Hadisesi (‘The Event of Bringing Up of a Child’), Üç Kuruşluk Opera (Three Penny Opera), Bukalemunlar (The Chameleons), Dünyadaki En Güzel Şey (‘The Best Thing in the World’, Children’s Theater), Dünyanın En Küçük Hikayesi (‘The Smallest Story of the World’, Children’s Theater), and Bahçe (‘The Garden’, Children’s Theater). She continued her studies on history and theory of theater, criticism, children’s theater, drama in education, and the anthropology of theater. Tülin Sağlam is a member of the ASSITEJ (International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People) in Turkey, KUKSADER, and Öğrenme Meraklıları Cooperative, and she began working as secretary and president at ASSITEJ Turkey in 1990. Starting in 2002, she served on the Board of Directors of ASSITEJ International for six years, one term as a consultant and one term as a member of the board of directors. Sağlam is a founding member and board member of ITYARN (International Theatre for Young Audiences Research Network), which started its activities within the body of ASSITEJ International in 2006, and was elected an honorary member of ASSITEJ International in 2021.

Cevdet Bayram: Primary school teacher, theater artist, and theater instructor. Bayram is a classroom teacher in the Zapyon Greek Primary School in Beyoglu, Istanbul, and he is a co-author of the book entitled 3. 4. Ve 5. Sınıflar için İstanbul Dersi (‘The Course or Istanbul for 3rd, 4th and 5th Graders’), and the author of a children’s book entitled Patazor. He worked as a trainer and workshop leader for 15 years at the Contemporary Drama Association Istanbul Branch, where he also served as vice president and board member. He organized various workshops as part of the ‘Conferences on Best Practices in Education’ in Istanbul, Adana, and Burdur, and conducted workshops in seminars of various institutions. Cevdet Bayram, who writes, edits, and directs theater plays, is one of the directors of Su Performing Arts Stage and a writer in Tiyatro Gazetesi (‘Theatre Gazette’).

Canan Su Vardal: Studied arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. While studying, she drew illustrations for platforms in Turkey such as Bant Mag and Sanatatak. She published a zine called Arabesk and later collected all the issues in a book. She earned her master’s degree in Basic Arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. In the same year, she was selected for the İKSV Study and Research Program and carried out studies under the consultancy of Zeyno Pekünlü and Zeynep Dadak. She worked as a court illustrator with Hafıza Merkezi and continues to work as an illustrator on various projects with the Center for Spatial Justice. In addition to being an illustrator, she has also written in publications such as Beyoğlu Cinema Magazine, Bant Mag, Calling Mag, Rağmen (Literature Magazine), and Cumartesi Ertesi, which was an immune-supporting Instagram magazine that Vardal and her two friends launched to make the feeling of the pandemic memorable. She continues her works on personal history and collective memory.

We are carrying out the educational activities within the Museum of Memory for Historical Justice, with various workshops under the main theme of ‘Defending Democracy’. Our main goal is to remind people that the flowering of democratic thought and the establishment of a culture of democracy is possible through permanent struggle. While doing so, we aim at creating a platform, a pathway, that could help widen our view of the world in our daily lives. We think that in the building of the idea of democracy it is a must to develop new ways of dialogue that would not marginalize those different from us, and to defend universal human rights and therefore the rights of ‘others’. We believe that such educational activities will be helpful in developing communication between different levels of society that are open to understand each other. We think that when the current political tension and climate evolve into a more favorable environment, such external educational tools will be functional in creating the possibilities for a fundamental transformation of society. Therefore, we believe that we can re-establish this forgotten culture of togetherness and the dialogue platforms through these creative workshops.

The questions and concepts that the state distances itself from, such as genocide, massacre, torture, state violence, forced disappearance or polyphony, pluralism, equality, freedom of thought and expression, were further tabooed with the military coup laws of September 12, and education policies were squeezed more and more into the confines of the official ideology that ignored the truth. In today’s Turkey, where the constitution of the military coup is still in force, it seems unlikely to mention these issues – which are considered taboo or unacceptable to discuss – let alone to deal with them in formal education. For this reason, we believe it is essential to meet with young people through creative workshops and discuss these issues with them. We find it meaningful to create a ground for discussion to think together on the concepts of discrimination, hatred, reconciliation, and historical justice, and to end the collective silence caused by social tragedies.

In the workshops to be organized around the main issues of the Museum, such as memory, art, memory activism, human rights, and law, we envisage creating platforms where young people from different walks of life will meet in a creative atmosphere and enable collective production.

THE TEAM

Project Coordinator

Ü. Aylin Tekiner

Consultants

  • Tülin Sağlam (Former Dean of the Faculty of Languages and History-Geography in Ankara University, Academics for Peace signatory, dismissed through a statutory decree.)
  • Wendall Harrington [ZZ1] (Head of Projection Design Concentration at Yale School of Drama)

Project Preparation Team

  • Narrative/Scenario developers: Tülin Sağlam, Cevdet Bayram & Aylin Tekiner
  • Art Therapist: Cevdet Bayram
  • Puppet designer and producers: Canan Su Vardal & Aylin Tekiner

Aylin Tekiner: Co-director of the Research Institute on Turkey, artist, writer, and human rights activist. She continues her studies on concepts of memory and justice, especially related to social traumas and tragedies. She completed her PhD in 2008 at the Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Cultural Foundations of Education at Ankara University. Based on her PhD dissertation, her book Atatürk Heykelleri: Kült, Estetik, Siyaset (‘Sculptures of Atatürk: Cult, Aesthetics, Politics) was published by İletişim Publishing in 2010 and reprinted in 2014 and 2021. In the years 2015-2016, while continuing her post-doctoral studies at the Yale School of Drama, Aylin worked on shadow-play techniques. She exhibited her works in group and personal exhibitions in Turkey and abroad. Aylin is a member to the Social Memory Platform which was formed by 28 families of victims of political murders in Turkey, member to the Columbia University Center for the Study of Social Difference, and member to the Çocuklarız Bir Aradayız (‘We Are Children We Are Together’) Initiative, which conducts collective memory studies on the 1980 military coup.

Tülin Sağlam: Completed her undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate studies at the Theater Department under the Faculty of Languages and History-Geography at Ankara University. For her PhD thesis, she made research on drama in education at the Theater Department of Manchester University (1992-1994). She worked as a faculty member and head of department at the same department at Ankara University until February 2017, when she was discharged through the No. 686 statutory decree for signing the Peace Petition. Alongside her articles, she wrote two books, titled Kendi Oyununu Kendin Yap (‘Create Your Own Game’) and Liseler İçin Drama (‘Drama for High Schools’), and was a co-author of Meraklısına Drama Atölyeleri (Workshops for Drama-Lovers). She directed plays such as Sen Gara Değilsin (‘You’re Not Gara’), Eşek Arıları (The Wasps), Bir Evladın Terbiye Hadisesi (‘The Event of Bringing Up of a Child’), Üç Kuruşluk Opera (Three Penny Opera), Bukalemunlar (The Chameleons), Dünyadaki En Güzel Şey (‘The Best Thing in the World’, Children’s Theater), Dünyanın En Küçük Hikayesi (‘The Smallest Story of the World’, Children’s Theater), and Bahçe (‘The Garden’, Children’s Theater). She continued her studies on history and theory of theater, criticism, children’s theater, drama in education, and the anthropology of theater. Tülin Sağlam is a member of the ASSITEJ (International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People) in Turkey, KUKSADER, and Öğrenme Meraklıları Cooperative, and she began working as secretary and president at ASSITEJ Turkey in 1990. Starting in 2002, she served on the Board of Directors of ASSITEJ International for six years, one term as a consultant and one term as a member of the board of directors. Sağlam is a founding member and board member of ITYARN (International Theatre for Young Audiences Research Network), which started its activities within the body of ASSITEJ International in 2006, and was elected an honorary member of ASSITEJ International in 2021.

Cevdet Bayram: Primary school teacher, theater artist, and theater instructor. Bayram is a classroom teacher in the Zapyon Greek Primary School in Beyoglu, Istanbul, and he is a co-author of the book entitled 3. 4. Ve 5. Sınıflar için İstanbul Dersi (‘The Course or Istanbul for 3rd, 4th and 5th Graders’), and the author of a children’s book entitled Patazor. He worked as a trainer and workshop leader for 15 years at the Contemporary Drama Association Istanbul Branch, where he also served as vice president and board member. He organized various workshops as part of the ‘Conferences on Best Practices in Education’ in Istanbul, Adana, and Burdur, and conducted workshops in seminars of various institutions. Cevdet Bayram, who writes, edits, and directs theater plays, is one of the directors of Su Performing Arts Stage and a writer in Tiyatro Gazetesi (‘Theatre Gazette’).

Canan Su Vardal: Studied arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. While studying, she drew illustrations for platforms in Turkey such as Bant Mag and Sanatatak. She published a zine called Arabesk and later collected all the issues in a book. She earned her master’s degree in Basic Arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. In the same year, she was selected for the İKSV Study and Research Program and carried out studies under the consultancy of Zeyno Pekünlü and Zeynep Dadak. She worked as a court illustrator with Hafıza Merkezi and continues to work as an illustrator on various projects with the Center for Spatial Justice. In addition to being an illustrator, she has also written in publications such as Beyoğlu Cinema Magazine, Bant Mag, Calling Mag, Rağmen (Literature Magazine), and Cumartesi Ertesi, which was an immune-supporting Instagram magazine that Vardal and her two friends launched to make the feeling of the pandemic memorable. She continues her works on personal history and collective memory.