The 8th Türkan Saylan Science and Art Awards were presented to Prof. Dr. Oktay Angın and Bünyamin Bozkuş at a “Commemorative Ceremony” which took place at İş Sanat on Saturday May 19th, the day of the month Saylan was laid to rest.

Türkan Saylan Science and Art Awards have found their owners

The 8th Türkan Saylan Science and Art Awards were presented to Prof. Dr. Oktay Angın and Bünyamin Bozkuş at a “Commemorative Ceremony” which took place at İş Sanat on Saturday May 19th, the day of the month Saylan was laid to rest.

The Ceremony was emceed by theater actor Orhan Kurtuldu.  ÇYDD General Manager Prof. Dr. Aysel Çelikel explained during her speech that “it has been decided that next year’s commemorative and award ceremony will be held in Samsun on account of the 100th anniversary of Commemoration of Atatürk Youth and Sports Day in Turkey”.  Çelikel said that the Holiday will be celebrated and that their mythical manager Saylan whose longing, love and vision is continuing to spread in waves, will be remembered in the best way possible.

The Science Award appraised by the Science Academy BAGEP (Science Academy Young Scientists Award Program) jury in the field of medicine was presented by Academy President Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Alpar and Çelikel to Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Radiology Department faculty member Prof. Dr. Oktay Angın.  As Prof. Dr. Angın could not attend the ceremony, his award was picked up by a team member.

The art award was presented by Çelikel and Turhan Günay, head of the jury and our journal’s book supplement editor, to Bünyamin Bozkuş for his story book “Cennetin Kenar Mahallesi” (The Peripheral Quarter of Paradise-Alakarga Publications, 2017). Günay said that when he thinks of Türkan Saylan he remembers the libraries Saylan founded all over Turkey.  He talked about what he lived through at the Silivri penitentiary himself and asked for quality books to be sent to prisons.  Günay congratulated the writer and explained that Bozkuş won the prize by a large margin.  The writer Bozkuş told the audience on his turn that his book was the result of contact with a variety of people that live in Beyoğlu. He said, Türkan Saylan was a person who ‘contacted’. Bozkuş raised his award and said, “She brought prosperity to those she contacted.  As you can see this fact still continues”.

A documentary titled “Türkan Saylan Denince…” (When We Say Türkan Saylan…) was shown at the ceremony.  The choir Barış İçin Müzik Korosu (Choir for Peace) started in 2005 by the Barış İçin Müzik Vakfı (Music Foundation for Peace), directed by Ceyda Çekmeci and accompanied by pianist Egemen Erdem gave a concert which included famed pianist Fazıl Say’s song İnsan İnsan (Human Human).

Next, Çağdaş Yaşam Çocuk Korosu (Çağdaş Yaşam Children’s Choir) founded in 2017 with the help of Müzik Eğitimcileri Derneği (Music Educators Association) at the Çağdaş Yaşam Ferhat Şenatalar Egitim Evi performed. The little ones directed by Sezen Şen and accompanied on the piano by the head of the association Selçuk İşcan started with the song “Orda bir köy var uzakta” and ended with Izmir March with the audience singing along.  İşcan notified that their goal was to grow into a choir of 500 children.

With contributions by Sevda Cenap And Muzik Vakfı (Sevda Cenap And Music Foundation), the commemoration ended with a song recital by Burcu Soysev accompanied by Fügen Yiğitgil on the piano.

The contributing artists, as did the award winners indicated likewise that it was a great honor and happiness to be a part of the ceremony where Türkan Saylan was remembered.

Photos : Ufuk Eral

May 5, 2018