Grrr, I missed the first day, but still there is much to see! Event’s website is here

The non-profit festival for youth NGOs, GePGeNc (Youthful) FeSTiVaL will be held the second time between April, 11-16th 2008 in santralistanbul. Theme for GePGeNc, is “being neighbours”. The festival that will wellcome international participants will involve many many activities,Workshops initiated by young peopleCultural activities and art performances Best Practice Conference on youth work Youth Organizations fair
Forum for youth organizations,and more…

There will be five conferences on Istanbul in Istanbul Bilgi University. If you are interested in urban sociology, then, you are welcome. I haven’t translated the material as these will take place in Turkish- I assume.

İ s t a n b u l A r a ş t ı r m a l a r ı

Kent Çalışmaları Bahar Dönemi Sohbet Programı

santralistanbul kampüsü

12 Mart — (14.00 - 15.30 / E4 - 305) Erol Balkan (Hamilton College, NY/Sabancı Üniv.) “Sınıfın yeniden üretimi: İstanbul’da neoliberal politikalar, eğitim ve orta sınıf”

2 Nisan — (17.00 – 18.30 / E2 – 303) Murat Güvenç/Eda Yücesoy, “1990 ve 2000 nüfus sayımlarına göre İstanbul’a göç, İstanbul’dan göç”

16 Nisan – (17.00 – 18.30 / E2 – 303) Mimarlık Programı, “İstanbul Karanfilköy için kentsel dönüşüm senaryoları”

14 Mayıs – (17.00 – 18.30 / E2 – 303) Murat Güvenç/Eda Yücesoy- “20. yüzyılın başında Pera’nın sosyal coğrafyası”

28 Mayıs – (17.00 – 18.30 / E2 – 303) Sosyoloji Bölümü (F.Kentel/A. Duben) – “İşçi sınıfından kültürel cemaatlere: 1960-2008, Eyüp’ten Kağıthane’ye”

If you were faced with someone holding a microphone at you so sweetly, trust me, you wouldn’t be able to resist either.
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When you wiki the 29th of October, you get a list of all the events that happened on that day over many many years.
The one that is of interest to us today is the following:

“1923 - Turkey becomes a republic following the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire.”

Today, people all over Istanbul and Turkey celebrate freedom from oppression. They celebrate a republic that gave them the opportunity to build lives under a democratic regime.

These celebrations are tainted by the PKK attacks on our country but we will not let anyone tarnish this day for us. We’re proud of every single young man that goes to the front to defend their country. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the victims of these horrible attacks towards our nation but stay strong in wanting to defend what is ours.

Flags are hanging from many houses and business to celebrate and show solidarity towards our soldiers. It’s hard to be happy today knowing that so many families won’t have their sons to celebrate this bayram with them.
There will be a lot of protests and peaceful walks today in Istanbul, tv stations warned everyone to not use their cars because traffic would be awful.

Erkan and I were contacted by Amar Bakshi, journalist with the Washington Post a couple of days ago. He told us about the project he is working on and of his impending trip to Istanbul to spend a couple of days here and get as many views as he can for what he entitled “How the world sees America - Amar C. Bakshi talks to America’s lovers and haters around the world“.
It’s not every day that we have a journalist for a major publication knocking on our door to get our opinion on a governing nation like America.

The adorable Amar, putting up with our endless banter and nagging on politics.
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Shifting Landscapes of Film and Media: Questioning Legacies, Navigating Critique

Erkan opened up a new Facebook group regarding the upcoming “Film and Media Conference” held at Bilgi University.
The conference is this Saturday and the keynote speakers are going to be;

Toby Miller
Ravi Vasudevan
Geneviève Sellier

Judging by the names, knowing Turkish isn’t a necessity. You can find more information on their Facebook event page or via the conferences official website.

Sabah says:

After the tragic death of five year old Dilara, it has been once more revealed that Turkey is not complying with the European urban conditions constituted by the European Council. Politicians are not making enough politics to impede awry urbanization in Turkey. This is why the money spent for the promotion videos and footages on Turkey is going down the drain.

Istanbul is trendy in other worlds, but Dilara’s destiny shows the existence of other worlds. Dilara used to live in districts that tourists never set afoot.

Dilara and her dad… VIA

Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbas announced that ISKI (Istanbul Municipality Waterworks) manager Dursun Ali Çodur was removed from office on Friday afternoon due to a tragic death of a five year old girl who fell into a waterhole which was carelessly left open by ISKI workers. Mr. Topbas later announced how he was said and how he personally decided to remove Mr Codur from his post. Better than nothing. But the systemic indifference for the human lives continue. And I don’t but Mr. Topbas PR moves. He always blames the people in charge who were appointed by himself or through his supervision. If your men regularly have faults, maybe you are a bit guilty too? Istanbul turned to be a big construction site with your own plans and now you admit you cannot finish these construction works without State aid. And we don’t forget what happened to Istiklal street in your mayordom…

AND here is Galip Hoca’s comment: not humans, properties!

I guess, we haven’t seen Unkapanı Bridge like that before. This bridge is one of the three bridges over the Golden Horn and it was on the march route during Hrant Dink’s funeral…

Here is one more shot from the funeral. In front of the building Agos’ offices are…
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Istanbul is once again playing host to a wonderful exposition. In collaboration with “Next Generation” a Greek events organizer, Rahmi Koc Museum in Halic is offering us the possibility to discover Leonardo Da Vinci’s inventions. Here is the official description which can be found alongside more information on the actual event website:

“The exhibition contains 40 machines that were built after in-depth study of Leonardo da Vinci’s designs, by a group of scientists and skilled craftsmen.

One exhibition after the other, Istanbul managed to prove to the world that it can host such events with success and grace.