The Solidarity Center of the Turkish and Kurdish Community (Day-Mer), one of the most established institutions of Turkish-speaking communities in the UK, celebrated its 30th anniversary with enthusiasm.
Day-Mer was established in 1989 after increased immigration from Turkey to the UK. Day-Mer, which has been active since the day it was founded to defend the rights of workers and labourers and to stand by the oppressed, celebrated the 30th anniversary of its establishment with the same feelings with its hundreds of members and thousands of friends.
Nearly 1000 tickets were sold at Stoke Newington Town Hall in the Hackney area, where the Turkish-speaking community. The Day-Mer people, who made their first event here in November 1989, came together at the same venue to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
Presented by Çınar Altun and Oktay Şahbaz, Day-Mer President Aslı Gül made the opening and salutation speech. Saying “We held our first event in this hall 30 years ago. It wasn’t easy to bring Day-Mer to this point in 30 years. This was the result of collective work, solidarity, organized struggle. In 30 years we have built resistance and solidarity, labourers in Turkey and in the international arena, we have always been in solidarity with the oppressed. We pioneered the organization of our society in the field of labor, especially textile workers in England. The organized struggle is important. If we had not organized, we would not have been effective in the struggle of the workers and the workers. ”
Writer Aydın Çubukçu was also at the event as gave a speech. Drawing attention to the 30-year corporate process of Day-Mer, Çubukçu said “30 years is also very important in human life. But our lives are often remembered for what we do… From Liverpool to Van, there is a Day-Mer in the back streets of Istanbul, pioneering their resistance by organizing, embracing and solidifying them, from oppressed women to workers to journalists to all oppressed identities..”
In addition to the documentary screenings about Day-Mer, a music festival took place. With performance from Sudden Exit group, Suna Alan and Canan Sağar and performers of Yildizlar Music Ensemble composed of young people between the ages of 12-18 who were trained in Day-Mer. Turkish, Kurdish and English songs were performed at the night.
