Hüseyin Doğan wins first prize in Limasol Association event
The second annual short story competition, held by the Turkish Limasol Association, concluded with an evening held last week in Edmonton.
The event, which was attended by North Cyprus consul Mustafa Beyazbayram, the education and culture attaché Hasan Kortay and Aysın Yılmaz from the Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations, saw encyclopaedias and books by researcher Yaşar İsmailoğlu handed out as prizes.
This year’s competition was won by Hüseyin Doğan, with Yılmaz Özdemir second and İlkay Mustafa third. Consolation prizes were awarded to Emine Yalçın, Gülten Bekir, Ahmet Özarsal, Vildan Çelebi and Fatma Bilir.
Arife Retvan, who leads the Limasol Association, said at the event that it was important for so many associations and organisations to be together under one roof.
“There is strength in unity,” she said. “Our aim is to keep our culture alive and pass it on to future generations. That is why I hope all associations and groups will operate as one.
“We donate all our association’s income to Turkish schools. Our aim since we were founded in 2002 has always been to conduct different activities and to bring our cultural richness to our people.”
Mr Beyazbayram, for his part, said this was has last public appearance before the end of his posting and his return to Cyprus. But he said the first event he attended after arriving in London was a Limasol Association event and that it was a happy coincidence for him to end his posting with another Limasol evening.
Guests were treated to tango music and Cypriot folk music during the event, as well as traditional Turkish classical music performed by Aygül Yeşiladalı.
