The Turkish Cypriot Culture and Arts Festival took place on June 25, organized by the Coordination Committee of Cyprus Turkish Associations (NOTCO), the festival was held at the Dominion Centre, North London.
The event lasted took place from 311pm offering a full day of festivities. Alongside the renowned Cypriot Turkish artist Ziynet Sali, beloved London-based groups such as the Erdinç Hüseyin, Tuğba Özcivan, ‘Kıbrıs Dörtlüsü’ (Cyprus Quartet), ‘Kral Eray,’ ‘True Blue,’, Şifa Abdullah, Yetenekli Kıbrıslılar (Talented Cypriots), Mask Art Theatre Group, Samira Hamden, Serkan Kelebek, Okan Koşanoğlu, DJ Celil, and poets Arife Retvan and Aycan Saraçoğlu also participated.
Osman Ercen, the Chair of NOTCO, shared the following statement at the event: “Our aim is to promote solidarity and coordination among member associations, seek solutions for the problems and needs of our community through collaboration with other sister associations and organizations, and exert pressure on official institutions to address the needs of our community. Festivals play a significant role in the lives of communities living in the diaspora. They are not only organized to remind us of our culture, customs, and traditions but also hold great importance, especially for our younger generations who are increasingly facing the risk of cultural deterioration and assimilation.
“Festivals serve as a vital means for them to acquire knowledge about their cultures and identities, making them an important tool in their lives. We express our sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in and supported our festival, which took place on June 25.”
