Newly elected Dalston Cemevi leaders announce plans for summer festival
The newly elected leadership of the Alevi Community Centre in Dalston paid Londra Gazete a visit last week.
The delegation was led by the new chairman Tugay Hürman, who was announced as the Cemevi’s new leader at an AGM held last month. He takes the reins over from outgoing leader Yaşar Demiralay, who is stepping down.
Mr Hürman said Londra Gazete was a distinctive newspaper because it appealed to all sections of the community rather than representing a particular section. He said this remit coincided with that of the Alevi Cultural Centre, which is similarly open to all sections of the Turkish-speaking communities in the UK.
The newspaper’s English section editor Michael Daventry said during the meeting that the Alevi community could benefit from Londra’s bilingual production, which allows it to reach a wider range of readers and decision-makers.
“For example, it’s extremely interesting that there has been no public inquiry into the large numbers of deaths among younger members of the Alevi community,” Mr Daventry said.
“I believe we could work together, particularly during this election season, to bring you a greater voice.”
Mr Hürman said that a debate in the media of such deaths, many of which were deemed suicides, could be harmful for the community and be an encouragement to younger generations. He said the better approach would be to support an ongoing two-year research project by the UK-based Turkish Medical Union.
The Alevi leaders also announced that their traditional Alevi Cultural Centre festival would take place this year on 14 June. The event, which will be held in Downs Park in Dalston, will cover culture, arts and entertainment and will have a new zest through its youthful planning committee.
