Organized by the Edirne Governorship, 25 painters from the Balkan countries are in the city, depicting the beauties of the city.
Under the chairmanship of the executive board of Governor Yunus Sezer, the Edirne Governorship Balkan Cities Cooperation Edirne Platform was established in order to make cooperation with the Balkan countries more effective, efficient and carried out from a single source.
The Platform will organize the 1st International Balkan Symposium in cooperation with Trakya University. The cultural and artistic aspects of the Balkans will be discussed at the symposium to be held on March 7-8.
Within the scope of the organization, 25 painters from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia were invited to the city.
The works of the painters depicting the city will be exhibited at the exhibition titled “Edirne from the Brushes of Balkan Painters” at the Trakya University Balkan Congress Center on March 7, as part of the symposium.
Painters in historical and touristic areas
Painters continue their work in Selimiye Square, Meriç Bridge, Karaağaç Neighborhood and Devecihan Cultural Center.
Symposium President Prof. Dr. Mustafa Hatipler, in his statement to reporters, said that the painters had been in Edirne for 10 days as guests of Governor Sezer.
Stating that the artists continue their work in the Devecihan Cultural Center, which is prepared as a studio, and in the historical and touristic areas of the city, Hatipler said, “Our painters who come from almost every corner of the Balkan geography are in Edirne. We will see our city in the works they create with their eyes and brushes. We also included Trakya University Fine Arts Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Melihat Tüzün and our academic painters in this work.”
Hatipler noted that academics from the Balkan countries who will participate in the symposium will discuss the Balkans in many aspects, from literature to history, from music to architecture, from economy to culture, from art to sports.
The organization will end with a concert
Kemal Soytürk, Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism, also emphasized that the platform has recently started its work and the first of these works is the 1st International Balkan Symposium to be held in Edirne, the key to the Balkans.
Soytürk, who stated that the painters’ work for the painting exhibition continues, said, “As part of the events, this symposium will be crowned with the Altay’s Tuna concert on March 7 by the Turkish World Music and Folk Dance Group of the General Directorate of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.”
“Edirne is the capital of the Balkans”
Ethem Baymak, a painter from Prizren, Kosovo, said that he loved Edirne very much and that it was a nice feeling to paint in this city.
Expressing that Edirne is a city that inspires painters, Baymak noted the following:
“Edirne is the capital of the Balkans. If I have a problem, I go to Edirne; if I have a pleasure, it is a beauty for us to play the Edirne dance tune. In one word, the people of Rumelia, the Muslims living in the Balkans, the Turks find Edirne both sincere and accept it as the capital. It is neither Istanbul nor Ankara, but when we say ‘Edirne’, there is a stir inside us. Edirne is full of historical artifacts everywhere, with its bridge, mosque, caravanserai, it is a source of inspiration that the people of Rumelia can be proud of; we will produce beautiful works by feeding on this.”
Kamber Osman Kamber from Mestanlı, Bulgaria, said that the platform would increase brotherhood between the Balkan countries and that they were happy to be together as Balkan painters.
Anjeline Nedin from the Sozopol region of Bulgaria also stated that there are many works and places in Edirne that will be subjects for painters.
