Date of creation: 1990
Konur Sokak, No:66/12 Bakanlıklar
T: +90 312 419 13 36, +90 544 344 39 44
W: www.unima.org.tr
E: unimaturkiye@gmail.com
ANKARA
Turkey
+90 312 419 13 36, +90 544 344 39 44
Presentation
Executive Committee (as of 29th April 2021)
President : Enis Ergün (+90 544 344 39 44)
Vice-president : Yücel Özdemir
General Secretary : Mustafa Yeşilyurt
Accountant : Sibel Tomaç
Members : Nazlı M. Ümit, Tijen G. Bıyıklı, Şifa Nezaket Özdemir Bircan
Brief history
Our foreign friends, knowing the tradition of shadow and puppet theatre in our country, encouraged the establishment of a Turkish national Centre. This situation was discussed by the Ministry of Culture in the First National Culture Council in 1982 and it was decided by the Council of Ministers to found Turkey’s national UNIMA Centre and confirm its membership of international UNIMA in September 1990. The Centre aims to promote Turkish puppet and shadow theatre arts in Turkey and in other countries, to research, develop, protect and keep alive these arts. It has realized most of these aims, including the protection of artists’ rights.
Important projects and achievements
UNIMA Turkey published a DVD Set of Classical Karagöz Performances through a contribution from the Ministry of Culture. Associated with several partners, such as the UNESCO Turkey National Commission, it helped to organize in 2013 an international shadow theatre festival and a round-table conference to celebrate the anniversary of Karagöz’ classification as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In 2009, it was accredited for the 4th Session of Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO in Abu Dhabi. In 2008, an action plan was prepared in the KARAGÖZ WORKSHOP with the participation of representatives of relevant institutions & organizations, representatives of NGO, artists, researchers and scientists in Ankara.
