It is the land where modern lifestyle blends with ancient traditions. The beauties of nature lie in the heart of big and loud cities, and people are friendly and welcoming to strangers.
Turkey seems to harmoniously unite elements from the East and West, and it willingly shares its unique culture with the world.
However there is no need to leave Ukraine to explore the diversity of Turkish culture. Kyiv might be a perfect place to discover the country of over 80 million, located right across the Black Sea.
Ahead of Republic Day, a Turkish national holiday widely celebrated on Oct. 29, the Embassy of Turkey in Ukraine is launching a festival aimed at sharing Turkish culture and hospitality with Ukrainians.
The Days of Turkish Culture festival kicked off on Oct. 21 with a concert by Ukrainian, Turkish and Crimean Tatar musicians held at the National Philharmonic of Ukraine.
The festival will continue until Nov. 3, offering an art exhibition, a workshop, screenings of Turkish movies and authentic Turkish dishes served at one of Kyiv’s hotels.
Yagmur Ahmet Guldere, Turkish ambassador to Ukraine, says this festival is highly important to “connect the people.”
“People-to-people interactions are critical, and these events play a very special role in bringing our people closer,” Guldere told the Kyiv Post. “We hope that it will make Turkish-Ukrainian relations get better in the bigger picture.”
For those who want to explore Turkey’s vibrant culture without leaving Kyiv, here is a full list of events included in the Days of Turkish Culture festival.
Art exhibition
Starting on Oct. 28, an exhibition of paintings called “Colors of the World. Turkey” will be held at Yunus Emre Institute in Kyiv, the Turkish government-backed organization that opened in 2017.
The exhibition features 20 artworks by Ukrainian artists depicting the Turkish cities of Dalaman and Marmaris, picked from among nearly 150 works by 70 Ukrainian artists.
The works show the beauties of Turkish cities, with their picturesque landscapes and fascinating historical sites, says Lidia Goncharenko, the curator of the exhibition.
“It is great that Ukrainian artists can reproduce our national culture and at the same time they can reproduce the culture of Turkey,” Goncharenko said, adding that it is hard to believe these artworks have been created by Ukrainian artists, as “they have reflected the Turkish culture so deeply in their works.”
Visitors will also get a chance to learn the technique of “ebru” painting, or paper marbling, during a workshop after the exhibition’s opening. Turkish coffee will be served as well.
Entrance to the exhibition is free for all the visitors.
“Colors of the World. Turkey.” Yunus Emre Institute (28 Puskinska St.) Oct. 28 — Nov. 3. Mon-Fri — 9 a. m. — 6:30 p. m. +38044 238 2363
Food
Even though one may notice an abundance of Turkish restaurants in Kyiv, finding authentic “Ottoman cuisine” is not as easy as it may seem.
Hilton Kyiv hotel has arranged “Days of Turkish Cuisine,” where visitors can sample a number of authentic dishes, including Turkish traditional salads and creamy hummus, followed by main courses such as Butcher Kofta, a spicy lamb kebab with chopped parsley and spices.
One can also savor Turkish stewed lamb and the traditional chicken shish kebab as well as the Adana kebab, which is a hand-minced, grilled meat kebab with spices.
On the dessert menu, visitors can choose between the well-known baked rice pudding called Sultac, or the traditional Turkish dessert Trilece, a butter cake sodden with evaporated and condensed milk and flavored with heavy cream.
The new menu was created with the help of Turkish chef Ali Ocak. It will be available for everyone at Hilton’s Park Kitchen Restaurant starting on Oct. 28.
Days of Turkish Cuisine. Hilton Kyiv Hotel (30 Taras Shevchenko Boulevard). Oct. 28–31. 6:30 a. m. — 10:30 p. m. +38067 690 2353
Hilton Kyiv hotel will serve a variety of traditional Turkish dishes during the festival of Turkish culture in Kyiv on Oct. 28-31. (Courtesy of Hilton Kyiv Hotel)
Movies
Turkish culture is not all about art and food. The country’s cinematography is world famous as well, and nowadays, Turkish movies are constant participants in prestigious film festivals.
As part of the festival, five Turkish movies will be screened at the capital’s cinemas in November.
One of the movies on the festival’s program is the drama “Blue Bicycle,” directed by Umit Koreken. It shows the life of a 12-year-old boy, who dreams of buying a new blue bicycle.
Set in the countryside of the Turkish Anatolia region, “Blue Bicycle” also focuses on the local corruption and the boy’s fight for democracy. It will be screened at the Kievan Rus cinema on Nov. 1.
Another drama, “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia,” will be screened at Lira cinema on Nov. 2. Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, the well-know Turkish director, the film premiered in 2011 at the Cannes Film Festival and received the prestigious Grand Prix award.
Based on the true events, the film shows a group of men trying to solve a crime after finding a body buried in the Anatolian countryside.
The festival will also screen the drama “My Grandfather’s People” by Cagın Irmak, which tells the story of a Turkish family and the challenges they face. It will be screened on Nov. 2 at Kievan Rus cinema and the next day at Leipzig cinema in Kyiv.
Apart from that, the comedic drama “The Magician” directed by Cem Yılmaz and Ali Taner Baltacı will be screened as well. The film portrays a Turkish magician who travels around the country with his father and a friend, trying to earn money for surgery.
Released in 2006, “The Magician” even made it onto Oscar’s shortlist for the Best Foreign Language Film.
“The Last Letter” is another Turkish drama to be shown in Kyiv. Directed by Ozkan Eren, the film features events surrounding the Battle of Gallipoli that effected Turkey during World War I.
All films will be screened in Turkish language, with English and Ukrainian subtitles.
Days of Turkish Cinema. Nov. 1–3.
