Cultural Initiative Project Proposed by BAU Conservatory Receives Support

BAU Conservatory is launching an EU culture project within the scope of the Regional Network for Cultural Diversity (READ). Through this project, ties between Kosovo and Türkiye are being strengthened through culture and the arts.

The cultural initiative project proposed by BAU Conservatory received support under the call made by READ, which provides grants to projects that promote intercultural tolerance with a focus on young people, under the joint coordination of NGOs consisting of the Kalem Culture Association (Türkiye), Goethe Institute (Skopje), Association Krokodil (Serbia), Center for Balkan Cooperation (North Macedonia), Instituti i Librit dhe i Promocionit (Albania) and Qendra Multimedia (Kosovo). The project is being carried out jointly by the Bahçeşehir University Folk Dance Ensemble Youth Sports Club Association and BAU Conservatory.

Within the scope of this project, Kosovar writer Jeton Neziraj's play "The Spectator from Václav Havel," translated by Head of the Department of Performing Arts Assoc. Prof. Dr. Senem Cevher and edited by lecturer Dr. Ferdi Çetin, will be given both a staged reading by professional actors and special workshops by BAU Conservatory students. After being translated into Turkish, the play will be published in Turkish, English and Albanian by Mitos Boyut Publishing and promoted in Türkiye and Kosovo.

As a result of the project work, we will have taken an important step toward building an intercultural bridge by bringing many artists together in this delicate and important process, from translation to stage performance, around a new theater text. The entire process will be accessible to all art lovers on both print and digital platforms and at events.

The works of Kosovar writer Jeton Neziraj translated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Senem Cevher also include "Five Seasons - An Enemy of the People," "The Slaughterhouse," "The Dream Unit," "Peer Gynt from Kosovo," "The Pity - Propaganda Unit," "The Bridge" and "The City Is Growing." Staged by the Istanbul State Theaters in the 2019-2020 season, "Peer Gynt from Kosovo" won awards in categories such as best director, choreography, supporting actor and stage music at the Yeni Tiyatro Magazine 7th Effort and Achievement Awards, the 3rd Üstün Akmen Theater Awards and the 44th İsmet Küntay Awards.

For detailed information: www.linktr.ee/read.culturaldiversity