Kaş and Meis meet to mark peace, friendship
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Meral Ciyan Şenerdi
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 30, 2009 00:00
KAŞ - People of Turkey’s coastal town of Kaş and the Greek island of Meis, two sister towns, come together once again to mark the friendship and brotherhood between them. The three-day Lycian-Kaş Culture and Art Festival raises hopes for peace and the high spirit of the event will live longer in the memories of the people.
The Mediterranean coastal town of Kaş hosted a festival over the weekend to mark the friendship between the town and Greece’s Meis Island, located only 2 kilometers off Turkish coast.
"What joy, we live in Kaş, ancient Antiphellos, the most important port of Lycian Civilization." The 12th International Lycian-Kaş Culture and Art Festival started last Friday with these words and that joy was felt throughout the event.
It is amazing, but Kaş can inspire one in a way where it feels as if all the troubles are behind the Taurus Mountains, which embrace the town from its ever-green northern shoulders and lets its visitors nest in a haven hidden between the unyielding heights and an ever-blue sea. This relaxing feeling peaked at the time of the festival.
It was only three days and nights, but the high spirit of the event will live longer in the memories of the people in Kaş and Meis, or Castellerizo in Greek, or Kastelorizo in Italian.
"There is no reason for this friendship or brotherhood, other than it just came out of our hearts" said Meis Mayor Paulos Panigilis, in his address at the opening ceremony as the guest of honor and a partner of the festival.
Kaş and Meis decided some years ago to be the sister towns. It was certified by a memorandum, mutually signed in Kaş and also in Meis a few days later. Just like the last five years, Meis people were again invited this year to the event with an official visit paid by Kaş Mayor Abdullah Gültekin. Accepting this sincere invitation, Panigilis and his colleagues joined almost all activities by sailing to and from Kaş everyday just like the ones living in the vicinity of Kaş.
"Peace is coded in the genes of the people in these lands," said Süleyman Yılmaz, the local governor, commenting on the success of Lycian civilization to hold the first parliament in the history in Patara, with 80 cities of the region in peace, exactly 2,500 years before our time. "I wish this festival would contribute to civilization and peace," he said. His wishes came true with all the performances and warm interest of the local people, tourists, politicians and so on.
Three performances
At opening night after the speech of Deniz Baykal, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, singer Selen Servi sang popular songs from the ’70s to date. And the hit of the festival, popular Turkish singer Şevval Sam, came to the stage by dancing and playing the jingling bells and was welcomed by cheers. During her two-hour open-air stage performance, the audience was carried away by her individual style of interpretation of folk and Rembetiko songs, Turco-Greek songs of old times.
The second night’s performance was at the enchanting scene of the Antique Theater. After the slideshow "Lycian Cities," a play called "A Simple Home Accident" was performed by Günay Karacaoğlu. Her enthusiasm passed to her multinational audience of nearly 2,000 and she was applauded for minutes.
"Even though I understand Turkish very little I still enjoyed it very much," Doris Bierret, a German actress living in Kaş, told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. "I guess this play was written exclusively for this actress." Another German, Irmgard Hecken, agreed with a joyful smile in her face. That should be what the art aimed to achieve.
On the closing night, as a tradition since the first festival, the Antalya State Opera and Ballet took the stage for its special opera-ballet performance called "Türkiyem," (My Turkey). It was a composition of Anatolian music, culture and history with songs and dances. Murat Tülü, a Kekova boat-tour captain said: "We came here driving almost one hour to see a live performance of an opera-ballet for the first time in our lives. Also, our daughter, Saniş, pressed us to bring her here all day long with her insistent questions." The eight-year-old Saniş was happy to be there but her eyes yielded to the sweet sleep in her mother’s lap.
One of the highlights of the festival was the "Mediterranean Home Cooking" contest. Seven of the 29 participants joined from Meis with their best dishes. It seemed that the sister towns’ kitchen culture and tastes, even the names, are very similar. Under the cool shades of the palm trees at the historical tea garden of Kaş, people spent some enjoyable and tasteful hours with the guests from Meis.
Apparently, the swimming and canoeing races between Meis and Kaş were the main highlight of daytime activities. At the seven-kilometer international swimming race, 77 swimmers competed in several categories. Some swam to raise money for autistic children by selling their strokes, some aimed to set a good sample for the young. Though several swimmers complained of the inadequacy of the service and safety boats, the race was completed without any trouble.
A legendary festival already took its privileged place in the memories of the town and people. Its effects and inspiration will go on further for the better. As observed by Kadriye Hacımusaoğlu, a volunteer member of the executive committee of the festival, this festival would not have been realized without the sincere contribution of the participants who are all Kaş lovers. "We are very much grateful to all who did their best for Kaş, for culture, sports, peace and brotherhood," she said.
"What joy, we live in Kaş, ancient Antiphellos, the most important port of Lycian Civilization." The 12th International Lycian-Kaş Culture and Art Festival started last Friday with these words and that joy was felt throughout the event.
It is amazing, but Kaş can inspire one in a way where it feels as if all the troubles are behind the Taurus Mountains, which embrace the town from its ever-green northern shoulders and lets its visitors nest in a haven hidden between the unyielding heights and an ever-blue sea. This relaxing feeling peaked at the time of the festival.
It was only three days and nights, but the high spirit of the event will live longer in the memories of the people in Kaş and Meis, or Castellerizo in Greek, or Kastelorizo in Italian.
"There is no reason for this friendship or brotherhood, other than it just came out of our hearts" said Meis Mayor Paulos Panigilis, in his address at the opening ceremony as the guest of honor and a partner of the festival.
Kaş and Meis decided some years ago to be the sister towns. It was certified by a memorandum, mutually signed in Kaş and also in Meis a few days later. Just like the last five years, Meis people were again invited this year to the event with an official visit paid by Kaş Mayor Abdullah Gültekin. Accepting this sincere invitation, Panigilis and his colleagues joined almost all activities by sailing to and from Kaş everyday just like the ones living in the vicinity of Kaş.
"Peace is coded in the genes of the people in these lands," said Süleyman Yılmaz, the local governor, commenting on the success of Lycian civilization to hold the first parliament in the history in Patara, with 80 cities of the region in peace, exactly 2,500 years before our time. "I wish this festival would contribute to civilization and peace," he said. His wishes came true with all the performances and warm interest of the local people, tourists, politicians and so on.
Three performances
At opening night after the speech of Deniz Baykal, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, singer Selen Servi sang popular songs from the ’70s to date. And the hit of the festival, popular Turkish singer Şevval Sam, came to the stage by dancing and playing the jingling bells and was welcomed by cheers. During her two-hour open-air stage performance, the audience was carried away by her individual style of interpretation of folk and Rembetiko songs, Turco-Greek songs of old times.
The second night’s performance was at the enchanting scene of the Antique Theater. After the slideshow "Lycian Cities," a play called "A Simple Home Accident" was performed by Günay Karacaoğlu. Her enthusiasm passed to her multinational audience of nearly 2,000 and she was applauded for minutes.
"Even though I understand Turkish very little I still enjoyed it very much," Doris Bierret, a German actress living in Kaş, told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. "I guess this play was written exclusively for this actress." Another German, Irmgard Hecken, agreed with a joyful smile in her face. That should be what the art aimed to achieve.
On the closing night, as a tradition since the first festival, the Antalya State Opera and Ballet took the stage for its special opera-ballet performance called "Türkiyem," (My Turkey). It was a composition of Anatolian music, culture and history with songs and dances. Murat Tülü, a Kekova boat-tour captain said: "We came here driving almost one hour to see a live performance of an opera-ballet for the first time in our lives. Also, our daughter, Saniş, pressed us to bring her here all day long with her insistent questions." The eight-year-old Saniş was happy to be there but her eyes yielded to the sweet sleep in her mother’s lap.
One of the highlights of the festival was the "Mediterranean Home Cooking" contest. Seven of the 29 participants joined from Meis with their best dishes. It seemed that the sister towns’ kitchen culture and tastes, even the names, are very similar. Under the cool shades of the palm trees at the historical tea garden of Kaş, people spent some enjoyable and tasteful hours with the guests from Meis.
Apparently, the swimming and canoeing races between Meis and Kaş were the main highlight of daytime activities. At the seven-kilometer international swimming race, 77 swimmers competed in several categories. Some swam to raise money for autistic children by selling their strokes, some aimed to set a good sample for the young. Though several swimmers complained of the inadequacy of the service and safety boats, the race was completed without any trouble.
A legendary festival already took its privileged place in the memories of the town and people. Its effects and inspiration will go on further for the better. As observed by Kadriye Hacımusaoğlu, a volunteer member of the executive committee of the festival, this festival would not have been realized without the sincere contribution of the participants who are all Kaş lovers. "We are very much grateful to all who did their best for Kaş, for culture, sports, peace and brotherhood," she said.