Chicago residents take interest in Turkish arts, culture at festival

By Ahmet Salih Alacaci and Ayse Betul Akcesme

CHICAGO (AA) - Festivities showcasing Turkish culture and heritage continued Saturday in the US city of Chicago, where visitors to a festival witnessed traditional artistry and performances.

Dozens of visitors crowded several booths showcasing traditional artwork, from delicate water marbling to copper working, at the Turkish Festival, which began Friday at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in the Village of Rosemont and will continue through the weekend.

Nur Banu Yasar, who is running the water marbling stand, told Anadolu she takes pride and pleasure in demonstrating her art to wide-eyed guests who approach.

“People find it very interesting to be able to make a motif on the water, or to make a flower motif.

“Most people in Türkiye have knowledge and experience on this, but in America, they are captivated by our art because they are seeing it for the first time,” she said.

Anadolu is the Global Communication Partner of the Turkish Festival, which is being spearheaded by the Zakat Foundation.

Türkiye’s Consul-General in Chicago Engin Turesin, meanwhile, underlined to Anadolu that Chicago was one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the US.

“So, this festival has received great interest from our (Turkish) citizens foremost, as well as Muslim communities living in the Chicago area,” he said, adding that Latin American communities have also shown interest in Türkiye.

Turesin pointed to the role Turkish television plays in generating interest in the US, noting that Turkish actors would be attending the festival.

“This festival will really respond to this interest and will greatly serve to raise greater awareness for our country in Chicago, the Midwest and America since it includes so many aspects of our culture,” he said.

Also taking part in the event, Gregory Abdullah Mitchell, executive director of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, called the Turkish Festival “very, very, very important.”

He said it served to raise awareness of “contributions of Islam, of Muslims” to the world.

The festival represents “the heritage and the knowledge, the culture and the development in the sciences that the Ottoman Empire, that now evolved into the nation of Türkiye,” said Mitchell, who was one of the opening speakers for the event.

“It’s our bridge from what knowledge we had, how it has evolved up and how it has been a platform for other countries, European countries and other countries in the world to build off and make the societies that we enjoy today,” he added.

About 230 stands are set up on the festival grounds, including by companies, charities and other non-governmental organizations from the US’ Turkish and Muslim communities, at the convention center.