Civil society photo exhibit opens in Turkish capital

By Murat Ozgur Guvendik

ANKARA (AA) - A photo exhibit spotlighting the work done by civil society groups in Turkey opened at the airport in the capital Ankara on Monday.

At Esenboga Airport, Faruk Kaymakci, deputy foreign minister and head for EU affairs, and Christian Berger, head of EU Delegation in Turkey, attended the opening of the exhibit, organized under the Local Civil Society Organizations (CSO) grant coordinated by Turkey and the EU.

"48 projects were supported by Civil Society Support Programme of 'Civil Society Sector,' EU presidency," Kaymakci said on Twitter in English. “Our sincere thanks to all CSOs which created these joyful frames and reached out people via their projects. In our EU process, Turkish and EU Civil society contacts and exchanges will be essential.”

In 2014-2020, the ministry’s EU division provided €6.4 million ($7.55 million) to at least 50 projects, and these resources are used in all sections of civil society, he added.

Turkish civil society should take part in debates on the future of Europe, and Turkish groups should raise Turkey's voice in Europe in all fields, according to Kaymakci.

The civil society sector is coordinated by the ministry's EU division and brings together EU funds for civil society in the country.

Meanwhile, the EU is pleased to support Turkish civil society, with more than 100,000 organizations and over a million members, Berger said.

The 36 photos in the exhibit will be on show through Sept. 7.

*Writing and contribution by Firdevs Bulut Kartal