Ketenlik Youth Festival: 19 years of Cultural Heritage preparing for new gatherings
The management of the Ketenlik Youth Festival, which has brought vitality to the social and cultural life of the Turks of Western Thrace, has carried out important visits as it prepares for its 19th year.
As part of the preparations, the Festival Board of Directors held a series of visits aimed at strengthening inter-institutional dialogue while once again highlighting the festival’s social significance.
In this context, the Board of the 19th Ketenlik Youth Festival paid a courtesy visit to Türkiye’s Consul General in Gümülcine, Aykut Ünal, on Thursday, December 18. During the meeting, discussions focused on the festival’s mission from past to present, its social and cultural contributions to young people, and the goals set for the upcoming event. The Board expressed its gratitude to Consul General Ünal for his warm welcome and sincere conversation.
Another important visit took place on Friday, December 19, when the festival delegation met with the President of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board and Mufti of İskeçe, Mustafa Trampa. During the meeting, emphasis was placed on the festival’s role in bringing young people together and strengthening feelings of solidarity and belonging, as well as its contributions to social unity. The Board thanked Mufti Trampa for his interest and hospitality.
More than just an entertainment event, the Ketenlik Youth Festival stands out as an important social platform that keeps the cultural memory of the Western Thrace Turkish community alive, builds bridges among young people, and passes shared values on to future generations. Over the years, the festival has become a meeting point where young people in the region can express themselves and where culture, art, and social solidarity come together.
It is expected that these visits will contribute to the organization of the 19th Ketenlik Youth Festival with stronger content and broader participation. The festival aims to continue enhancing its positive impact on social and cultural life in Western Thrace in the year ahead.
