FREEDOM TO JUNIOR FATİH SULTAN MEHMET!
Istanbul Became the Capital of Toys…
European Toy Museums came together in Turkey under the leadership of the Istanbul Toy
Museum. Kübey Hatun who protects the children and expecting mothers in Turkish
mythology, was chosen as the symbol of the meeting entitled ‘Rag-Doll’
Gaziantep was the first step of the meeting where 24 museums out of 15 countries
participated. The authorities of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality examined the studies of
children and toy museums, made suggestions and promised to support them. The delegation
including the leading museums among themselves like Zoom Child Museum from Holland,
Rome Explora Child Museum, Salzburg Toy Museum, Paris Toy and Doll Museum and
Stockholm Toy and Baby Museum participated in the symposium about toy and child on 1920 November in Istanbul after the visit to Antalya Toy Museum. The participants of experts
including Andreja Rihter (The President of European Museums Academy) and Gronka Horjan
(the representative of the European Museum Forum) gave out a notice during TOYCO (The
Union of European Toy and Children Museums) meeting which was sponsored by Union
Employers of Turkish Textile Industry and also supported by Faber Castell, Tadım Nutrition,
KIA Automotives, Denizbank, İşbank Culture Publications and Bilgi University.
At the events performed by Sunay Akın (a poet, writer and the founder of the Istanbul Toy
Museum) TOYCO honorary award was given to Halit Kıvanç (the famous announcer),
Prof.Dr.Ferhunde Öktem (child psychologist), Gülten Dayıoğlu (writer) Fatoş İlhan (founder
of Fatoş Toys) for their contribution to the world of children. Moreover, honorary award was
also given to İyigün Öztürk,Gürol Kutlu and Ayhan Doğan for their contribution to the
development of museology.
On the 20th of November, on the World’s Children’s Rights Day which was the last day of
meeting, Sunay Akın said: ‘There are Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s drawings -which he has done
when he was a child- in the archive of Topkapı Palace. It is not the wars, kingdoms or
governments that makes the history worthy but the ‘dreams’. Because of that, I want Fatih’s
drawings-which he has done when he was a child- to be displayed in the exhibition of the
museum.’ while commemorating teacher Nakiye who staged a demonstration for the
children’s rights for the first time in 1930’s at Taksim Square.
Andreja Rihter,the president of European Museums Academy said that the 6-day meeting was
very successful and added: ‘Sunay Akın is leading the museums of children and toys in your
country. He and his team were also awarded by EMA because of achieving great works in a
very short time. We’ve seen that there are significant improvements in museology in Turkey.
We believed that we would do very good things with the Istanbul Toy Museum in the coming
future.’
The academicians, teachers, students and the public showed great interest for the 2012
symposium of European Children and Toy Museums. The meeting that was held under the
auspices of Culture and Tourism Ministry ended with the participation of Minister Ertuğrul
Günay and the gala dinner was held by Turkish Textile Employers’ Association in Esma
Sultan Mansion.