The countdown has begun for the 18th Cyprus Silk Cocoon Days organised in cooperation with Girne Municipality, Green Peace Movement, and Beylerbeyi Muhtarlığı, which will take place on 6-7 May. A press conference was held in Beylerbeyi Monastery regarding the event whose scope will be changed due to the earthquake disaster in Turkey this year. Accordingly, staged events such as live music and folklore, which took place in past organisations, are not included. Instead of stage events, there will be exhibitions, presentations, stands, poetry concerts, handicraft works, planting saplings, and music concerts.
Girne Mayor Murat Şenkul, Girne City Council Member and Culture and Art Committee Chairman Ziya Egemen Sencer, Beylerbeyi Muhtar Niyazi Engin, and Green Peace Movement Secretary General Doğan Sahir attended the press conference. It was announced that there will be public transportation support, which will be implemented for the first time this year, which aims to ensure greater participation in the festival. On Saturday, May 6, and Sunday, May 7 free buses will depart from Baldöken Car Park between 10:00 and 20:00 and will regularly travel between the event area and the car park.
Girne Mayor Murat Şenkul thanked all those who are contributing to the event, especially Ziya Egemen Sencer, Head of the Culture and Arts Committee, Niyazi Engin, the Muhtar of the Beylerbeyi, and Doğan Sahir, the Secretary General of the Green Peace Movement, Aysun Çelik, the Head of the Cultural and Artistic Affairs Department. Girne Municipality Culture and Art Committee Chairman Ziya Egemen Sencer said that the event will be held between 11:00 and 19:00 each day. Sencer noted that changes in the format of the festival were made in order to ensure the continuation of its effectiveness and transfer the country’s culture to future generations. Beylerbeyi Mukhtar Niyazi Engin also said that the 18th Cyprus Silk Cocoon Days will come to life with a different concept compared to previous years as a tribute to the memory of all souls lost in the earthquakes.
Engin stated that instead of cancelling the Days they took this step to make a small contribution to the tradesmen and to keep our culture alive, and invited all the people to join in. Doğan Sahir, Secretary General of the Green Peace Movement, said the event was organised for the purpose of keeping alive silk cocoon craftsmanship, silkworm breeding, and mulberry trees, which are the important values of the country. He noted that the earthquake disaster once again revealed the importance of maintaining human life in harmony and respect with nature. Saying also that global warming will seriously affect our country, Sahir pointed out the importance of spreading mulberry trees and said that the children of the country should learn to live in peace with nature. Stating that silk cocoon crafting started in Cyprus, but today different countries are in a race to embrace this handicraft, Sahir pointed out that this value of our culture should be embraced and the Silk Cocoon Days event should be carried to an international dimension.
Source (Turkish): Girne Municipality
