Playing for Hope

Repatriation Centre, Izmir, 2018

Children from all over the world live with their families in the Repatriation Centers -- Geri Gönderme Merkezi (GGM), where irregular migrants are temporarily housed. How do children of different age groups with different cultural characteristics spend time in RCs? In the Izmir Harmandalı Repatriation Centre, kids are living with their families in this complex without a worry of what is going on around them. The only fact we know is that they have the right to play like all other children living on this planet. So we were there to create positive memories with them.

The workshop titled Playing for A Beautiful Future -- Güzel Bir Gelecek İçin Oynamak -- was held as a Play and Design Workshop with Kids in order to create beautiful memories with/for them during their stay. So, we met them two times. Each time, we started by playing with wooden toys that Miné designed. After that, we played together and taught them how to make simple playing objects out of fruits and paper. Then, as a memory of the day, we took photos and gave them to the children. We crossed our fingers that they made good memories with these days spent playing.

Read the news about the workshop

This workshop was organized by Assoc. Prof. Ayselin Yıldız, Head of the UNESCO Chairholder on International Migration at Yasar University (Izmir/Turkey).

Workshop led by Miné Ovacık, Ayselin Yıldız, Sevi Merter and Kardelen Aysel

Photography by Arda Yavuz, YÜ Media Coordinatorship
Poster Design by Kardelen Aysel