A grand culture festival for İzmir with Fark Fest
The International Konyalılar Confederation is leading yet another major event that will bring Türkiye’s cultural richness, spirit of fellowship and local heritage together on a shared platform.
Following the Fark Fest Street Flavours Festival held in Konya on 4–9 August, the first official steps have been taken to broaden the event and bring it to İzmir.
Under a strategic cooperation protocol signed between the International Konyalılar Confederation and Fark Fest, the “Fark Fest Türkiye Bridge of Hearts Culture and Awareness Festival” will be brought to life.
Preparatory Meeting Held at the Confederation’s Headquarters
A broad consultation meeting was held at the headquarters of the International Konyalılar Confederation to assess the venue, dates, stand layout, participants and programme of the festival planned for İzmir.
Taking part in the meeting were:
International Konyalılar Confederation President Mehmet Aydoğan, Vice President Mustafa Ulu, Fark Fest founder Ömer Şimşek, Manisa Federation President Halit Oran, Gaziantep Associations Federation President Deniz Avşar, Diyarbakır Associations Federation President Abdülkadir Akgün, Güçbirliği Confederation President Tolga Eleman and journalist Nevzat Dönmez.
The meeting covered every aspect of the preparations for the festival, which aims to bring the cultural heritage, local cuisine and local tradespeople of all 81 provinces together in İzmir.
The Culture of 81 Provinces Will Meet in İzmir
Shaped by the mottos “The culture of 81 provinces meets in one heart” and “Our culture is our difference, our unity is our strength”, the festival is planned as far more than a food event: a wide-ranging gathering of culture and solidarity.
Alongside local dishes from all 81 provinces of Türkiye, the festival aims to feature traditional crafts, city promotion areas and stands for local tradespeople.
The programme will also be enriched with civil society meetings, support for local businesses, conferences, live broadcasts, concerts, competitions for families, street performers and a range of stage shows.
The aim is to bring the cultural heritage of cities across Türkiye, civil society representatives, tradespeople and citizens together on a shared platform in İzmir.
Mehmet Aydoğan: “We Are Carrying Our Bridge of Hearts Across Türkiye”
International Konyalılar Confederation President Mehmet Aydoğan said the project was an important reflection of the Confederation’s commitment to unity and solidarity, adding that the aim was for the bridge of hearts that began in Konya to spread through İzmir to the whole of Türkiye.
“Every city in Anatolia has a great wealth of its own culture, cuisine, traditions and people. We act with an approach that does not divide these riches but brings them together at the same table of fellowship. We want to carry this bridge of hearts that began in Konya to İzmir, and from İzmir to all of Türkiye,” Aydoğan said.
Rumi’s Tolerance Will Meet İzmir’s Multicultural Identity
One of the main goals of the Fark Fest Türkiye Bridge of Hearts Project is to bring the cultures of different cities together around shared values.
Bringing Konya’s culture of tolerance and unity, inherited from Mevlana Rumi, together with İzmir’s innovative, free-spirited and multicultural identity will be one of the festival’s defining features.
Through the festival, the International Konyalılar Confederation aims to help promote not only the culture of Konya but the cultural heritage of cities all over Türkiye.
Our Culture Is Our Difference, Our Unity Is Our Strength
Organised in cooperation between the International Konyalılar Confederation and Fark Fest, the event is planned as a wide-ranging gathering that brings culture, gastronomy, civil society, local development and social solidarity together under one roof.
The Türkiye Bridge of Hearts, which began with a first step in Konya, will move into a new phase with the İzmir gathering.
Details of the festival’s exact dates, venue and programme will be shared with the public once preparations are complete.