The award ceremony for the “Children’s Perspective on Artworks” project, realized by Özay Günsel Children’s University in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education and Culture, was held with the participation of Olgun Amcaoğlu, Minister of National Education and Culture.
Date Added: 01 September 2021, 09:01

The "Children's Perspective on Artworks" project carried out by Özay Günsel Children's University in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education and Culture, which brings together the imaginations of children studying at primary, secondary and high school levels throughout the TRNC, has been completed. Certificates of participation in the project organized with the slogan "We Discover the Writers and Poets of the Future" and the awards of the winners were presented at the ceremony held at the Near East University Atatürk Culture and Congress Center with the participation of the TRNC Minister of National Education and Culture Olgun Amcaoğlu.

Within the scope of the project, which reached all primary, secondary and high school students in the TRNC, the children wrote stories and poems inspired by the selected works from the Günsel Art Museum in Nicosia Dereboyu, the Günsel Office Museum on the Near East University Campus, and the Nicosia Walled City Museum.

At the ceremony, ,After the speeches of Minister of National Education and Culture Olgun Amcaoğlu and Özay Günsel Children's University Rector Prof. Dr. Filiz Meriçli the certificates of participation and the awards were presented to the winners.


High ranking students received their awards
Among the students who participated in the project with their poems and stories, the winners were determined by the members of the jury. In the 6-8 age World Group category, Dünya Kılıç ranked first, Beren Başarı ranked second, and Rafet Korkmaz ranked third. Elvin Çavuşoğlu won the first prize, Salih Karanfiller the second, and Fatma Karataş ranked third in the 9-11 age Solar Group category. In the 12-14 age group category, Melis Taluğ won the first prize, Erkancan Tiken got the second and Hayat Körler got the third prize. Students participating in the project were awarded with a certificate of participation. In addition, all the stories and poems written within the scope of the project where children meet with art were brought together in a special e-book prepared by Özay Günsel Children's University.

Olgun Amcaoğlu: “I believe that children who grow up with art will develop a better future by turning into individuals with enhanced imagination, high self-confidence and sensitivity.”
The Minister of National Education and Culture Olgun Amcaoğlu attended the ceremony held at the Near East University Atatürk Culture and Congress Center, after taking part at the opening and delivery ceremony of Dr. Suat Günsel Nicosia State Primary School. Dr. Suat Günsel State Primary School is the first of the 6 schools that the Near East Enterprises will build in 6 districts of the TRNC and deliver them to the Directorate of Primary Education Department of the Ministry of National Education and Culture, in line with the decision of the Günsel Family Board. Dr. Suat Günsel State Primary School in Nicosia was completed in 5.5 months and opened for education in Gönyeli Yenikent. The Minister of National Education and Culture, Olgun Amcaoğlu, delivered a speech at the award ceremony held for the "Children's Perspective on Artworks" project saying “In the land we played games on 45 years ago, today we opened a special complex such as Dr. Suat Günsel Nicosia State Primary School Nicosia. We have all witnessed how the Günsel Family, who believes in their state and does not hesitate to invest in bright children like you, attaches great importance to this country and its children."

Reminding that our children are the future of the country and the world, Minister Amcaoğlu said, “I believe that children who grow up with art will build a better future by turning into individuals with developed imagination, high self-confidence and sensitivity.” Stating that he attaches great importance to the "Children's Perspective on Artworks" project in this respect, the Minister of National Education and Culture Olgun Amcaoğlu thanked Özay Günsel Children's University, which brought the project to life, and congratulated all the students who participated in the project with their poems and stories.

Prof. Dr. Filiz Meriçli: “Art enriches the soul, helps us to look at events more positively and to be focused on finding solutions”
Özay Günsel Children's University Rector, who started her speech with Atatürk's words, “A nation without art is one whose one of the lifebloods has been severed”, said "Art and science are like two wings of a bird and for the progress of societies, art and science must develop side by side."

Reminding that on April 22, 2019, when they announced the establishment of Özay Günsel Children's University as a gift of April 23, they said that they aim to raise our children with education programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics, similar to their peers in developed countries. Prof. Dr. Meriçli said, “Countries develop with creative and entrepreneurial individuals who learn by having fun, solving problems with what they learn and developing products. As Özay Günsel Children's University, we set out to raise beautiful children for the future of beautiful Cyprus.”

Özay Günsel Children's University Rector Prof. Dr. Özay Günsel said that they organized the "Children's Perspective on Artworks" project, which they realized within the scope of the slogan "We are discovering the writers and poets of the future", to reach children who are away from their schools, friends and artistic activities during the pandemic period. Prof. Dr. Filiz Meriçli said, “We asked our children to write stories and poems inspired by works of art. The works from our children allowed us to discover once again the richness of their imaginations. I congratulate all our children who have the confidence to participate in the project and embrace them with love.”

Prof. Dr. Filiz Meriçli also expressed her gratitude to Prof. Dr. Şevket Onur, Assist. Prof. Dr. Mutlu Soykurt, Prof. Dr. Esra Karabacak and Assist. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Yeniasır, the children book authors Gülsevin Kıral and Nilgün Ilgaz, and Tevfik Direnç, the Ministry Director of the TRNC Ministry of National Education and Culture, who supported the project as jury members.