Cooperation, Culture, Direct Speech, Education and Science, Latvia

According to Svetlana Samburska, the author of the project, the Baltic Center Chair, the former Executive Director of the Turkish Institute (TBCCI), within the framework of which a lot of  different Turkish events were organized, this project is not a commercial one, this project is a tribute to the great and beautiful country - Turkey. The project will contribute to the further development of international relations in the fields of economy, culture, education and tourism between Turkey, Latvia and other participating in the project countries: Russia, Belarus, Lithuania and Estonia.

Exactly 10 years ago, in December 2009, RISEBA became the founder of the only one Turkish Institute in Latvia, created in the framework of the project “RISEBA - TBCCI” with financial support from the Fund of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey. The project was supported by the Turkish Embassy in Latvia. The University of Bahçeşehir (Istanbul) became a project partner.

Turkey, because of the many magnificent historical and cultural artifacts, is often compared with the “open-air museum”. It has long been close to the RISEBA University of Business, Arts and Technology, as Turkish students also study at the RISEBA. The Rector Irina Sennikova is sure that RISEBA, as an intersectoral university, combining many cultures, prepares knowledgeable, creative and self-thinking people for the world labor market who will be interested in participating in this kind of project.

The project team unites like-minded high-level professionals, who love Turkey, are close to Turkey, and who will be able to implement all the project activities at a high level: Signe Stipniece (Philologist, Latvian Language Teacher), Marina Gunare (Professor of the Baltic International Academy, Director of the Program “Tourism and Hotel Business Management”), Vera Zubova (Accountant),  Ludmila Umarova (Economist),  Girts Barenis  the Baltic Center Partner, “Beyond Brands Riga” Creative Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Designer and Creator of the project website),  Rolands Barenis (“Beyond Brands Riga” Strategic and Communication Director),   Anastasia Peskova (Strategic and Communication Specialist, graduated from a magistracy in Turkey),  Vladislav Redkin (Director of the Belarusian Information Center in Latvia), Jekaterina Mashoshina (IT Specialist), Yuriy Mashoshin (Associate Professor, Doctor of Law, Lawyer of the Baltic Center) and Dilge Özcoşkun, Project Coordinator, who knows the history and culture of her country and will provide significant assistance in the worthy implementation of this project. Moreover, she already has the experience in participating in the previous Turkish events organized by the Turkish Institute (TBCCI).

Dilge is Turkish by nationality, has been living in Latvia for 7 years and   knows the Latvian language. She is a musician by profession, graduated from the Jazep Vitol Latvian Academy of Music, studies Chinese at the University of Latvia, plays viola at the Riga Chamber Orchestra and the B-Sharp Academic String Orchestra.

Within the framework of the international project “TURKEY: DISTANT AND CLOSE” a video contest, publication of photo albums, business forums, exhibitions and other events of  the Turkish culture are planning to be held. The main one will be the international video contest “100 COLOURS OF TURKEY” for the best video clip about this country. Girts Barenis, the Head the International Jury, emphasized that participation in the video contest, as well as in other activities of the project, will be free. Girts expressed confidence that the competition would attract the attention of participants from many corners of our planet.

Janis Holsteins, the Director of the program Audiovisual Media Art, confirmed the interest of RISEBA students in participating in this project. Specialization of the program is the work in television companies, cinema, independent production associations, Internet television and other new media as a producer, director, operator, screenwriter. This curriculum is the only one in Latvia that allows to qualify a film and television producer, as well as the only professional bachelor's program in audiovisual art implemented in Latvia.

 The selection of the 100 most interesting and high-quality video clips by the Jury and Awarding Ceremony will take place in 2023 - the year of the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Turkey.

According to the terms of the video contest, the clips should not contain scenes of violence, cruelty, racial hatred, etc. More detailed information about the project, the competition and all the events will be on the website www.turkish100project.org.

During the event, a video presentation of ebru art from the EBRU RĪGA studio was held. EBRU is one of the oldest forms of the Turkish art, which UNESCO in 2014 included in the list of intangible cultural heritage. A master class by two ebru artists Irina Trumpele and Olga Orlova  demonstrated and taught all present an amazing technique of drawing on water. And many of the guests even tried to create their own unique masterpieces. 

The guests of the presentation were pleased with the views and landscapes of Turkey represented by the Photon photo club, whose leader for many years was a famous Latvian journalist Yuri Zhitlukhin. Among the photographs that were printed using special modern technology, there are several works of  the photographers from Latvia - Valentin Leitan and Alexander Borsch.

The students Ksenia and Natalya from the RISEBA Professional School „Victoria” provided a great help in organising the presentation. Students of the school actively participated in all previous Turkish events organized by the Turkish Institute. The Director Angela Dubinska believes that knowledge and skills acquired at the school and practice in the Turkish project guarantee her students success in their professional careers.  

Sergey Kugelev, a well-known Latvian musician, guitarist, leader of the Kugelevi Band Family, whose two sons Peter and Pavel  graduated from the RISEBA Professional School "Victoria", came to congratulate the participants and guests of the presentation. Sergey sang two songs that had long been world hits: Nocturne by Alexander Kublinsky and Yellow Leaves  by Raymond Pauls, which all the guests of the event sang along with.

On behalf of the Baltic Center the most sincere thanks to Irina Sennikova, the Rector of RISEBA University of Business, Arts and Technology, and all participants of the event for their help and support in organising the presentation of the new Turkish Project concept.

www.turkish100project.org