Kırkayak Kültür has been realising rights-based studies together with disadvantaged communities under social and cultural risk and coexistence based social cohesion activities in the framework of dialogue and solidarity for society against discrimination and prejudice towards such communities since its founding year of 2011. While doing so, activities that put forward culture and art are realised. The Centre conducts studies on the humanitarian problems generated through political and social developments in the Middle East geography as well as migration, refugee situations, disadvantaged social segments and cultures and presents such studies to the attention of national and international public. Kırkayak Kültür currently continues at institutional level to realise culture arts and migration studies in two different places within Gaziantep, namely, “Art Centre” and “Migration and Cultural Studies Centre”. Kırkayak Kültür Migration and Cultural Studies Centre conducts studies towards ensuring improvements regarding socioeconomic conditions, education, residence, health, employment, and preventing discrimination and human rights and accessibility to social and public services for the Dom peoples and other relevant groups of the Middle East in the countries they live. It is our primary concern that Dom groups become effective members of the society in the countries they settle, and participate and contribute to the economic, social, cultural, civilian and political life of their countries. Our Centre’s main objective is ensuring that such communities that face social and cultural risk and disadvantage display socio-cultural development, conducting integration activities in the framework of coexistence, dialogue and solidarity against the prejudices upon such communities, and realizing social, cultural and artistic activities in this alignment. The Centre generates strategies and action plans and aims to realise cultural studies particularly together with public institutions and non-governmental organizations in this framework in the countries where Dom people and other relevant groups live. In all activities realized by Kırkayak Kültür, the idea of “Coexistence” is taken as the main reference point. Kırkayak Kültür considers that there is need for a novel understanding within which the migrant newcomers live together with the older inhabitants in a humane environment and the diversities are accepted as richness, and through which no one is left behind in all fields, particularly fundamental rights and services, and realises actions in this regard. Gypsy people (Rom, Dom, Lom) coexisted with the other people in the Middle East geography for hundreds of years. They created crafting tools for the peoples they lived together, often became bearers of their cultures, practiced traditional family medicine and dentistry and provided many services to them in tens of different fields. They are living today and will continue to do so in the future in these ancient lands. For them to be able to live a dignified life in the countries they dwell, there are important roles required to be played particularly by the governments in these countries and also UN and EU institutions and Non-Governmental Organizations.
Kemal Viral Tarlan - IRU member from Turkey
