Within the scope of Bülbülzade Foundation's Summer Schools, in-service training was given to educators for the summer schools that will be held for students between 3rd grade and 8th grade throughout the summer.Turgay Aldemir, President of Bülbülzade Foundation, made the opening speech of the program and informed the educators about the work of the foundation and all the summer activities to be held. After the speech, Summer School Coordinator Cumali Kaplan explained the past and present of summer schools. Mustafa Al Hüseyin, President of Gaziantep Syrian Community, made a presentation about the educational activities to be carried out in relation to the Anatolian Cultural Centers in Syria. Finally, Hatice Neşe Çandır gave information on methods and techniques in teaching religion, values and morals.Following the speeches, workshops on the Holy Quran, alphabet teaching workshop, the life of our Prophet and the values that grow with worship were held with the trainers. They were also informed about the duties and responsibilities of assistant trainers.In addition to the foundation center officials, the program was attended by the representatives of Bilimder, Semti İbrahimli, Earthquake Region Coordinatorship, Anatolian Cultural Center in Gaziantep and Syria, Media Unit, Katre Art and Science Center, İstikrar Sports Club, Resurrection Association, Netder and Touch Life Orphan Association.

Touch Life Orphan Association organized a special thank you concert for the mothers who volunteered as part of the Traditional Spring Festival. In the event held with the participation of volunteer musicians from Katre Art and Science Center, mothers were offered an unforgettable musical experience.In the concert, which also included requested songs, kanun and guitar performances were highly appreciated. The mothers enjoyed a day full of music and were thanked for their voluntary support. At the end of the concert, gratitude was expressed to all mothers for their dedication and contributions as volunteers.

A capacity building and first aid training seminar was organized for young people in Nurdağı within the scope of the “Be a Light for the Future” project supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and carried out by Bülbülzade Association. In addition to the students, our ESC volunteers participated in the seminar given by the Turkish Red Crescent.Organized by Bülbülzade Foundation Earthquake Region Coordinatorship, the seminar was attended by students in the earthquake zone as well as short and long-term volunteers from abroad within the scope of the European Solidarity Corps (ESC). In the training seminar given by the Turkish Red Crescent, starting from ensuring environmental and personal safety, the methods of approaching the patient or injured person in the right way were emphasized. How to control consciousness and the Heimlich maneuver to be applied in case of complete obstruction were explained in detail. In addition, different types of bleeding and the first aid practices to be performed in these cases were explained in the training. Emphasizing the negative consequences of wrong interventions, how to behave in moments of fainting and shock, how to give the shock position correctly were explained with examples. Finally, types of burns and first aid steps to be applied in burns were shared; participants were informed about what common mistakes can cause.

Deputy Governor of Damascus Musab Badawi and representatives of Damascus Governorate visited our foundation. During their visit, the foundation received information about our work.Within the scope of the visit, detailed information about Bülbülzade Foundation's migration and adaptation activities in Turkey and Syria was shared and it was emphasized that it is ready to transfer its experience in Anatolian Cultural Centers to Damascus. In addition to the representatives of Damascus Governorate, BEKAM President Mehmet Ali Eminoğlu and Gaziantep Syrian Community President Mustafa Al Hüseyin attended the visit.

The sessions of the 2025 “Summer Activities” meeting organized within the scope of Bülbülzade Foundation's cultural activities continue with the participation of the relevant units. Representatives of the Anatolian Student Union, Education Teacher Unit, Secondary Education, Mosaic, Character Education at Home (EKE), İslâhiye Earthquake Zone, Migration, İstikrar Sports Club, Media Unit, Katre Science and Art Center, and Bilim-Der and Semt-i İbrahimli Association, which are member associations, attended the meeting.During the meeting, the planning of social, cultural, artistic, sportive and nature-based activities to be held between June 30 and August 01, 2025 during the summer season was discussed. In addition to Quran, Siyer, Etiquette, Basic Religious Knowledge, Philosophy for Children, STEM, Universal Signs and English with games within the scope of values education; art and sports activities such as science festival, pool activity, music courses were planned. Camp activities were also planned in various regions of Gaziantep. At the same time, the current and completed activities were evaluated and consultations were made regarding the process.

The “English Speaking Club” program organized by the Center for Science Education Culture Research (BEKAM) has started. The English Speaking Club, which consists of three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced, is carried out free of charge by professional volunteers who come to our country from abroad as part of the European Solidarity Corps (ESC).The program, which aims to provide participants with both English grammar and speaking practice, will continue three days a week throughout the summer months.

Summer School 2025 offers a comprehensive summer education program full of sports activities and art workshops for students from 3rd to 8th grade.June 30 - August 1, 2025 is the deadline to apply for the summer school: June 28, 2025.Click here for the application.

Our volunteers who came to our country from abroad within the scope of the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) short and long-term individual volunteering projects supported by the Turkish National Agency and carried out by Bülbülzade Foundation, participated in the ‘Red Crescent Clubs Dissemination Event’ organized by the Red Crescent Women Gaziantep Branch at Fatım Acar Secondary School.ESC volunteers who came together with middle school students at the event had a pleasant time with the children by organizing various events and activities as well as face painting in order to contribute to the awareness of Red Crescent and volunteering.

Turgay Aldemir, President of Bülbülzade Foundation and the accompanying delegation visited Al Bab Anatolian Cultural Center in Al Bab, Syria. After the visit, a consultation meeting was held with opinion leaders.During the visit to the Anatolian Cultural Center, the active functioning of the centers, the studies carried out, the educational processes and the situation of the educators and students involved in these processes were discussed. In addition, classes were visited during the lessons and meetings were held with teachers and students. After the visit, gifts were given to the students studying at the cultural center and a plaque was presented to Cemal Osman, Director of Al Bab Anatolian Cultural Center.MEETING WITH OPINION LEADERSAfter the visit to Al Bab Anatolian Cultural Center, a consultation meeting was held with the opinion leaders in the region together with the management of Anatolian Federation, Bülbülzade Foundation, Gaziantep Syrian Community, Rıdvan Hoca Foundation, Axis Association. In the consultation meeting held with the opinion leaders, information was given about the new period in which Syria, especially Turkey, is in, and various activities carried out by Bülbülzade Foundation in these regions and centers were mentioned.The opinion leaders emphasized the importance of the visits to Syria and said, "Your visits from Turkey to Syria have a very serious impact on us and our work here. Your coming together with opinion leaders as civil society representatives here shows the quality of your perspective on Syria." In addition, while the opinion leaders gave information about the new period in Syria, civil society activities in Al Bab, the latest situation of the city's post-revolutionary cultural and educational activities and commercial functioning, the reconstruction process, the developments in this process and the difficulties encountered were discussed.President Turgay Aldemir stated that Al Bab and similar cities have become important centers by assuming a fundamental role in the construction process of the new Syria and said, “The educational, cultural and social activities carried out in these regions have the potential to affect not only the local people but also a wide geography extending from Aleppo to Damascus.” He also stated that he is actively involved in the field in Syria through the Anatolian Cultural Centers and said, “You are taking a leading role in the reconstruction process of Syria, shouldering the work carried out and striving together for this ancient geography to regain its former glory.”

Mustafa Onur, Education Attaché of the Syrian Consulate General in Aleppo, and representatives of young associations working in Aleppo visited Bülbülzade Foundation Aleppo Liaison Office. During the visit, Bülbülzade Foundation President Turgay Aldemir and the accompanying delegation came together with the foundation staff and volunteers.During the visit, the current problems and prioritized needs of Aleppo were evaluated first. The meeting held after the visit was attended by a group of Aleppo citizens who are university graduates and work in various fields in Aleppo, as well as engineers, lawyers, journalists and teachers.The participants, who expressed their opinions about their work at the meeting, stated that they have done a study on historical artifacts in Aleppo and that they want to work together on this. They also stated that they are working on agricultural trainings for the public, as well as studies prepared to take more accurate steps in the employment of young people living in Aleppo. The participants also stated that they are working on the importance of Aleppo culture, Aleppo identity and being from Aleppo, and that they are working on an institute project on the history of Aleppo at the University of Aleppo. Finally, they stated that they are working on issues such as active citizenship, knowing and defending rights, and asked for support in this regard, and emphasized the importance of empowering women as health workers, empowering young people, as well as working for orphan children and cancer patients.

Murat Öz, Head of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Urban Aesthetics and Green Spaces Department, visited Bülbülzade Foundation Aleppo Liaison Office. During the visit, Turgay Aldemir, President of Bülbülzade Foundation, came together with foundation volunteers, businessmen and NGO representatives.During the visit, discussions were held about the city structuring of Aleppo, urban aesthetics, as well as the commercial, political and cultural situation of the city. During the meeting, it was stated that Aleppo was destroyed during the war and the aesthetics and structure of the city started to deteriorate. In addition, Bülbülzade Foundation exchanged ideas for the development of Aleppo in every sense.Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality stated that the sister city Aleppo will become more beautiful and gave information about the National Garden park works to be built in Aleppo within the scope of the sister city protocol.During the visit, while expressing wishes to increase mutual cooperation and solidarity with Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, ideas were exchanged on joint projects that will restore the region to its former beauty and improve urban aesthetics.

Turgay Aldemir, President of Bülbülzade Foundation, and the accompanying delegation visited Muhammad Said Şeyhkâr, President of Aleppo Chamber of Commerce.During the visit, discussions were held on the economic potential of the region, commercial vitality and strengthening cross-border cooperation. While the issue of trade between Gaziantep and Aleppo was discussed, emphasis was placed on the development of commercial relations, and the chambers of commerce between the two cities were consulted on uninterrupted visa and transit procedures.It was stated that the transit problems experienced by those engaged in trade in Syria at the entrance and exit to Turkey blocked the way for many developments, and that Syrian traders could turn to other countries other than Turkey when the transit problem was not solved, thus limiting the budgetary developments that would occur due to this reason.After the opening of the Voluntary Repatriation Counseling and Support Center, which was implemented by Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality in cooperation with local governments and non-governmental organizations, especially Bülbülzade Foundation, during the meeting with the Vice President of the Republic of Turkey Cevdet Yılmaz, it was informed that the necessary information was given at the point of eliminating the existing bottlenecks on Syria-related issues and discussions were held on solutions to these problems.Information was given about the nation garden to be built by Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality in Aleppo as well as the Voluntary Return Counseling and Support Center opened in Gaziantep. It was emphasized that Turkey and Gaziantep should take the lion's share of the budgetary developments that will occur in the reconstruction of Syria, and that the existing collaborations should be paved the way.During the visit, while expressing the wish to increase mutual cooperation and solidarity, ideas were exchanged on joint projects to improve trade relations in the region.