Antakya Choir performs in Gaziantep

GAZİANTEP

The Antakya Civilizations Choir, which lost seven of its members in the deadly Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes in early February, took the stage in the southern province of Gaziantep as part of the Solidarity Concerts on the night of May 9.

Founded in 2007, the choir comprises many amateur artists from different languages, religions and ethnic backgrounds. While seven members died in the earthquake, many members of the choir were also rescued from the rubble.

Coordinator Mustafa Büyükuncu has carried out a project with the participation of the Antakya Civilizations Choir for the reconstruction of the Antakya Culture, Art and Congress Center, which was destroyed in the earthquake in the southern province of Hatay’s Antakya district. The concert was organized as part of this project.

The choir performed songs in memory of its members Mehmet Özdemir, Gizem Dönmez, Hakan Samsunlu, Pınar Aksoy, Fatma Çevik, Müge Mimaroğlu and Ahmet Fehmi Ayaz, who lost their lives in the earthquake.

Some 1,500 music lovers viewed the concert in a hotel in Gaziantep. All income from the concert program will be used for the reconstruction of the cultural center in Antakya.

Büyükuncu said that the project started as a civil volunteer movement and that their aim was to continue art in earthquake zones.

Stating that they aim to increase social awareness, Büyükuncu said, “We carry out this project to rebuild the Antakya Culture, Arts and Congress Center, which was destroyed in the earthquake. We host the Antakya Civilizations Choir in our city tonight, and it is the first of our events.

“We experienced the earthquake, Hatay experienced the disaster. Gaziantep gave us great support. Approximately 1,500 people attended the concert and there are 5,000 people more that we cannot accept. We will organize a second event as soon as possible. We expect all cities to support the project.”