Bagpipe artist nominated for UNESCO

RİZE - Anatolia News Agency

Bagpipe player Bülent Bekar has been selected as a candidate for UNESCO’s Living Human Treasures Heritage.

Bagpipe player Bülent Bekar, who produces the musical instrument in his own workshop in the Black Sea province of Rize’s Çamlıhemşin district, has been selected as a candidate for UNESCO’s Living Human Treasures Heritage by the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

According to a protocol signed between UNESCO and Turkey in 2006, works have been initiated to determine and document living cultural heritage in the country. As part of this initiative, the Culture and Tourism Ministry presented people who contribute to Turkey’s cultural life as candidates for UNESCO Living Human Treasures Heritage. Bekar, 33, who has been playing the Turkish bagpipe, known as “tulum,” since his childhood and began producing them in 2006, has been selected.

Speaking to press members, Bekar said he had the only bagpipe workshop.

“Bagpipe culture is very distinct, but it has been disappearing in recent years. This is why I have decided to revive this culture,” he said.

Bekar said he included 12 bagpipe works in the archive of the Culture and Tourism in 2009 and thanks to these works he was nominated as a candidate for the UNESCO honor