For the preservation of the future, 'Gaziantep Embroidery' is on the road to UNESCO
The writing workshop for the preparation of the file for the inclusion of 'Gaziantep Embroidery' in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List began with a ceremony organized by the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
This initiative aims to preserve and transmit Gaziantep Embroidery, an essential part of dowries in the heroic city, which requires significant effort and attention, to future generations, introduce it to the world, and incorporate it into modern designs with innovative touches. In the first step of this endeavor, expert teams will prepare the documentation for the Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The writing workshop will focus on aspects such as the preservation of the culture from the past, its characteristics, history, and cultural motifs.
The workshop, aimed at preserving Gaziantep Embroidery for future generations, was inaugurated at the Gaziantep Art Center with the participation of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Şahin and Selim Terzi, the Director General of Research and Education at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. During the meeting, attendees watched a short film titled 'Stitch by Stitch: The Journey of Gaziantep Embroidery,' which narrated the journey of Gaziantep Embroidery.
"Every Gaziantep Embroidery has a different story."
During her speech at the opening meeting, Mayor Fatma Şahin reflected on one of the first tasks they undertook when she assumed office in Gaziantep in 2014, which was the preservation of Kutnu Fabric, its adaptation to modern designs, and the success of the emerging Kutnia Brand. She emphasized, "You can't just dismiss Gaziantep Embroidery; it requires great patience. It's like digging a well with a needle. But there, you see a young girl's love story, you see the bird of someone who wants to be free. Every Gaziantep Embroidery tells a different story. It wants to reflect the voice in its heart. It wants to address the world with that voice. Carrying this forward is a responsibility for all of us. We all have a place we look at. Either we will ignore this and become globalized by conforming to a single type. Our city will have no difference from other cities. Or, if we are a city of civilization and culture, there is a great legacy upon us as one of the oldest settlements in geography.
"We will carry the past we received from our mothers to future generations."
Mayor Şahin, emphasizing that each embroidery is unique and recalling memories of Gaziantep Embroidery from her childhood, stated, "Here, there is a life, a story, an economy. When we introduce these artworks to the world, we will have an international vision and access to the market. When we started with gastronomy, we worked with the best mentors, we turned it into stories. And now, we will introduce this story to the world with excellent designs. Our values are immense. If we market them well to the world, an economy will emerge. The international world is moving elsewhere. When we catch this well, we can make this city the capital of cultural heritage. Anatolia is already this. We are an exemplary and leading city. We will carry the past we received from our mothers to future generations. In the new era, we will establish Design A.S. for this purpose. When we enter UNESCO, we will promote this to the world very well."
"We are making great efforts, especially to introduce our children to these heritages.
Selim Terzi, the Director General of Research and Education at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, mentioned that their institution has been initiating intensive efforts for listings since 2006. He stated, "Last night, I did a little research. I tuned into the Metropolitan Municipality's channel and watched a video about Gaziantep Embroidery. It said, 'A handicraft where the unspoken feelings of the heart are woven stitch by stitch, a centuries-old tradition, the love of thread with motifs.' We have started working on how we can preserve and transfer these heritages to the present and future. We are making great efforts, especially to introduce our children to these heritages.