The Antakya Civilizations Choir, accompanied by the radiant glow of seven candles, symbolising its seven choir members who lost their lives in the earthquake, embarked on a remarkable Anatolian tour. Organised by the European Union Information Centers (EUIC) to mark Europe Day under the motto "Solidarity keeps us alive; music heals," the concerts in eight cities carried the voices of earthquake victims and the message of solidarity in the rescue, recovery and reconstruction effort.
The Antakya Civilizations Choir, whose members are Alevi, Sunni, Armenian, Orthodox, Catholic and Jewish, was founded in 2007 to lay bridges among civilisations with music, a universal language. The Choir was awarded the Türkiye Republic Culture and Tourism Ministry Special Award in 2019. After the 6 February earthquakes, the Choir members started to get on the stage with the purpose of making the earthquake victims' voices heard throughout Türkiye.

Zübeyir Göçmez, a vocalist from the Antakya Civilizations Choir, reflects on these unforgettable concerts held in Edirne, Eskişehir, Denizli, Antalya, Samsun, Sivas, Van, and Urfa, describing them as a "sacred duty." "This endeavour requires immense self-sacrifice. Just imagine having no place to call home, with your children living in uncertainty, yet travelling from city to city with a mission to communicate with people."

Melda Aslan, a talented flutist from the Antakya Civilizations Choir, explains their motivation for embarking on this journey: "We believe that art and music have the power to heal our wounds. This belief is what inspired us to set forth on this path with the support of the European Union."

The EUIC coordinators who organised the tour shared the same sentiment. Kerem Oruç, Van EUIC coordinator: "We must overcome the pain of the earthquakes. We believed that art was the best way to achieve this because it possesses the unifying force that can bring people together."

Esma Deniz, Samsun EUIC coordinator, emphasises the significance of solidarity, saying, "International support was extended after the earthquakes, demonstrating a remarkable display of solidarity. We wanted to mark the European Union's birthday by celebrating this extraordinary unity."

Choir Director Yılmaz Özfırat

Choir Director Yılmaz Özfırat highlights the importance of solidarity during the performances, pointing to the choir members and remarking: "All the individuals you see standing behind me have suffered the loss of their immediate family members. Some have lost their mothers, others their fathers or brothers. At this moment, what we need most is to be acknowledged and embraced."

In concerts that once again showcased the power of solidarity, tears flowed freely as Choir Director Yılmaz Özfirat shared poignant anecdotes. The artists on stage mourned their losses through their songs, with the audience joining as partners in this collective grieving. Laughter, a profoundly human expression, intermingled with tears, sometimes evoked by Yılmaz Özfirat's captivating stories.

"After witnessing the concert in Van, it deeply touched us and evoked laughter. It was truly an exceptional performance," expressed Gülümser Buğday, a member of the audience. Güler Beyazıt, another attendee of the Samsun concert, exclaimed, "It was awe-inspiring. Solidarity resonated in every word, every song." Following the Urfa concert, Samet Hoca, another member of the audience, shared, "I hope our support has provided strength to them. May the departed souls rest in peace. It was a remarkable evening."

According to Head of the European Union Delegation to Türkiye, Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, “the emotional bond between the Choir members and the audiences was priceless in the Anatolian tour.” Stating that as the EU, they are proud of being a part of this deep solidarity, Ambassador Meyer-Landrut says:

“We have been in solidarity in Türkiye since day one. 21 EU Member States, together with 4 Participating States, offered 32 search and rescue teams, seven medical teams and five field hospitals. A total of €7 billion were pledged by the international community at the International Donors' Conference under the motto of ‘Together for the people in Türkiye and Syria' in March. The support continues, including medical assistance and food aid. Indeed, solidarity keeps us alive, and thanks to the Anatolian tour of the Choir, we witnessed one more time that music heals."

To witness the incredible journey and experience the healing power of music in the face of seemingly insurmountable pain, we invite you to watch "In the Light of Seven Candles," a captivating narrative of this tour. Click here for the video.

Stories about EU-Türkiye cooperation

Stories about EU-Türkiye cooperation