The joy of the festival is everywhere on Sunday

The 6th annual Pazar Culture, Arts, and Children's Festival, now a tradition in Rize 's Pazar district, continues with strong public interest. The festival , which will run in the district center, villages, and highlands until August 24th, is held this year with the theme "Say Stop to Drugs!" and the main theme "On the Edge of Our Hearts."

The festival concluded with a forum titled "Tea and the Future of Çay-Kur," presented by Fatma Genç, followed by a program in Venek (Example) Village. Instructors from the Istanbul Kadıköy Workshop also conducted workshops with the children. The workshops, which combined art and entertainment, provided both fun and learning.

BOOK READING PROTECTION IN MARKET SQUARE

The festival continued with a "Book Festival," where book lovers and art lovers gathered in Pazar Square. As part of the event, local authors met with their readers and signed their books. A mass book reading event was held to raise awareness under the theme "Say Stop to Drugs!" Pazar residents held a 15-minute book reading session in Pazar Square, conveying the message, "Be a book addict, not a drug addict." The silent reading drew considerable interest from residents. As part of the program, cultural events were also held in Haçapit (Subaşı) Village, bringing the excitement of the festival to the villagers.

The festive spirit continued with a tour of Çiçekli Yayla, which aimed to explore the culture of transhumance with widespread participation from the public, and neighborhood events held in Kocaköprü village. The Music Lovers Association, meeting with music lovers in Pazar Square, created a unique evening by combining poems by Özcan Demirçelik and Filiz İlkay Balta, along with İbrahim Karaca and Selim Pirpir, with tulum music. Artists Oğuzhan Kot, Erdal Güney, and the Yayla Trio will be on stage in the square tomorrow evening at 7:00 PM.

WE RESIST THE CLIMATE OF CENSORSHIP

As part of the events, BirGün columnist Timur Soykan met with his readers at a book signing and talk held at Kafe Marina Park. At the well-attended event, Soykan spoke about his journey as a journalist and the current state of press freedom in Türkiye. Emphasizing that the country is going through a very difficult period, Soykan said, “We are living through a period of intense censorship and oppression. We can't find many outlets to cover our news, but BirGün has no such problem. BirGün is a brave newspaper with ideals. It is even braver because it has no owner, no boss.” Soykan continued: “BirGün has been around for 20 years and holds a very important place in this climate of censorship. Today, 95% of the media is under the control of the government, working to overshadow and destroy the news. BirGün is a very important outlet that stands up for that news.”

SOYKAN: Türkiye HAS BEEN DETACHED FROM REALITY

Soykan, emphasizing the country's disconnection from reality, said, "I'm trying to figure out how to describe it. I can't really say, 'The country has lost its mind.' I can't say anything else. We've become a country that's lost touch with reality. The police called me before I came here. Now they call me almost every day. Journalism has become very difficult. I go to the police station on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to sign in. I also have two travel bans. People knock on the door in the morning and are arrested. They can even come and arrest you just for getting on your motorcycle when you step out on the street."

Soykan also highlighted imprisoned journalists and human rights defenders. He noted that Furkan Karabay has been imprisoned for 100 days solely for reporting on the news he reported, Ercüment Akdeniz has been detained for months, and most recently, Fatih Altaylı. He also mentioned Can Atalay and Tayfun Kahraman, who were imprisoned as part of the Gezi Park protests, saying, “They were all workers, laborers, and people who fought for the rights of society. They are still in prison today.”

This year's festival theme, "Say Stop to Drugs!", stands out with its call to action. Organizers emphasize that the fight against drugs should be waged not only through security measures but also through public policies that reduce socio-economic inequalities. The festival, organized by the Pazar Culture and Art House, will conclude on August 24th with forums, talks, village programs, highland tours, and concerts.