Main areas of work related to the Convention:
As a national association and also as a center of an international organization (The Union Internationale de la Marionnette) the UNIMA Türkiye National Center operates from two different perspectives. As stated in Article 2 of the Association’s Regulations, it aims to organize workshops, scientific research, and meeting programs to preserve puppet art which is among the performing arts within the scope of intangible cultural heritage, at local and national levels, and to promote it internationally. In this regard in 2023, with the support of the Republic of Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, a meeting called the “Karagözcüler Bayramı” was held for puppeteers and puppet researchers. Following this meeting, two commissions were established under the roof of our Association: the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Festival Commissions.
Both commissions have announced their action plans over time and have collaborated with other institutions. The advisors of these commissions include individuals who directly contribute to research on intangible cultural heritage. For instance under the UNIMA Intangible Cultural Heritage Commission, protocols have been signed with museums related to the subject in 7
different regions of Türkiye. Through these protocols, Karagöz performance spaces have been designed in these museums. Thus, throughout the year, puppeteers who are members of our Association perform at these museums during their tours, as per the protocol. These activities are in direct alignment with Articles 1, 2, 12, and 13 of the Convention for the Safeguarding of
Intangible Cultural Heritage. Moreover the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Intangible Cultural Heritage Artists Identification Committe plays an active role in identifying puppet artists with good practice examples. The Ministry of National Education has proposed projects and conducted workshops for the teaching and preservation of puppet art in formal and informal education.
Particularly in the field of informal education, a Karagöz educational module has been developed.
Additionally, Metin Özlen, Tacettin Diker, Orhan Kurt, Alpay Ekler and R. Şinasi Çelikkol, founding members of the Association and the Istanbul Branch were registered in the "Living Human Treasures" program. Our association which has been active for 35 years, has been organizing the International Bursa Karagöz Puppet and Shadow Theatre Festival, which started in 1993 and is
held biennially. Moreover, in the puppet performances of the Türkiye Culture Route Festival, our Association’s members are actively engaged with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Furthermore, as a part of UNIMA, an international organization, the UNIMA Türkiye National Center conducts workshops and scientific exchanges internationally, particularly as part of the puppet network with Asian and Pacific countries.
Objectives
The Union International De La Marionette (UNIMA) was established with the aim of facilitating mutual recognition among nations through puppet arts, strengthening friendship and brotherhood, contributing to peaceful coexistence, and fostering the exchange of knowledge among artists, researchers, experts, writers, scientists, and technicians involved in the field of puppet arts. Over time, UNIMA has developed and expanded its international network. Today, it is an organization comprising 88 countries, with its central office located in Charleville Mezieres, France.
The UNIMA Türkiye National Centre, founded in 1990, has played a significant role in raising the visibility of the Karagöz art and other puppet arts in Türkiye. It has collaborated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the UNESCO National Commission of Türkiye to advocate for the inclusion of Karagöz on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage. The Centre works
extensively with the mission of preserving, documenting, researching, and transmitting traditional puppet and shadow theatre arts in Türkiye, especially the Karagöz art listed by UNESCO.
The organization is particularly renowned for its work on the Karagöz play, the Meddah storytelling tradition, and other traditional performing arts.
UNIMA Türkiye has undertaken significant projects aimed at ensuring the safeguarding, sustainability, transmission, and promotion of elements inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
By bringing together artists, scholars, cultural actors, and institutions, UNIMA Türkiye organizes educational programs, seminars, national and international festivals, workshops, symposiums, publications, and cultural collaborations.
In addition to its efforts in preserving and promoting traditional performing arts, UNIMA Türkiye is particularly committed to supporting and encouraging women who wish to engage in this field.
These activities, carried out in collaboration with both local communities and UNIMA International, as well as national centers of UNIMA in 88 countries and other international institutions, contribute to the sustainability of intangible cultural heritage and the enhancement of societal awareness.
Moreover, UNIMA Türkiye supports transmission efforts through workshops, hands-on training in schools, and projects that reinterpret traditional techniques in contemporary contexts, thus reinforcing its expertise and commitment to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
Cooperation
The UNIMA Türkiye National Center collaborates closely with communities, groups, and individuals who create, practice, and transmit intangible cultural heritage. These collaborations include various activities such as joint projects, workshops, training programs, and festivals carried out with local artists and communities.
Specifically, in fields like Karagöz art and traditional puppet theater, the center works alongside local artists to ensure the preservation and transmission of these arts. Furthermore, through these projects, the center aims to teach traditional arts to new generations and ensure their sustainability.
In these collaborations, the organization adopts a flexible and participatory approach tailored to the needs of each community, allowing them to preserve their unique cultural heritage and reach a wider audience.
