Presidency’s Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran stated that the “Add Colour to CİMER” Painting Competition Award Ceremony, organised by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, was one of the finest and most vibrant events held at the Directorate.
Noting that children would both enjoy themselves and gain knowledge through the event, Head of Communications Duran said: “Before we begin, however, I would like to recall an important issue. Today, 4 June, marks the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression. I would like to commemorate the tens of thousands of children who have tragically lost their lives, particularly in Palestine and Lebanon. We wish to see a world filled with peace, joy, excitement, and the cheerful voices of children—a world that grows more beautiful every day. We are making every effort to contribute to such a future. Yet I know that when you are the ones shaping and leading this world, even better days will lie ahead.”
“You Have Much to Contribute to Us”
Head of Communications Duran stated that he appreciated the project when the “Add Colour to CİMER” Painting Competition was first presented to him and expressed his satisfaction at seeing it come to life.
Recalling that children and young people took part in the competition, Duran said:
“You have much to contribute to us because you see the world differently than we do. By ‘we,’ I mean those of us who are middle-aged and gradually growing older. An entirely new world lies ahead of you, and I firmly believe that through your ideas and actions, you will make it a better place. For that reason, I would first like to extend my affection and congratulations to all of you and thank you for your efforts.”
Head of Communications Duran noted that all the paintings submitted to the competition were remarkable and that the young artists would become the communicators of the future.
Emphasising that the children portrayed CİMER exceptionally well through their artwork, Duran continued:
“We saw CİMER depicted as a letter, a tree, a mailbox, and even a dove. Many of the 1,300 paintings submitted were truly deserving of an award. Unfortunately, however, we can only present awards to six of them. What did I see in these paintings? Above all, I saw the trust that our children and young people place in our state. Let me give you an example. Eight-year-old Nefise from Yozgat wrote: ‘This painting is first and foremost my gift to our President. I love him very much. I learned about CİMER while drawing this picture. CİMER is like the suggestion-and-complaint box at our school. It is a wonderful tool for knowing our rights and making our surroundings better.”
“We Have Published Our ‘CİMER in 25 Questions’ Booklet for Children”
Recalling that CİMER is generally a mechanism used by adults to submit applications and requests, Duran stated:
“As the Directorate of Communications, we are launching the Child CİMER Platform. We already have our Cumhur Dede book, which we have recently updated. We have also published a special booklet for children titled “CİMER in 25 Questions”. Each of these initiatives demonstrates a simple truth: if it is the people who tell us how the state should be governed, then our children are also active participants in that process. Why do I say this? Because so many wonderful ideas emerge from young minds. I have a nine-year-old daughter, and when she shares her ideas with me, I often think, ‘Young people and children understand these issues better than we do and possess truly brilliant ideas.’ That is why we look forward to your contributions and suggestions. CİMER is not only a platform for submitting complaints or conveying good wishes; it is also a place where you can share your proposals. For example, if you notice that a traffic light is needed at a particular intersection, you might say, ‘Cars are having difficulty here. Let us install a traffic light.’ Requests and suggestions of this kind can be submitted through CİMER. From now on, we encourage you to send your ideas and proposals to CİMER.”
Duran also explained that some requests submitted by children through CİMER—such as flying in a helicopter or celebrating a birthday with police officers—had been fulfilled. He went on to say, “People of all ages can use CİMER. It is an example of participatory democracy. It is a mechanism through which citizens can convey their requests directly to the state. Its origins date back to 1994, when our President was serving as Mayor. Later, during his tenure as Prime Minister, it evolved into BİMER. Following his Presidency, it became what we know today as CİMER.”
Providing information on the number of applications submitted to CİMER, Duran said: “In 2025, CİMER received 5 million 525 thousand applications. Of these, 96.8 per cent were responded to, with an average response time of 12 days. Has CİMER received recognition for this success? Yes. It received the Golden Compass Award in 2019, 2021, and 2025, as well as the Golden World Award for Excellence from the International Public Relations Association.”
Duran stated that the introduction of “Child CİMER” added a new dimension to the platform and paved the way for future achievements and awards.
“Excessive Dependence on the Digital World Can Lead to Attention Deficits”
Emphasising that children represent the future and that today’s children will determine what kind of world tomorrow will become, Duran said: “As an elder, I would like to remind you of a few things. There is this digital world—the world of computers, tablets, and smartphones. It is a world into which you were born. It did not exist during my childhood. Nor did it exist during the childhood of Alper Gezeravcı. But over time, the digital world expanded. Today, we must learn to use it wisely. Excessive dependence on the digital world can lead to attention deficits. It can expose us to various fears, forms of bullying, and the endless cycle of clicking and scrolling. Harmful or misleading content can also place us at risk. We should be mindful of the games we enjoy, because they can sometimes have negative effects. Therefore, we must remain aware of these realities. As our President has stated, we will not leave our children alone and unprotected in the uncontrolled environment of digital platforms, which are filled with numerous threats. Together, we will shape and manage this digital space. We will benefit from its opportunities while protecting ourselves from its risks.”
Following his remarks, Head of Communications Duran presented plaques and awards to the winners in the primary and middle school categories.
Prior to the ceremony, Duran toured an exhibition featuring selected artworks submitted to the competition.
The programme was attended by Türkiye’s first astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, senior officials from the Directorate of Communications, and numerous students.
Meanwhile, in a post shared on his NSosyal account, Head of Communications Duran thanked all the children who participated in the competition and congratulated the award-winning students.
