Organized by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications and aiming to draw attention to the human tragedy in Gaza through the eyes of children, "Bulletproof Dreams: Gaza Child Artists Exhibition" opened in Taksim Square.
First Lady Emine Erdoğan and the Presidency's Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun also attended the opening, where the ribbon was cut and the artworks were presented for viewing.
The exhibition aims to raise international awareness through the medium of art by conveying the feelings, traumas, pain and distressing conditions endured by children witnesses to the war in Gaza following the Israeli attacks. Based on the painting drawn by six-year-old Gaza resident Mona, who witnessed her mother being targeted with a rocket and the subsequent massacre of 26 members of her family during the "Operation Cast Lead" in Gaza in 2008-2009, it includes a painting project initiated by journalist Abdullah Aytekin.
The exhibition features a selection of 266 artworks collected by Aytekin and preserved until today, some of which were drawn by Gazan children who lost their lives in the subsequent attacks. In addition, a special section dedicated to the journalists and doctors who lost their lives in the recent Israeli attacks was presented to visitors.
Built on a total area of 1,350 square metres, the exhibition includes physical installations consisting of the paintings drawn by Gazan children and digital display sections where the original paintings have been converted.
In another section, the belongings of children who had been martyred in the aftermath of Israel's recent attacks were exhibited, along with mounds of debris that symbolised devastation and conflict.
First Lady Emine Erdoğan's tears reach Gazan children
During the days of "Operation Cast Lead," First Lady Emine Erdoğan, in her speech at the "United for Peace in Palestine Meeting," drew attention to the children and women massacred in Gaza and could not hold back her tears due to the tragedy in Gaza.
The portrait painted by Maysa Yousef from Gaza, who watched the First Lady Emine Erdoğan on television, with the note "Dear Madam, your tears have reached us" drew attention in the exhibition as another symbolic artwork. Altun presented the portrait to First Lady Emine Erdoğan.
The exhibition will be open to visitors until January 29.
"We must amplify the voices of Palestinian children"
In her assessment of the exhibition, First Lady Emine Erdoğan stated that unprecedented violence has occurred in Palestine since October 7, that Israel has rained bullets and bombs on the Palestinian people before the eyes of the entire world, and that civilians, particularly women, have suffered the most.
Pointing out that nearly 9 thousand of those who had lost their lives in Gaza since October 7 were children, First Lady Emine Erdoğan stated, "A doctor working for Al-Shifa Hospital said, 'The hardest thing is to write an unknown baby x on the body of a dead little baby,' describing the horror that children in Gaza are experiencing in a nutshell. In fact, this exhibition conveys the experiences and feelings of Gazan children in the most straightforward manner. Indeed, their drawings serve as a reflection of their suffering."
Expressing that the painting drawn by Maysa Yousef from Gaza with the note "Dear Madam, your tears have reached us" had also affected her very much, First Lady Emine Erdoğan emphasized that the "Bulletproof Dreams: Gaza Child Artists Exhibition" served as an important event in effectively amplifying the voices of Palestinian children in the global community.
First Lady Emine Erdoğan invited everyone to pay attention to the call made by these innocent children for peace, to be a voluntary narrator of their stories told through their paintings and a spokesperson for their just cause, and expressed her gratitude to everyone who had contributed to this exhibition from the collection and preservation of the paintings until today.
Emine Erdoğan said, "There is a pressing need to amplify the voices of Palestinian children, whose fundamental right to life has been unjustly stripped away, leaving them in a state of perpetual uncertainty regarding their future and even their very survival and shed light on the immense suffering endured by these children," adding, "We urge the international community to act as soon as possible to put an end to this oppression, and Türkiye is making significant efforts in this regard under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On November 15, we convened the 'United for Peace in Palestine' Summit, and as the First Ladies and Gentlemen, we issued a resolute appeal for a ceasefire. Through this exhibition, we would like to emphasise once again the very same call, as it acts as a perfect complement to the aforementioned summit.”
Noting that children for whom they grieved and pleaded for peace at the summit held in 2009 under the slogan "Stretch Out Your Hand-Humanity" were now adults facing the dark side of war and that their children may have suffered the same fate and have become victims of Israeli persecution today, First Lady Emine Erdoğan added:
"We longed for a future worthy of human dignity for Palestinian children 14 years ago. Today, Gaza has become the city of unidentified martyred children. We owe a just and peaceful world to the innocent children of Palestine, whose eyes, like Maysa Yousef's, are set on us, on you, and on the conscience of all humanity. How unfortunate that we are still making the same calls in 2023... How many more generations will we have to wait to sacrifice to build a lasting and sustainable peace in Palestinian lands? We strongly object to the perpetuation of the ongoing genocide and demand that those responsible be held accountable for their actions, ensuring that future generations are safeguarded. The tears we shed today, the words we speak, and every concrete step we take today are all vitally important to the innocent Palestinians. We shed tears in the hope that one day peace and tranquility will prevail in Gaza and the Palestinian territories for children such as Maysa Yousef, who represent the future of Palestine and humanity, and as Türkiye, we are employing every means available, with a particular emphasis on humanitarian aid."
"The oppression of Israel is no longer justifiable"
Presidency's Director of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, affirmed that children are most severely impacted by conflicts and massacres and said:
"The dire condition of the victimised and oppressed children of Gaza, who are left unprotected by the international community, is an immensely distressing situation. This exhibition, which consists of paintings by Gazan children drawing on paper with their little fingers what they perceive and feel in their own world and in their own hearts and souls, clearly reveals their experiences and feelings."
Stating that the paintings in the exhibition unequivocally unmask those seeking to legitimise Israeli oppression, Director of Communications Altun said: "The oppression of Israel is no longer justifiable. Because each line and brush stroke in these paintings distinguishes between good and evil, innocent and "cruel, and just and unjust."
Noting that these brush strokes unquestionably show that Israel deliberately targets children and the future of Palestine, engages in heinous war crimes and has the intent to commit genocide, Director of Communications Altun said: "These brush strokes serve as proof that Israel has consistently transgressed all moral bounds accepted by humanity for decades."
"We, as Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, shall not waver in our commitment to boldly proclaim the truth. We will never give up fighting for the just cause of our Gazan brothers and innocent children who were murdered," said Director of Communications Altun and concluded his assessment:
"We are committed to employing every means possible to stand against this oppression. Ending the human tragedy in Palestine and building sustainable peace is our primary objective as Türkiye, in line with our President's motto, 'A fairer world is possible'."
First Lady Emine Erdoğan visited the exhibition and explored the paintings by Gazan children.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition was attended by Istanbul Governor Davut Gül and his wife Gülden Gül, as well as Beyoğlu Mayor Haydar Ali Yıldız.
