“I Am Here! / Ben Buradayim!” Workshop 2024, Hatay, Turkey
“I Am Here / BenBuradayim, Sanat Atölyesı 2024”, May 10th-31st, was a children’s art and dance workshop in Hatay province, Turkey (Republic of Türkiye), in memory of Timothy Lomas. Thousands died in Hatay’s earthquake two years ago. Families still live in shelters, containers and tents, and grapple with trauma and loss. GloCAP’s Suzanne Grégoire joined artist Şahıka Çağlar and the I Am Here team to hear these young people’s stories and help them express themselves through art and dance.
In Turkey, birds are believed to carry news between the living and the dead. Birds became messengers of the children’s hopes, connecting them to family members now watching over them. Children painted performance backdrops of birds and flowers; learned choreography with ribbons to “write” wishes in the sky; drew their future lives on a “Parachute of Dreams”, and danced with that parachute.
Held in an outdoor sports facility, the workshop culminated in an art exhibit and dance performance with 200 children. In addition, the I Am Here team reached 1000 more children through on-site art workshops in schools, daycare centers, health centers and container villages.
Due to ongoing trauma, the I Am Here team and GloCAP aspire to return in the future so that Hatay’s children may again find expression and healing through the arts.
Making Art and Rehearsing
Children’s Artwork
Team Members Left To Right, Burcu Kanaç, Meryem Avci, Suzanne Grégoire, Şahika Çağlar, Makbule Kalyon, And Şebnem Cİrİt Doğru 
Post performance dinner with the team
Ben Buradayım! I Am Here! Workshop 2024 Project Team
| Makbule Kalyon | Project Coordinator |
| Şebnem Cirit Doğru | International Relations Coordinator /Guide-Translator |
| Meltem Keskin Bayur | Project Art Consultant |
| Şahika Çağlar | Art Educator |
| Suzanne Grégoire | Choreographer, Dance Educator, GloCAP Artistic Director |
| Burcu Kanaç | Technical Staff/Social Media Coordinator |
| Harun Necmettin Ogruray | Workshop Practitioner/ Support Staff |
| Zeynep Çetinkaya | Press Advisor /Project Volunteer |
| Taner Kalyon | Support Staff /Project Volunteer |
| Ahmet Yazıbel | Chauffeur |
| Muhammet Nurullah Duymaz | Project Social Media and Web Page Volunteer |
| Meriç Ozan Mumcu | Project Social Media and Web Page Volunteer |
| Gözde DOĞAN Yalçıner | Public Diplomacy Manager/ Grants Office Representative, U.S. Embassy, Ankara, Türkiye |
| Hatay Family And Social Services Provincial Directorate Personnel | |
| Burak Bilir | Art Teacher/ Workshop facilitator / Support Staff |
| Ceylan Kılıç | Support Staff / Workshop Facilitator |
| İbrahim İnan | Support Staff / Workshop Facilitator |
| Meryem Avcı | Support Staff / Workshop Facilitator |
Project Partners
| Republic of Turkey Ministry of Family and Social Policy (Hatay, Ankara) – Turkey |
| The Foundation of Turkish Children’s Education– TÜÇEV |
| The Global Children’s Art Programme- GloCAP |
| MK SAN-ART |
Project Supporters
| Foundation for Life (YADA)-İstanbul |
| Serinyol Hand-in-Hand Solidarity and Assistance Association (SEDYAD)- Hatay |
