Training courses organized by Beylikdüzü Municipality—which brings thousands of people together with art every year—are provided free of charge under the Directorate of Cultural Affairs through KÜLTÜR-SEM in two different categories, namely "children and adults," across 23 various branches, approved by the Ministry of National Education (MoNE). Upon the completion of the Culture and Art Courses, which ended in May 2019, the participants became eligible to receive MoNE-approved certificates. In the free-of-charge, MoNE-approved culture and art courses, children aged between 8 and 13 received training in the branches of "English, mathematics, painting, bağlama, folk dances, ballet, modern dance, creative drama, theater, violin, piano, guitar, and robotics education."
As WALD, within the scope of the Social Protection Project we carry out in cooperation with UNHCR, we aim to contribute to both the strengthening of social cohesion and community-based protection by guiding children from both refugee and local communities to these courses through our Social Protection Desks. Through consultations with the Beylikdüzü Municipality Directorate of Cultural Affairs, the participation of our refugee children aged 8 to 13 in these courses was ensured.
Thirteen-year-old Esraa from Egypt, one of the children who applied to our Social Protection Desks, is one of our children who loves painting and whom we guided to these courses, and the wonderful paintings created by Esraa adorn the walls of our office.
