Turkey

The Turkish Section of IBBY was first founded in 1994 in Istanbul and re-established in 2005. Its members include writers, illustrators, translators, publishers, editors, librarians, teachers and academicians.

The Turkish National Section was responsible for the first children’s book fair in Turkey. Since 2005 the National Section annually selects the “Book of the Year” among children’s and Y.A. books published within the previous year. The awards are given during the annual TÜYAP İstanbul Book Fair in November.

A bilateral Project was carried on in 2007-2008 together with the Greek National Section. Picture books from each country were used to help Turkish and Greek children to get to know each other and to overcome their prejudices.

A number of stories for children about the handicapped, written by our members, was published in various media to create public awareness on the subject.

The Turkish NS participated in the Nami Island activities by sending two members, a professional of traditional shadow puppet and a collection of Turkish children’s and Y.A.

A one-day conference on children’s literature in Turkey was held in France in collaboration with the Charles Perrault Institute.   

After a mine disaster in 2014, a bibliotherapy Project was launched in the town of Soma, a children’s library was set up within the public library there and a collection of over one thousand children’s and Y.A. books, most of which were dealing with traumatic subjects, was donated.

Members of IBBY Turkey visit schools for readings and they also give children’s literature conferences in schools and universities. The Section works together with the Society of Researchers of Children’s Literature to promote children’s books.