“I’ve spent half my life in Syria and the other half here in Gaziantep. I feel very much at home in this city and at the community center where I work. We’re accepted here. I’ll give you an example. Recently I saw a social circus performance which brought together Turks and Syrians, both kids and adults. They were laughing, flying their flags, and simply having a great time together – not because they had to, but because they wanted to. Moments like this give me real hope for the future – for a new Gaziantep where there are no divisions between the people who live here.”

Adil Şan, Librarian and Social Media Coordinator at Community Center

“The way I see it, the world we live in is like a huge garden. And no one is taking away anyone else’s share. The most important thing is that we simply accept one another. Mr Adil talked about Syrian and Turkish people in Gaziantep doing things together because they want to, not because they have to. I find this great. This is a real sign that social cohesion in Gaziantep is growing.”

Özge Göğebakan, Teacher