Cartoonists put Refugees’ Plight on Canvas


Date posted: March 23, 2016

As a controversial deal allowing Greece to send refugees from Turkey back comes into force, Indian Institute of Cartoonists (IIC) has brought to the city an exhibition on their plight.

The show, opening on Saturday at the gallery in Midford House, off MG Road, features the takes of 70 cartoonists from across continents on the refugee crisis in Europe.

These are the top entries of a contest conducted three months ago by Istanbul-based NGO Kimse Yok Mu.

“IIC supported the event. In fact, they wanted me to be part of the jury, but I wasn’t able to go to Istanbul,” says IIC’s managing trustee V G Narendra.

So he decided have the some of the best cartoons flown down to the city for all Bengalureans to see.

The exhibition, the first featuring these works, is being organised in association with Kimse Yok Mu and Indialogue Foundation, which works to facilitate inter-cultural dialogue.

“We thought it was crucial to bring the exhibition to India because here we are rather cut off from the sufferings of the Syrian refugees,” says Ibrahim Nasther, Indialogue Foundation’s representative in the city.

“And I noticed very few entries from the country.”

Cartoonists from as far and wide as Cuba, Romania, Italy, Ukraine, Venezuela, Portugal, Poland, Serbia, China, Brazil, Sri Lanka, France, Bulgaria, Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Iran, Peru, Austria and Turkey, received participation certificates, he adds.

Of the hundreds of entries that poured into Istanbul, it seems none from India met the mark, observes Narendra.

“The ones selected are varying in style – some have detailed, hand-drawn lines, some are black and white, some colourful. But none of the ones from Europe have captions or text in any other form, a technique our cartoonists could perfect,” he says.

“The cartoon in itself tells the story beautifully.”

Cartoonists

The Exhibition

The show will be inaugurated by Chiranjeevi Singh, president of Alliance Francaise de Bangalore and retired IAS officer, at 11 am on Saturday.

It goes on till April 9 at Indian Institute of Cartoonists, Midford House, Midford Gardens, off MG Road.

The gallery is open between 10 am and 6 pm, except on Sundays.

Participation from the City

Bengaluru-based cartoonist B V Panduranga Rao hardly ever misses a contest even at 72, and the one on refugees was no exception.

He explains the thought behind his cartoon, Refugee Returned: “The refugee is crying out for someone to save him from drowning, and the world is in tears, but stands frozen. We pity the refugees, the plight they are in, but make no move to help. I believe governments across the globe should come together and take responsibility for refugees.”

His work might not be among the 70 that the exhibition will feature, but Rao is looking forward to seeing his fellow cartoonists’ depiction of the issue.

Source: The New Indian Express , March 23, 2016


Related News

Kimse Yok Mu provides eid meat for needy Thais

Teachers of the Turkish schools in Thailand handed the eid meat packages provided by Kimse Yok Mu Foundation and Marmara Solidarity Foundation. Joined by the volunteers from Turkey and other European countries, they worked day and night over the eid.

Kimse Yok Mu chair Cingöz: Everyone feels some type of oppression in Turkey

Kimse Yok Mu was designated a nongovernmental organization in March 2002. It had started its work following a devastating earthquake in Turkey in August 1999. Kimse Yok Mu now reaches out to different regions of the world affected by catastrophes. It is officially recognized by Turkey as an association that works for “public interest.”

Turkey cooperating with Israel to help Gaza

Diplomatic sources confirmed that an official from the Turkish Red Crescent went to Israel to coordinate humanitarian aid to be sent to Gaza. “There is no other way to provide aid to Gaza,” said the sources on Thursday. Dismissing claims that the Turkish official will be negotiating a cease-fire between Israel and Gaza, sources said Turkey is only in contact with the officials from Hamas and the US regarding the Palestinian territory.

Turkey will hurt own interests if gov’t shuts down Kimse Yok Mu

Former Director for East African Affairs for the US State Department Professor David Shinn said in an interview, “If the government of Turkey is trying to shut down Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) it would seem to be a case of hurting its own interests in Africa.”

Kimse Yok Mu heals wounds in the Philippines

Having earlier delivered Turkey’s relief aid to the Filipino flood victims, Kimse Yok Mu Foundation now gears up for a polyclinic and an orphanage as a part of its permanent aid initiatives in the region.

Kimse Yok Mu provides water to 50,000 people in Pakistan

FAZLI MERT, İSTANBUL The Turkish charitable organization Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) has dug 22 wells in various parts of Pakistan to help people meet their need for potable water. Many people do not have access to fresh drinking water for such reasons as drought, lack of infrastructure and internal conflict. Kimse Yok Mu […]

Latest News

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Erdoğan calls for expanded witch hunt against Gülen followers

Kimse Yok Mu helps 2 mln people across the world during Ramadan

US House Intel Chair Says ‘Hard To Believe’ Gulen Behind Turkey Coup

A February 28 tactic from the PKK

Hizmet will continue its mission regardless of attacks

Kimse Yok Mu to establish two schools in quake-stricken Haiti

Professor Ori Z. Soltes: ‘Fethullah Gülen wants to be an altruistic servant of others’

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News