Osman Kavala
Turkey

Biography 

Osman Kavala is a cultural promoter who is committed to intercultural dialogue, artistic cooperation and regional peacebuilding in Turkey. By founding and promoting initiatives in Turkey and Europe, he has played a decisive role in shaping the cultural landscape. 

As the founder of Anadolu Kültür, a non-governmental organisation that works at the intersection of art and culture, civil society and human rights advocacy, he has established platforms for artists such as Depo in Istanbul and the Diyarbakır Arts Centre, which enable cross-border collaboration and provide independent spaces for artistic work. His work also focuses on promoting networks between cultural venues in Anatolia and cultural institutions in Europe through programmes such as TANDEM, which supports long-term artistic partnerships, and Spaces of Culture, an arts promotion programme run by the Goethe-Institut. Osman Kavala is a co-founder of the Association for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (KMKD), which works to protect endangered historical sites and artefacts. Through initiatives such as the Armenian Turkish cinema platform and the Armenian Turkish Youth Symphony Orchestra, he has decisively promoted cross-border cultural exchange. 

His lifelong commitment to civil society is based on the conviction that art and culture are crucial for dialogue, mutual understanding and the creation of a more just and inclusive society. 

Justification of the award 

The organisation Anadolu Kültür, founded by Osman Kavala in 2002, has initiated projects such as the Diyarbakır Arts Center and the Depo art space in Istanbul, which strengthen human rights, art and culture. Anadolu Kültür is dedicated to promoting cultural diversity and dialogue, especially with Turkey’s neighbouring regions. Even after his arrest in 2017, Kavala continues to make an important contribution to peace and reconciliation work in the region. His organisation supports the preservation of the diverse Anatolian heritage and aims to promote local and international cooperation between artists and non-governmental organisations.