An Interview with Osman Kavala

How do you stay connected to the world during your imprisonment?   

Osman Kavala: I can read the newspaper and watch TV every day. Although in a limited amount, I can receive copies of articles published in international journals. I see my wife once in two weeks, and these meetings bring me happiness. In my daily life I enjoy reading fiction and listening to music. The state radio channel TRT 3 broadcasts Western music, classical, jazz, rock music from the sixties and seventies, as well as music from different parts of the world. So, I am able to start my day by listening to the works of great composers.  When I walk in the outdoor space in front of my cell, sparrows come down to eat what I put out for them. So, I don’t feel all alone in the confinement.  
  
Has your perspective on the power of cultural work changed during your time in prison?
  
Activities of civil society and cultural work contribute to the internalization of the values of democracy in those environments where freedom of expression and civil liberties are respected and protected by the law. Regretfully, the conditions in my country deteriorated during my time in prison. If a prosecutor finds an expression used in a cultural performance or in social media as ‘false’ and ‘misleading’ or ‘provoking hatred’, he or she can start a legal procedure, which often ends up with the detention of that person. These practices yield a chilling effect. There are also ideologically motivated reactions against certain manifestations of visual and performative art, on the basis that they run contrary to and harm the moral values of society. Regretfully, the way social media is used does not serve rational deliberation. Often, we observe degrading, stigmatizing statements directed at artists and writers who are accused of having non-conformist ideas or behavior.  
  
What can culture achieve that politics cannot?  

I am aware that political problems cannot be solved by cultural initiatives. However, the latter can be very effective in overcoming prejudices which are often fostered through political discourses and polarization. Arts and literature also help to develop an empathetic understanding which, most often, is blocked in the realm of politics due to strong ideological convictions. Great works of art and literature dissolve cultural boundaries and make us feel that we are members of the same human family.   

If the Goethe-Institut were a close friend of yours — what would you say to them?  

Of course, I consider myself a close friend of the Goethe-Institut and I certainly wish that the Institut expands its activities in my country and in this region.   
The European cultural institutes are located in metropoles and conduct most of their activities in those big cities. I believe that through ad hoc partnerships between themselves and involving different local organizations, it would be possible to promote joint European programs, which could be extended to culturally less developed regions. I am aware that such an initiative requires the support of national authorities, but certainly the Goethe-Institut with its broad network and rich experience in collaborative projects could be a leader in the realization of such joint European programs.