Aydın Doğan cartoons in Edremit

Award-winning caricatures from the 33rd Aydın Doğan International Cartoon Contest are on show at an exhibition in the northwestern province of Balıkesir's Edremit district. 

The opening at the historic Abdullah Efendi Mansion in the Altınoluk neighborhood brought together Edremit Mayor Kamil Saka, Aydın Doğan Foundation Exhibitions Coordinator İlhan Artar and Antandros Association President Gülçin Cömert. 

Cartoonist Ergin Gülen said the competition was first held on behalf of the founder of daily Hürriyet, Sedat Simavi, who was himself a keen cartoonist. 

"Later on, he founded Hürriyet in 1947. His children organized this international contest in memory of him. When the newspaper was handed over, the contest was handed over too," said Gülen. 

"I am also cartoon artist. What is important to me is that this contest is taken seriously in the international arena and continued. It represents a movement within Turkish culture," she added.

The 33rd edition of the contest, organized by the Aydın Doğan Foundation, hosted 752 artists and 2,521 cartoons from 68 countries. 

The winner was Italian cartoonist Marco De Angelis for his picture depicting a refugee boat on a quilt that was causing Europeans to lose their sleep. 

Brazil's Claudio Antonio Gomes was second in the contest for his depiction of refugees, while Turkish cartoonist Doğan Arslan placed third. Turkish artist Emrah Arıkan also received a special award.