Ara

Boasting over 200 films from dozens of countries around the world, the 27th Ankara International Film Festival is now underway for the next week.

The curtain was raised on the festival on April 28 with a short animation film by Fernando Franco and Begoña Arostegui, "El Lugar Adecuado." 

Issues related to arts and culture should not be turned into "fields of tension," Culture and Tourism Minister Mahir Ünal has said, adding that he was "always open" to listening to suggestions for the future of the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) in Istanbul's Taksim Square.

Issues related to arts and culture should not be turned into "fields of tension," said Culture and Tourism Minister Mahir Ünal, adding that he was "always open" to listen the suggestion for the future of Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) in Istanbul's Taksim Square.

Gathering with Ankara-based journalists on April 27, Ünal shared his ministry's projects on agenda. 

Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mahir Ünal has said that travelers' bookings for summer holidays in Turkey will start again by the end of April, Ünal said in a speech at parliament amid rising security concerns and a significant decline in the number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey.

Amid woes in Turkey's tourism sector this year, Tourism Minister Mahir Ünal has said the country wants to attract 1 million tourists from Black Sea neighbor Ukraine this year to compensate. 

Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mahir Ünal has said the sector has unavoidably affected negatively with the Russian crisis as well as regional uncertainties. He expects around 4.5 million losses in the number of Russian tourists this year. 

Women human rights activists have staged a sit-in at Turkey's parliament to protest ongoing military operations in the southeast and to call on parliament to ensure peace in the region. 

"End the war, talk peace," the group of women chanted during the protest. 

The first edition of a new novel by Turkish novelist Ahmet Ümit, titled "Elveda Güzel Vatan?m" (Farewell my Beautiful Motherland), sold out within the first week after its release on Dec. 5, causing the book's publisher, Everest, to print 50,000 more copies. 

The 4th International Antalya Guitar Festival will run from Dec. 10 to Dec. 12 in Turkey's southern province of Antalya.

 Organized by the Middle East Technical University Alumni Association and the local Muratpa?a Municipality, the festival will be held at the Murat Pa?a Municipality Cultural Center. 

Tourism Minister Mahir Ünal has said the main priority of Turkey's tourism sector is to not lose Russian tourists, and Ankara wants to ease current tensions with Moscow as soon as possible.