O. Z. Livaneli

A new art center in the Turkish capital has been named after intellectual and artist Zülfü Livaneli, with the opening of the center in the Çankaya district of the city attended by Ankara Çankaya Mayor Alper Taşdelen and Livaneli himself.

George Papandreou, former Prime Minister of Greece, has urged European Union leaders to keep the doors open to Turkey and to continue dialogue with the Turkish government, in an apparent reference to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's calls for the suspension of accession talks with Turkey.

The 22nd Turkish-German Film Festival kicked off on March 4 with a gala ceremony held at Tafalhalle in Nuremberg, with Turkey's acclaimed photographer Ara Güler receiving one of the festival's honorary awards.

The Ottoman administration exiled writer and poet Namık Kemal. The sultan who had sent him into exile remained "one of the other sultans." Namık Kemal, on the other hand, became the "poet of the country" and "the poet of freedom." 

Turkey is like a "semi-open prison," main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said in a speech on the rising number of jailed journalists and writers in the country. 

An 11-part documentary series produced by the jailed editor-in-chief of daily Cumhuriyet Can Dündar with veteran journalists Nebil Özgentürk and Co?kun Aral is set to appear soon, telling the stories of Turkey's multiple cultures and identities.

Turkish poet and writer Naz?m Hikmet will be commemorated on the 114th anniversary of his birth with a large event in Essen, Germany, on Jan. 31. 

Greek singer Maria Farantouri to perform in Istanbul