21/09/2010
As part of the “Preservation of Historical Heritage and Harnessing the Active Participation of the Youth” initiative led by the Sabancı University Civic Involvement Projects, grade school children learned how to conserve the toys of their grandfathers from internationally renowned scientists at the Conservation and the Eastern Mediterranean congress.
Sabancı University students partnered with grade school students to hold a conservation workshop on September 20th and 21st at the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC) Congress 2010: Conservation and the Eastern Mediterranean held for the first time in Istanbul with the support of the Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum and the Sabancı Holding.
The event took place at the Sabancı Center with the participation of internationally renowned scientists in the field of conservation. Ten 4th grade students of Erol Türker Primary School worked with accurate reproductions of 15 Ottoman-era toys built of wood, leather and ceramic. The students performed expressive drama and games to break the toys first, and then rebuilt them. As the 4th grade students conserved the toys of their grandfathers, they acted as liaisons between the game cultures of two generations. Congress members and some 300 visitors watched the event and witnessed the emergence of an attentive and protective attitude in grade school children towards preserving cultural heritage.
The Preservation of Historical Heritage and Harnessing the Active Participation of the Youth initiative was started a year ago with the cooperation of the Sabancı University Civic Involvement Projects and the Ministry of Culture’s Restoration and Conservation Laboratory. The initiative calls for Sabancı University students to coach grade school students on preserving cultural heritage. Pilot work of the project was carried out in Mardin, Sinop, Antakya, Ardahan and Istanbul, and involved 75 Sabancı University students, 10 primary schools and 2000 pupils.
Project supervisor and Sabancı University student Muhterem Balcı says: “The best part of the workshop was how experts teamed up with individual children to conserve an article that corresponded to their field of expertise. It was inspiring how experts of ceramic or paper or wood conservation stepped in to lend a hand to the children working on the specific item. The fact that the experts coached the children instead of taking the conservation effort in their own hands was even more moving. One participant said they had never worked so effectively with children before, and inquired about our technique.”