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Thousands of spectators turn out for Turkish Olympiads song final
The song competition started with the Turkish national anthem and one minute of silence for seven troops killed in a terrorist attack on Monday in Hatay as well as for peace activists killed in Israel’s attack on civilians who were on board an international convoy carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza on the same day.
Many prominent figures, including İstanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş, İstanbul Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu and former soccer player Hakan Şükür, attended the event along with 15,000 spectators.
Competitors were placed into six groups, according to the level of difficulty of Turkish, with a winner chosen from each group.
Renowned actress Ceyda Düvenci and TV personality Vatan Şaşmaz served as emcees at the event. Performances were evaluated by a committee made up of Turkish Language Association (TDK) President Şükrü Haluk Akalın, Samanyolu TV General Manager Hidayet Karaca, state-run Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) General Manager Assistant Zeynel Koç, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Fatih Sultan Mehmet Choir founder Mehmet Bajraktarevic, music producer Şahin Özer, advertiser Ali Taran, actors Halil Ergün and Burak Hakkı, actress and author İclal Aydın, singers Mustafa Ceceli and İzel and classical music singer Zekai Tunca.
Twenty-one students performed in the song competition. A Turkmen student who was not to compete in the song final read Turkish poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy’s poem “Bülbül” (Nightingale) and received a standing ovation from thousands in the audience.
An Indian student sang a song named “Barış Türküsü” (Folksong of Peace). She released a dove she held in her hands to send a message of peace to the world.
Speaking at the event, actor Ergün said he is always excited to see a group of young children because they are a symbol of innocence. Noting that staging the Olympiads for eight straight years has been a big success, Ergün conveyed his thanks to the people who organized the Olympiads.
The six winners of the song final are İsmail Sidova from Tajikistan in Group 1, Dövran Annamammedov from Turkmenistan in Group 2, Patricia Garber from Austria in Group 3, Madina Dieng from Senegal in Group 4, Tolga Saputra from Indonesia in Group 5 and Zamfir Lucian from Romania in Group 6.
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