Events and ceremonies to celebrate "20 Temmuz"

[iancrumpy]

Source : http://www.haberkktc.com/haber/20-temmu ... 71210.html

As usual the events start the previous evening (Friday) at Çıkarma Plajı (Eng: Landing Beach) or more precisesly at the beach club there called Escape Beach. Although I have never attended I know that a number of non TC/Turks do like to attend the night watch/vigil.

Events in the schedule that may be of interest to Kibkom members are
- a concert at 11 pm given by Turkish artist Erol Evgin, a singer very popular with TCs and Turks of, let's say, more advanced years
- a torchlight procession at 2am
- at 2.30 am there will be a sahur breakfast for those intending to fast and (if you're there and feeling peckish) indeed for anyone attending.
- at 3.45 am the fireworks will be let off - it's clear why they do this at this time but in my opinion it wouldn't detract from the ceremony if they let them off at, say, 11 pm the previous evening.
- there will be the ezan at 03:57 ... so the fireworks will have to finish before then

Although not given in the source, later that morning at Çıkarma Plajı there will be some form of ceremony where the flags are handed over to youths whose duty it is to bring them to Lefkoşa.

From 08:30 until it finishes (at about 12 noon) there will the main ceremony in Lefkoşa. Please note that the section of the Mağusa road in Lefkoşa will be closed during this time.

As for Girne, the Türk Yıildızları will do their aerial display at 6pm ... and at 7pm along the seafront, in front of the Dome Hotel, there will be a military band.

[libby]

I WENT TO THE MIDNIGHT VIGAL 2 YEARS AGO - AND IT WAS SIMPLY STUNNING. I CAN HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MOVING EXPERIENCE. LOADS OF PEOPLE SITTING ON THE NEACH WITH THEIR BEACONS...WAITING PATIENTLY - THERE IS THE OCCASSIONAL ENTERTAINMENT - BUT BASICALLY JUST PEOPLE SITTING AROUND CHATTING - RELAXING - NOT A BOOZEY NIGHT! JUST FAB! THE FIREWORKS WERE FAB AND PRAYERS BROUGHT TEARS TO OUR EYES. I MAYBE NOT BEABLE TO ATTEND THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF WORK COMMITMENTS - BUT! IF YOU CAN! GO!

[iancrumpy]

Hi Libby,

Can you clarify something about the night vigil :

PRAYERS BROUGHT TEARS TO OUR EYES

I presume these prayers were read out ... and moreover in Turkish?

Whenever I have listened to Turkish prayers or poetry, I have had difficulty in truly comprehending the message that the writer was trying to put across, because, as in English, the language used in poetry/prayers is not your commonly-used Turkish.

I presume then it was the setting, remembering the fallen and the emotion of the prayer readers and those around you that moved you to tears?

Ian

[iancrumpy]

Here's a photo taken this morning at Çıkarma Plajı showing the night vigil or Şafak Nöbeti (literally Dawn Watch) as Turks/TCs call it.