On the evening of Wednesday 9th September, a party was held to celebrate the completion of the Kalkan Beach playground art project. 

Kalkan Mayor, Saim Karakurt praised the efforts of all concerned, and presented individual plaques to all of the artists, plus a special commemorative plate to the college. 

Certificates were also presented to the many businesses who have supported the project.

Ten days earlier, on Monday 31st August, nine students from Robert College in Istanbul, accompanied by their advisor and project co-ordinator Tülin Ünel, came down to Kalkan to repaint the walls behind the playground near to Kalkan Beach.  

The visit was made as part of the college's Community Improvement Project (CIP).  Before students can graduate, they are asked to donate a minimum of 50 hours of their time to a CIP.  As one of the students, Burcu Bakaç has links to Kalkan, this became their chosen project.

Over a period of ten days, the students, aged 16, worked with other local students to create a fantastic mural, depicting 8 different times of day looking out across Kalkan Bay - from sunrise to midnight.  The end result is very impressive.  

But not only have these students left their mark on the walls behind the playground, they have also made friends with many Kalkan people, which we hope will be just as enduring.

Kalkan Turkish Local News took a number of photos - please see below.

And here is a list of all those who participated in this worthwhile exercise.

From Robert College

• Kaan Aslan
• Mehmet Can Burdu
• Cem Ergin
• Emre Günay
• Alara Aydınol
• Belitsu Salgın
• Emir Koru
• Burcu Bakaç (project leader)
• Uğur Koçak (project leader)

Project advisors/consultants

• Gülay Kösedağı
• Tülin Ünel

Kalkan volunteers

• Bilge Bayer (project co-ordinator)
• Nilüfer Birgül (project co-ordinator)
• Nüket Saner (artist)
• Nafi Bak (artist)
• Yasemin Buluç (artist)
• Şemsa Özcan
• Ali Küçükkaya
• Aycan Ülker

Kalkan children who took part

• Eylül Küşat
• Ulvi Paul Karayazı
• Leyla Karayazı
• Deniz Vatan
• Süleyman Ortaç
• Ahmet Karaçay
• Berk Öz

We should also mention here the fact that several of Kalkan's playgrounds have been tidied up and improved this year. The Kalkan Playground Renovation Project is organised by Emine Bak, Dicle Coşkun Güler, Şemsa Özcan and Gülşen Ergör.

If you want to know more about Robert College in Istanbul, here is a link:  Robert College

Below:  A few finishing touches from art teacher Yasemin Buluç

Below: project leader Burcu Bakaç

Below: Eylül Küşat, Tülin Ünel and Ulvi Paul Karayazı

Below: one of the eight walls painted

Below: another of the walls - sunset scene

Below: Mayor Saim Karakurt and Robert College advisor Tülin Ünel

Below: The Mayor thanks the artists for their work

Below: Şemsa Özcan is thanked by Tülin Ünel

Below: Kalkan volunteer, Nurgül Bektaş, who kept the group fed during their stay.

Below: Burcu Bakaç and Kalkan student volunteer, Eylül Küşat.

Below: another Kalkan student volunteer, Deniz Vatan.