Rebuilding Hope Through Books: Our University Provides Library and Mind Games Support to Hatay (December 26, 2025)

Our university's Faculty of Education faculty members, Prof. Dr. Yusuf İnandı, Dr. Lecturer Ramazan Karatepe, and Dr. Lecturer Fatma Canan Durgungöz, along with faculty students and volunteer supporters, have established another library in Hatay to help heal the wounds of the earthquake region and contribute to education.

The volunteer movement, which has been providing various contributions to schools under the Ministry of National Education for years, continued its work with great effort this term as well. The financial resources needed for the establishment of the library at Suvatlı Sefa Atakaş Primary and Secondary School in Hatay/Antakya were provided through the sale of handmade products and artistic activities prepared by Faculty of Education students throughout the semester.

In this context, Literature Teacher Ayla Bayar Durmuş, together with volunteer students from the Faculty of Education, staged the play "My Turkish Language, Alas!". The play, directed by Durmuş, who has been conducting volunteer theater workshops with students for three semesters, and the proceeds from the students' fundraising event were transformed into books and furniture for children in Hatay.

A Year's Worth of Effort Meets Children in the Earthquake Zone

On December 26, 2025, our academics, students, and volunteers who traveled to Hatay personally oversaw the establishment of the library. The furniture and assembly of the library were meticulously carried out by furniture maker Aziz Taşkıran and his team, who have been volunteering their support to the project for three semesters. This newly established library was dedicated to the memory of 10-year-old Arif Taşkıran, who recently passed away.

A Sustainable Living and Learning Space Created for Children

To support the academic and social development of students affected by the earthquake, the library was equipped with rich content. In addition to a book collection selected from various publishing houses, educational games and intelligence games designed for children's enjoyment were also delivered to the school.

Besides the library's establishment, aesthetic touches were also made to the school's physical environment. The volunteer team created a more vibrant, colorful, and safe learning environment for children through figure painting activities in the school's outdoor areas.

Highlighting the importance of the study, our university faculty members evaluated the process with the following statement: “These studies stand out as a strong example of solidarity that contributes not only to physical needs but also to emotional healing after the earthquake. This process, which turned into an unforgettable field experience for prospective teacher undergraduate students, strengthens our social ties while providing concrete support to the regions in need.”

Press and Public Relations Branch Directorate