Democracy School Begins in İzmir!
Young People Gathered for In-Depth Discussions on Justice and Equality
The Democracy School, a new initiative by the İzmir Mediterranean Academy under İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, opened its doors with its first class held on May 7, 2025, at the Kültürpark Atlas Pavilion. The session, titled “Justice and Equality: Deep Matters Through Short Films”, led by academics Ulaş Bayraktar and Ezgi Bakçay, attracted great interest from young participants.
“We are an urban academy”
Hosting the gathering and speaking about the event being the first class of the series, İzmir Mediterranean Academy Branch Director Zeynep Özen Barkot said:
“The Mediterranean Academy was established in 2012. We work to strengthen relationships among Mediterranean cities. We also have the ambition of being an urban academy. The concept of an academy should not be confined within university walls. We envisioned the Democracy School as such—a space where we can freely express and share ideas. It’s not independent from young people. Without youth, there can be no academy.”
“Democracy is not just about election results”
Opening the session, Ezgi Bakçay stated:
“I am someone who speaks, thinks, and acts through art. I especially work with young artists. Today, we will talk about the intersection of art, social opposition, politics, and aesthetics. We’ll watch films together and have a discussion afterwards.”
Ulaş Bayraktar added:
“We are thinking about the possibility of building a different kind of life. Everything we know is either losing ground or transforming. This era is often referred to as a time of crises—disasters, economic struggles, migration, hunger. Even access to food and bread has become a major issue. Democracy is not just about election results. We need to rethink a number of principles and methods.”
A deep journey through short films
In the session jointly led by Ulaş Bayraktar and Ezgi Bakçay, concepts like justice, equality, and public responsibility were explored through short film screenings. Participants engaged in interactive dialogue, reflecting on inequalities in urban life, the responsibilities of local governments, and the importance of individual civic consciousness. At the end of the class, young attendees voiced their own perspectives.
The Democracy School will continue to meet with young people in İzmir over the coming months with different themes and speakers.
Next session of the Democracy School:
Date: Wednesday, May 21st – 6:00 PM
Venue: Atlas Pavilion (Kültürpark), Konak / İzmir
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