The 'Children in the Leading Role' Project Protocol Signing Ceremony was held in cooperation with the Haydi Tut Elimi Association, operating within Üsküdar University, and the Orphan Foundation, which has been developing projects to include all children in the world and contributing to their psychosocial development since 2017 to find solutions to their problems. Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that teaching values is like placing a traffic sign in the brain.
The signing ceremony, held at Üsküdar University Central Campus Senate Meeting Hall, was moderated by Dr. Lecturer Nebiye Yaşar, Director of Üsküdar University Young Brains Academy. During the ceremony, the 'Children in the Leading Role' Project and the 'Social Innovation Model in Art' were discussed.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan: “Psychodramas are a therapy method”
Founding Rector of Üsküdar University Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan commented that theater positively affects a person's psychology and ensures permanence in memory. Tarhan said; “I hope this work, undertaken with such good intentions, will be written as a project and yield successful results. The writing of the play and the appreciation of the script are important factors. People forget what they hear; even if they understand, they forget again. People only remember what they experience. Theater provides permanence in people by allowing them to experience the script. Art teaches through experience. Through theater, you teach children to be good people and their values by experiencing them. Using such an art form in a child's development is a tremendous effort. We also use theatrical methods in our treatments. Psychodramas are a therapy method. Plays have been written for each value. The 'Haydi Tut Elimi Association' was founded in 2010. When it was founded, it was taken under state protection. Some of the individuals we reached got married, while others were hospitalized and received treatment. In response to our efforts, social services would say we were working in vain. Our duty was to strive.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan “There are social orphans within families”
Tarhan, emphasizing the importance of spending time with children within the family, said; “There are social orphans within families. They appear very frequently and in the same way. They are in the same home, but there is emotional neglect for the child. The child has been raised but never hugged, never loved. Fed and watered, but their spiritual needs have not been met. A family not spending time with their child is a situation that creates negative effects. These occur due to emotional neglect. We call these types of cases 'abandonment without distance'. Orphans are often subjected to emotional neglect. Everyone brings gifts to the children; they come to see them. Children are tired of telling the same stories now. They make up different stories.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan “What is important is touching a child's life”
Tarhan, stating that a psychologist should accompany the social worker when meeting with a child, said; “Children do not form bonds with the social workers who go there. There were social workers who went to the children and then left the meeting. Just seeing the place and reporting it is not enough. What is important is touching a child's life. A psychologist should accompany the social worker when meeting with the child. Children become closer with the staff there and share more. Social workers are in this state due to the training they received from Europe, so they wouldn't be too intimate and form bonds. We changed this approach here.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan “Teaching values is like placing a traffic sign in the brain”
Tarhan, likening the brain's algorithm to a traffic sign and offering suggestions, said; “Sustainability is very important in the project. Learning outcomes such as addressing emotional needs can be achieved. Furthermore, how to develop positive behavior and what preschool-aged children learn is like placing a traffic sign in their minds. These gains enable them to make correct decisions. We created something called '24 Golden Values'. To promote the development of values, awards are given every year. The values team can also form a team through value-based training. It cannot be achieved with one-hour 'be compassionate' conferences. It is done with dramas, and the person experiences and feels this situation with their five senses. The 'Children in the Leading Role' Project is a good effort. Well done. I wish it a successful outcome.”
Murat Yılmaz: “The Orphan Foundation is a specialized club”
Murat Yılmaz, President of the Orphan Foundation, began his speech by expressing his gratitude and happiness; “The Orphan Foundation is a specialized club. We care for our social orphan children. We are an institution operating not only in our own country but also in an area of three thousand square kilometers, from the Balkans to the Caucasus, from Mali in Africa to Moro in the Philippines. Under our own flag, with the support and prayers of our society, we go to those places and caress their heads. We have been following our esteemed Prof. Nevzat for over twenty years. He is an elder who is always at the forefront whenever someone is in need. We tried to create a special project here; we are not an institution that chases unusual tasks. We believe this is a necessity. It is an important situation in the formation of values that need to be reflected, acquired, and learned through art, which is the inner essence of a child. I thank our brother Serhat and his team. Rehearsals have been ongoing for 5 months, two days a week. They started this work by saying 'Bismillah'. There were rehearsals they had to do in last-minute canceled halls and narrow venues. Our team doesn't give up; they continue from where they left off. Turkey will, for the first time, have a special theater play where the audience determines the outcome.”
An innovative theater experience in Turkey!
Murat Yılmaz spoke about the details of the play. Yılmaz said; “If we talk about the play; it reaches a certain point, and the audience is asked to make a choice. A digital voting system is presented to the children. The play continues along the path determined by the audience. In this respect, it is a very innovative method. God willing, we eagerly await the meeting of theater with our children. We thank Üsküdar University for its contributions in reaching a wider audience. They are a trust from our Lord. Preparing them for tomorrow is very precious. The Orphan Foundation will continue its efforts to relieve society of its responsibilities. God willing, with the hope of meeting in other projects where art and development flourish,” he concluded his speech.
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zelka: “As a university, we attach importance to such projects”
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zelka, Acting Rector of Üsküdar University, underlined the importance of the project for Üsküdar University and emphasized the significance of the orphan issue. Zelka said; “The issue of orphans is indeed very important and places serious burdens on all our shoulders. We welcome the services provided with respect and appreciation. Together with our esteemed Prof. Nevzat, we had the chance to visit an orphan village. As a university, we attach great importance to such projects. We hope that these projects will continue and expand.”
Dr. Lecturer Nebiye Yaşar: “We want to enable children to grasp their moral and sociocultural development through art”
Nebiye Yaşar, elaborating on the project details, said; “The future of humanity will be determined by virtuous and well-intentioned children. The general aim of our project is to enable children to grasp the importance of their moral, social, and cultural development and their power of choice through the medium of art. The art form used is theater. The Orphan Foundation wrote the play, and we read its script. We participated in rehearsals with ten of our students. It is being staged wonderfully. The main goal here is social and cultural awareness. New technological ideas will be combined with art. Children will gain experience, and within that experience, they will develop themselves as their own decision-makers. It will start with first and second-grade primary school students. Since it is a social innovation project, the Ministry of Interior specially supports it. The project aims to directly reach 40 thousand children. We will also carry out our project in Hatay province. We will have carried out many projects with the Orphan Foundation.”
The 'Children in the Leading Role' Project Cooperation Protocol Signing Ceremony was attended by Murat Yılmaz, President of the Orphan Foundation, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zelka, Acting Rector of Üsküdar University, Dr. Lecturer Nebiye Yaşar, Director of Üsküdar University Young Brains Academy, Ayşe Banu Güngenci, General Secretary of the Haydi Tut Elimi Association, Selçuk Uysaler, Secretary General of Üsküdar University, Tahsin Aksu, Head of Corporate Communications Department, Rasim Dağhan Işık, Event Manager, and the cast consisting of Üsküdar University students.
The signing ceremony concluded with a group photo session after the plaques were presented. Prof. Dr. Tarhan gifted the participants a set of his books at the end of the ceremony.
Photo: Mukadder Güneş / ÜHA