The February 6 earthquake in Turkey destroyed most of the city of Antioch and the heritage of this city where Christians, Jews and Muslims lived together. One of the symbols of its cultural diversity, the Chorus of Civilizations of Antioch has embarked on a tour of the country to tell the story of the martyred city and pay homage to its victims.
More than a concert that is being prepared, it is, insists the conductor Yilmaz Özfirat, the voice of Antioch to the three religions, which will resonate in different cities of Turkey to tell the story of the martyred city and pay homage to its victims. Sunday April 2 in the evening, it is in Istanbul that it occurs.
This choir is the image of the city. “Imams, priests, doctors, teachers, small traders, housewives, Muslims as well as Christians and Jews because we are all the creation of the same God. It is a choir created to show this”, explains Yilmaz Özfirat.
>> Earthquake in Turkey: the fight of the antique dealer of Antioch to “revive” his city
/2023/04/02/64296db3cdb7b_meltem-altunay-soliste.jpg)
The images of ruins parade on the big screen with the faces of the seven singers who disappeared in the earthquake. But the choir wanted to go on tour. “These concerts must continue because they are a source of hope for the people of Antiochaccording to Meltem Bingöl Altunay, sociologist and soloist. It is a question of solidarity. The people there want their voices heard, they don’t want Antioch to be forgotten. We want to be their voice.”
“If the choir stands up, then the city will stand up too.”
Meltem Bingöl Altunay, sociologist and soloistat franceinfo
A song has become their anthem, says the soloist. It is Insan Insan by Fazil Say. “Insan” means “human”.
Yilmaz Özfirat spent several hours under the rubble before being rescued by neighbours. “That day I felt like I was born againhe recalls. You remain stuck under this pile of concrete. And the aftershocks keep on going, debris keep falling on you. You think you’ve come to the end of your journey, you think you’ll never get out of there. You don’t feel time passing because you lose track of time. There are voices that come to you from outside as well as from inside.
“When you come out of there, you’re grateful to be able to breathe. You’re like, ‘I’m a miracle, I survived’. Because, you know, 12 bodies got out of my building.”
Yilmaz Özfirat, leader of the Chorus of Civilizations of Antiochat franceinfo
/2023/04/02/64296ce98b9f2_yilmaz-ozfirat.jpg)
The city will live again in its diversity, he has no doubt about it. All will return. “The first church in the world is in the city of Antioch. The word ‘Christian’ was first spoken here. The first mosque in Anatolia is here and it is named after a non-Muslim. We are therefore obliged to bring back to the world all this beauty”says the choirmaster.
Meeting with the artists of the Choir of Civilizations of Antioch, who have toured Turkey to pay tribute to the victims of the earthquake – A report by Marie-Pierre Vérot
listen