People&rsquo\;s lives in Turkey changed dr amatically after the failed coup attempt on July 15th\, 2016. Instead of a proper investigation regarding the perpetrators of the coup\, the Turkish government quickly engaged in a mask purge thousands of peaceful and inno cent civilians to unemployment\, unfair imprisonment\, social exclusion\, and total defenselessness in the face of State violence and harassment.
\nPeople from all walks of life were taken aback by the disproportiona te response of the government that turned into a collective punishment. Re peated promises were made of totally ripping out all members of social and ethnic communities which have to be enemies of the state.
\nThis en sured a mass exodus of people from Turkey. Those who were able to fly from the airport with their passport considered themselves lucky compared to t hose who had to walk across the border by paying all their savings to huma n smugglers because their passports had been canceled without any due proc ess. Only after they were able to land in safety and freedom that the feel ing of a lost country\, together with the traumatic memories that darkened the beautiful memories of their lives before the coup.
\nThe object s displayed in this exhibition are the relics of these lost lives\, repres enting the yearning for a homeland that is abruptly and arbitrarily denied to them simply because of their association with a social group. \;This exhibit reflects how Turkish Refugees welcomed and started their life over in the USA after destroying tragedies in their past. \;
\ nLearn more and view the photo exhibit online here: https://www.flickr.co m/photos/141162700@N06/with/26438161347/ \;
\nView more Welc oming Week events here: \;https://slco.org/welcoming-salt-lake/
\nLearn more about Eme rald Hills Institute here: \;http://www.emeraldhillsinstitute.org/index.php/home
\n\nhttps://slcls.libnet.info/event/4568694 URL;VALUE=URI:https://slcls.libnet.info/event/4568694 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR