Turkish Sohbet meetings (Turkish: Geleneksel Sohbet Toplantilari) are traditional community discussions.
The meetings are generally held in the wintertime, with different groups with different numbers of men, with certain rules and serve as a social solidarity function. The meetings are generally held on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, and begin in the evening. The members are expected to arrive on time and leave on time. Turkish men gather indoors to discuss local social and cultural issues, safeguard traditions, and promote mutual respect, solidarity, and a sense of community. The main purpose is to spend free time outside of work conversing and having fun, as well as to educate those attending in an entertaining way.
They consist primarily of men over a certain age (typically from 15 to 16 years of age), regardless of their ethnicity, religious background, or status, with the basic requirement that members should come from honest families, be trustworthy, and respect their elders. In addition to participating in conversations, the meetings may involve dancing, music, plays, and feasts of traditional dishes. Traditional Sohbet meetings can last until early in the morning. Members also should not gamble or appear drunk in public.
A series of traditional, unwritten rules govern the formation and operation of sohbet meetings. There may be varying numbers, but the average number is between 5-30 people. They have an elected committee of 3-5 people or a chairman. One of his responsibilities is to manage relationships within the group and ensure meetings follow established rules. Community members are all equal and have the same responsibilities. Unless extenuating circumstances apply, members may be fined for missing a meeting. Mothers and wives encourage male members to attend due to the associated cultural and social benefits. Through Sohbet meetings, ethical values such as social justice, tolerance, benevolence, and respect are transferred.
To guarantee the viability of traditional sohbet meetings, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism supports the activities and publication efforts of communities that implement the practice and concerned civil society organizations to do research, identification, and documentation work on the traditional elements and functions. In order to guarantee the viability of the elements, different regional elements with similar functions are placed in the same category.
Currently, The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) has prepared documentaries about traditional sohbet meetings, as a result of fieldwork conducted in areas where the element is practiced. In areas where the element is practiced, the traditional sohbet meetings play a crucial role in the transmission of cultural heritage.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/traditional-sohbet-meetings-00385) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Sohbet_meetings) (https://aregem.ktb.gov.tr/TR-132221/traditional-sohbet-meetings.html) |Subject=dance, Entertainment and Recreation, Music, Verbal Arts and Literature |Country=Turkey |SDG=(11) Sustainable Cities and Communities }}