Istanbul is celebrate Turkish master poet Nazım Hikmet’s 112th birthday, ‘My Homeland: The Lines on My Forehead’

World renowned Turkish poetry master Nazım Hikmet’s 112th birthday is set to be celebrated with an exclusive exhibition at Istanbul’s Caddebostan Culture Center. Opening on Jan. 12, “My Homeland: The Lines on My Forehead” (Alnımın Çizgilerinde Memleketim) will continue through Feb. 7 for audiences seeking to discover Nazım Hikmet’s unique artistic path.

The book will also include a complete biography of the poet and many of his poems, as well as telling the story of his visits to different countries each year. It will be translated into a number of different languages.

Nazim Hikmet died in exile in the Soviet Union in 1963, but Turkey returned honorary citizenship to him about four years ago.

“The state is just trying to compensate for it did in the past, but giving back citizenship is not enough. Nazım Hikmet spent his whole life in exile – he had a big hunger for his homeland,” Güneş said.
He said that Vera had always told him that Turkey should return Nazım’s passport, “but also make the gesture of including Nazım’s work in the school curriculum.”

A number of Hizmet’s priceless belongings were found in the Urals region of Russia three years ago, and it is now reported that Galina Kolesnikova, Hikmet’s former doctor and an alleged former KGB agent, is preparing to sell the items for $1 million.

Güneş wants Turkish officials to protect the items and says he has informed Culture Minister Ertuğrul Günay about the issue. Güneş claims that the ministry said it was unable to purchase the items from Kolesnikova. Now 96-years-old, Kolesnikova is selling the items one by one.

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