Turkey: World’s first cartoon research center

Ozer said that Turkey beat Europe in the 20th century and used its large concept advantage well, and "We have got good degrees in competitions through 1950 generation cartoonists. This generation’s most important representatives are Turhan Selcuk, Semih Balcioglu, Oguz Aral and Bedri Koraman," said.

Ozer said that cartoon is the best artistic work that can give utterance to a society’s socio-economic problems, and when cartoon history is analyzed, that country’s history will come on the scene.

Politicians depicted in cartoons used to be angry, but this understanding changed with 8th President Turgut Ozal. Now politicians want their cartoons drawn every day."

Ozer said that the established center under Anadolu University’s main purpose is to protect and collect the works of important cartoonists.

Ozer expressed that the Cartoon Research and Application Center, which was established academically for the first time in Turkey, sets an example, and "We are working for the Second Cartoon Exhibition which will be organized in Eskisehir. The deadline for the applications is January 2004. The concepts of the exhibition are e-education, e-europe and e-euro. Artists show much attention in the exhibition," said.

Ozer said that they will organize courses for people interested in cartoons and educate them professionally, and added that they will arrange conferences and panels and issue scientific publications.