Zülfü Livaneli

Ömer Zülfü Livanelioğlu, born on June twentieth, nineteen forty-six, is a multifaceted Turkish artist known for his contributions as a musician, author, poet, and politician. His journey has been marked by a profound commitment to cultural expression and social justice, which has shaped his artistic and political endeavors.

Following the military memorandum in nineteen seventy-one, Livaneli faced imprisonment multiple times due to his outspoken political views. This tumultuous period led to his exile in nineteen seventy-two, during which he resided in various cities including Stockholm, Paris, Athens, and New York City. It was in these vibrant cultural hubs that he collaborated with renowned figures such as Elia Kazan, Arthur Miller, James Baldwin, and Peter Ustinov, enriching his artistic repertoire.

After returning to Turkey in nineteen eighty-four, Livaneli continued to make significant contributions to the arts and society. In nineteen ninety-five, he was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador by UNESCO, a recognition of his impactful cultural works and political activism aimed at promoting world peace. However, in two thousand sixteen, he resigned from this prestigious position in protest against the Turkish State's actions that he believed were damaging to the historic Kurdish Old Town of Diyarbakir.

In addition to his artistic pursuits, Livaneli has served as a member of the Grand National Assembly and represented Turkey in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. His life and work reflect a deep engagement with the complexities of identity, culture, and politics in Turkey and beyond.