Events List

Sunday 7 February

Event: Exhibition Launch: Iran then and now.

Venue: Susie’s Diner, 51 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DB.
Time: 3pm-5pm.
Event Description: A visually strong interplay between the ordinary and the extraordinary. Timeless photographs of Iran taken by Aliki Sapountzi in 1971 are shown beside artwork by Marylena Sapountzi. Marylena has recently photographed Iran to create stunning composite/manipulated images expressing a unique aspect of the country today. Aliki Sapountzi is a photographer/filmmaker based in Edinburgh. www.aliki.co.uk. Marylena Sapountzi is a visual artist and actress based in Athens, Greece. www.marylenasapountzi.com
Cost: Admission Free. Everyone Welcome.
Contact: Neill Walker, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 0131 331 4469.

Thursday 11 February

Event: Exhibition Launch: Highland Turkey Revisited:
The Anatolian Community of Scotland.

Venue: Empires Cafe, 24 Street Marys Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SU.
Dates and Times: 6pm-7.30pm.
Event Description: Photographer Aliki Sapountzi focuses on the Turkish/Anatolian community of Scotland, re-awakening distant links to ancestral heredity, displacement and relocation; reflected both in the Turkish/Anatolian community and the photographer. To enrich the contextual backdrop, these photographs have been juxtaposed with images of street life in Istanbul.

Showing at the intimate venue of Empires Café with the added bonus of a booklet featuring the expanded version of the Highland Turkey exhibition shown at the Filmhouse in 2009. A copy of the booklet will be attached to each table together with a pen inviting your comments/doodles.
Cost: Admission Free. Everyone Welcome.
Contact: Neill Walker, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 0131 331 4469.

Saturday 13 February

Event: Exhibition Launch: The Scotland-Russia Forum has pleasure in inviting members to the opening of the exhibition, GEORGIA - A COUNTRY OF ANCIENT WRITING.

Venue: The Scotland-Russia Institute, 9 South College Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9AA.
Time: 6pm-8pm.
Event Description: The exhibition will be opened by the Irina Dakhundaridze, Counsellor at the Embassy of Georgia, and t he Edinburgh Georgian choir will give a short recital. There will be light refreshments including Georgian wine.

Georgian is one of the oldest written languages in the world, and the country possesses an ancient literary tradition. This exhibition traces the history of Georgian scripts from their legendary beginnings in the reign of King Parnavaz in the 4th century BC to the version of the written language first seen in the 10th century AD and still in use today. The exhibition consists of full-colour images of manuscripts, in themselves objects of beauty, often splendidly illustrated.
The exhibition was curated by Vesna Petkovic, Pro Art & Co (www.proartandco.co.uk).

This event is part of the 2010 Middle East Festival. Other SRF events in the Festival are lectures on 26 February and 4 March (see www.scotlandrussiaforum.org/events.html)

The exhibition is open 13 February – 6 March 2010. Visitors are welcome at all times when the Institute is open: Tues-Fri 11am-4pm daily, Saturdays 1.30-4pm, other times by appointment, tel. 0131 668 3635.
Contact: RSVP (essential!), Jenny Carr, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 0131 668 3635.


Friday 26 February

Event: Exhibition Preview Invitation: Recognising Our Common Humanity.

Venue: Tollcross Community Centre, Edinburgh.
Date: Friday 26th February 2010.
Time: 6pm–8pm.
Event Description: Through an exciting, new photography exhibition, you can travel through Gaza with young people on a unique journey of discovery – finding those moments of common experience that bind us all together in one human family. Follow them from the streets where they walk every day, to the houses or refugee camps where they live; from the markets where they shop, to the sea where they send off their dreams; from the destruction of war to sights of extraordinary natural beauty; from raw human suffering to indisputable, unbeatable hope and love for life. The exhibition opens to the public 27th February until 26th March.

This preview event includes refreshments and the opportunity to tour the exhibition accompanied by young people attending the Middle East Youth Festival. The delegates from Jordon, Lebanon, the USA and Scotland will share their thoughts on peace and their views on communication through the arts.
Contact: Places Limited: Please RSVP by Thursday 18th February to Sarah Dorrian at 0131 662 5195 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it