160 Books, 160 Young Voices: Rotary Brings Reading to Life in Istanbul
Erenköy Rotary Club supported an interactive learning experience where primary school children explored Atatürk’s message to young people through reading, conversation, creative drama and art.
What happens when a book becomes a conversation — and children are encouraged not only to read, but to question, imagine and express their own ideas?
At Sarıgazi Peyami Safa Primary School in Istanbul, 160 books became the starting point for just such an experience.
On 26 October 2026, Erenköy Rotary Club, District 2420, supported a special educational initiative by providing 160 copies of Atatürk'ten Sana – Gençliğe Hitabe'nin İzinde (From Atatürk to You – Following the Address to the Youth). The project brought together literacy, creativity and an exploration of the values and founding principles of the Turkish Republic.
But the story did not end when the books reached the students.
From Reading to Thinking, Creating and Sharing
The book's author, Yasemin Sungur, joined the children at their school for an interactive discussion and creative drama workshop.
Together, they explored Atatürk's words and his trust in future generations. The students reflected on what they had read, created drawings and shared their own interpretations.
Their thoughts, feelings and dreams came together in a collective creation: the “Wall of the Children of the Republic.”
Rather than simply listening to an adult explain the meaning of a text, the children became active participants in interpreting it.
This was the project's greatest educational strength. Reading became an invitation to think independently, ask questions, use imagination and communicate ideas.
A Rotary Partnership Centred on Education
The initiative was developed through the District 2420 Basic Education and Literacy Committee and the Equal and Accessible Life Rotary Club, with Erenköy Rotary Club contributing the 160 books.
The event brought together representatives of the Rotary district, educators and school leadership, united by a common interest in children's learning.
Among those attending were Pınar Pirim, District Basic Education and Literacy Committee Chair; Bülent Gizer, District Archive and Digital Transformation Committee Chair; Jale Orhun Genç, District Finance Committee Chair 2025–2026; and Serpil Kıran Ararat, President of the Equal and Accessible Life Rotary Club.
Erenköy Rotary Club President A. Güneş Aydın highlighted the importance of encouraging children to develop and express their own ideas, inspired by Atatürk's thinking.
The Lasting Value of a Book
The immediate result was clear: 160 books were provided, and students participated in an educational experience that connected reading with reflection and creativity.
The longer-term value lies in the approach itself.
When children are encouraged to read with understanding, explore different ideas and express their own thoughts, education becomes more than the transfer of information. It helps develop confidence, curiosity and the ability to participate thoughtfully in society.
For Erenköy Rotary Club, this was an investment in children as active learners and future contributors to their communities.
One hundred and sixty books opened the conversation. The children's own voices gave it meaning.