Despertar Izmir was a civil society project supported by the European Union’s Civil Society Support Programme III. It ran from 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2022 with the aim of making the Jewish community of Izmir more visible and more active in local, national and international civic life.
The name comes from the Ladino word for awakening. The project worked through inclusive leadership, public culture and community-facing activities, connecting members of the Jewish community with wider civil society networks in Izmir and beyond.
- Type: EU-supported civil society project
- Period: 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2022
- Theme: inclusive leadership and public visibility
- Name: Despertar, Ladino for awakening
What it included
Despertar Izmir brought together festivals, exhibitions, guided visits, a treasure-hunt activity, documentary work and a national gathering. The project helped present Jewish Izmir not only as a historic subject, but as a living community with a civic voice.
Why it matters
The project sits alongside the Izmir Jewish Heritage Project as part of a broader effort to make Jewish Izmir easier to see, understand and discuss. It helped create public-facing material, community confidence and new routes for conversation with the wider city.