Turkey
In Turkey, Rudolf Steiner’s anthroposophy has a short history in the public life. The first books were translated into Turkish some 20 years ago, and since then there have only been a few seminars and workshops held by individual Turks working on Anthroposophy, mostly in English.
The first initiative group which gathered together out of their common interest in alternative ways of pedagogy and their encounter with Waldorf Education, is also responsible for the Waldorf idea in Turkey. After the foundation of the association “Friends of the Art of Education”, the first registered legal society in Turkey to “work on and realize Rudolf Steiner/Waldorf Pedagogy in seminars, early childhood, school age and for caring education” in Istanbul, the second step will be a two-year post-graduate training for kindergarten teachers planning to open Waldorf kindergartens in the future. There is a very high interest especially within the educated population of Turkey for such innovative pedagogical institutions.
Turkey has a huge young population, almost two-thirds of the whole population is under the age of 28! The training started October 2009 with 27 students. The faculty consists of German and Turkish teachers. At the same time, also in October 2009, a “play group” started, in preparation for the first Waldorf kindergarten in Turkey in near future.
Some public activities are planned for 2010, as Istanbul will then carry the title of “Culture City of Europe”.