The European Drama Encounters 2026 International Drama Camp is being held in İzmir this year in collaboration with the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and the Contemporary Drama Association. Young people will engage in intercultural interaction through creative drama at the camp, which will finish on August 17th.
The European Drama Encounters (EDERED) 2026 International Drama Camp, which has been held in various European countries since 1982, is taking place this year at Özdere 100th Anniversary Youth and Sports Complex under a cooperation protocol signed between İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and Contemporary Drama Association. The camp, attended by young people from various European countries such as United Kingdom, Germany, and Greece, aims to bring young people together through creative drama to foster intercultural interaction and learning. Young people from İzmir who actively utilize the libraries under the Department of Culture, Arts and Social Affairs, Libraries Directorate, also took part in the event. Young people interested in foreign languages ​​and drama said goodbye to their families and set off for the event.

"I really want to get to know new cultures”
16 year-old Ece Karaaslan shared her excitement before the meeting and said: "Since my English is not really good, I watched movies in English. Thanks to the movies I watched, I met with theater. I already love English. I thought participating in this event would be great for me since drama is also a hobby I really enjoy. I go to libraries to study or borrow books. Books were also another reason why I started watching so many movies. I subsequently stepped into the world of movies and theater after my dad recommended me Harry Potter books. Books really helped me find myself since they open doors to different worlds. I will do the activities I love during European Drama Encounters. I really want to make friends from abroad, improve my English, and get to know new cultures."

 “I will support her to the end”
Ece Karaarslan’s father, Reşit Karaarslan, said, “When my daughter mentioned this event, I said, ‘I’m behind you without hesitation.’ I accompanied her in the preliminary work done in libraries. I’m always by her side in her theater work. There were times when I fell asleep in the car while waiting for her rehearsals to finish late at night. I will continue to support her to the end. As a translator myself, I am not unfamiliar with foreign languages. Therefore, my daughter’s meeting and interacting with people from different nations will add a lot to her life.”

 “I’m so happy”
Nil Saraç, a 14-year-old who will be attending the camp, said, “I already participate in drama activities at school, I love theater so much. Taking advantage of such an opportunity to improve my English made me very happy.  I go to libraries very often and borrow books. When I saw the announcement, I immediately wanted to wanted to apply. Before attending the meeting, we met at the library, did activities and bonded.  This also eased my excitement. Participating in an event related to my interest that will also improve my English make me so happy."

"Very effective and productive"
Nil Saraç's mother Pınar Saraç said "My daughter and I are active members of the libraries in İzmir. We really like being at library and buy books. During this time, we saw the announcement of European Drama Encounters. I was so excited when I saw it. Young people will come together, and there will be art and books. When she met the participation requirements, we received positive response. I hope it will be very good for the youth. Various English and drama activities were also conducted in the libraries before attending the meeting. Those sessions were also very effective and productive."

“Theatre, foreign language, great memories”
16-year-old Ezgi Güneş said, “I saw the application announcement on social media. I love theatre so much, and I also want to improve myself in a foreign language. I wanted to participate since it is an event I dreamed of. I want to improve my foreign language while connecting with people through theatre, and at the same time make great memories.” Her father, Ertan Güneş, added, “I firmly believe that this event will be beneficial for my daughter. While there are people who go abroad to improve their language skills, we are especially happy that such an event is taking place in our city.” 16-year-old Ege Yener, who will participate in the camp, said, “English has always been a part of my life. I have been attending drama courses since a very young age. I am excited about the event. It will be my first time I experience something like this."

EDERED 2026
EDERED 2026 International Drama Camp has been organized since 1982 as an international educational and cultural program that brings together children and trainers from different countries around the themes of creative drama, intercultural interaction, and collaborative production. The program, to be held in İzmir, will include participation from five countries: Türkiye, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Greece. Thirty young people and eight educators from abroad, and 14 young people from Türkiye – nine who actively use libraries in İzmir and five from Eskişehir, Bursa, Istanbul, and Ankara – will participate. As part of the program, meeting and adaptation activities, creative drama workshops, storytelling, and joint production sessions, skill sharing workshops, intercultural interaction events, a National Market, a National Evening, a cultural tour, final performance preparations, and closing activities will be conducted.

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