A gathering in Beyoğlu for Huys Association

The opening of the association premises, located in the Tokatlıyan Han in Beyoğlu, was attended by Sahak Maşalyan, Patriarch of Armenians in Turkey, Archbishop Aram Ateşyan, members of the clergy, the association’s management, and its supporters. The space was allocated to the association by the Beyoğlu Üç Horan Church Foundation. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Patriarch Maşalyan signed the guestbook and recorded his well-wishes.

Following the opening of the premises, a cocktail was held at the Naregyan Hall of the Üç Horan Church. The opening speech was delivered by one of the association's founders, Parin Yakupyan. Sharing details about her life story, Yakupyan said she became acquainted with autism after her son, Garen Yakupyan, was diagnosed.

Noting that options in the field of special education were limited 25 years ago and that she established a special education center in 2007, Yakupyan recalled that Garen could not attend Armenian schools. She stated the following:

“The real difficulty began at school age. Our Armenian schools, which my husband, myself, and everyone in our family had attended, closed their doors to us. My son, whose academic success was ahead of his peers, unfortunately could not attend Armenian schools, despite being a well-adjusted child. I struggled a lot for his right to education. His primary, middle, and high school years were spent through this struggle. During this process, I realized that this was unfortunately not just a problem I was facing. In order to benefit more children and families, carry out advocacy movements, and ensure that information spreads easily to everyone, I founded the Special Children’s Education and Solidarity Association (ÖÇED) in 2014.”

Yakupyan stated that the idea for Huys emerged after meeting with Selda Topaloğlu. She noted that they founded the association together with Sister Kayane Dulkadiryan, Alen Ohannesyan, Alin Taşçı, Karin Ataoğlu, Karin Şeşetyan, Lerna Bıyıklı, Minas Oflas, Ohannes Süylünoğlu, Ohannes Yalın, Selda Topaloğlu, Sera Yöndem, and Talin Pehlivan. She expressed that the Huys family grew further with the participation of Eva Orakyan, Garine Ovsepyan, Levon Yıldırımyan, and Tanya Marukyan.

Medium and Long-Term Goals

Defining Huys Association as the product of a collective conscience, Yakupyan described their goals with these words:

“Today, within this association, we aim to conduct activities that support the social and emotional development of individuals with special needs in the short term and to create support mechanisms for families. We want to expand awareness efforts throughout the community, starting with schools. Establishing education support funds for individuals with limited financial means is also among our priorities.

In the medium term, we aim to strengthen the independence and social participation of young individuals through vocational rehabilitation, handicrafts, sports, and social skills programs. In the long term, we aim to establish a self-sufficient, exemplary rehabilitation center operating with a multidisciplinary approach based on scientific foundations, and to realize a holistic structure that supports residential care and independent living skills.”

The logo of Huys Association features a starfish. The logo’s designer, Kirkor Sahakoğlu, explained the story of the starfish with the following words:

“What matters is not what we missed, but what we did not hold. You know the story of the starfish. A man is trying to throw the starfish that have washed ashore back into the sea. Someone comes along and says, ‘Millions of them wash ashore; you’re saving one or two.’ And he says, ‘Go ask the ones who were saved.’ I hope that in three to five years, we will come together here with those who were saved. Then my story will have found its place as well.”

“Every Bit of Support is Precious”

During the event, Garine Ovsepyan and Selda Topaloğlu, mothers of children with autism, spoke about their struggles. Ovsepyan stated, “Every bit of support provided, every bond established is very precious and decisive for the present and future of our special children.”

The Otidans Community, comprised of individuals with special needs, performed a dance during the evening. In his closing speech, Patriarch Maşalyan noted that while Zibeç (a former center) had closed, it lived on in the heart of the community, and predicted that Huys Association would be successful. Maşalyan said:

“Are we the keepers of children with special needs? Yes, we are, and this is what makes us a people. Let the story that began with ZİBEÇ continue with Huys. Let it go as far as it can.”