SHOTLIST

HATAY, TÜRKİYE (JAN. 23, 2026) (ANADOLU – ACCESS ALL)

1. EMEL DUMAN STANDING, HOLDS “KIRMEN”, A TRADITIONAL TOOL USED FOR SPINNING SILK FIBER, INSPECTING SILK YARN / SILK COCOONS AND FIBERS IN BASKETS ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF HER

2. VARIOUS CLOSE SHOTS OF SILK COCOONS IN BASKET

3. VARIOUS OF DUMAN MAKING SILK YARN , USING A KIRMEN, HER AWARD ON TABLE IN FRONT OF HER

4. VARIOUS OF DUMAN WEAVING SILK FABRIC ON TRADITIONAL LOOM

5. VARIOUS OF DUMAN SHOWING SILK FABRICS AND SCARVES

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) SILK MASTER, EMEL DUMAN, SAYING:

“When I first heard the news, I was incredibly happy, because it showed me that we are seen, that we are heard, that our voice is being heard, and that the value of Hatay—especially Hatay’s yellow silk of peace—has been recognized.”

7. WHITE FLASH

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) SILK MASTER, EMEL DUMAN, SAYING:

“I felt deeply honored and very happy. There were so many people who worked hard alongside me.”

9. WHITE FLASH

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) SILK MASTER, EMEL DUMAN, SAYING:

“While receiving this award, I felt as though I was accepting it on behalf of many people collectively.”

11. CLOSE SHOT OF SILK COCOONS AND YARNS IN BASKET

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) SILK MASTER, EMEL DUMAN, SAYING:

“Now, the most important thing is that thanks to this award, everyone has heard our voice. This is extremely valuable to me, because I have truly been fighting for years to ensure that cocoon silk silkworm breeding does not disappear.”

13. WHITE FLASH

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) SILK MASTER, EMEL DUMAN, SAYING:

I believe that we will receive support from many institutions. At this moment, I feel much more at ease about that. And we will bring many more women like us into this work. That was our greatest goal from the very beginning.”

15. CLOSE SHOTS OF "LIVING HUMAN TREASURES AWARD" (2 SHOTS)

16. DUMAN STANDING AND HOLDING AWARD, SILK COCOONS AND YARNS ON TABLE
HATAY, TÜRKİYE - JAN. 23: Emel Duman, a master artisan who has dedicated decades to preserving the ancient crafts of silkworm breeding and silk fabric weaving in Türkiye's southern Hatay province, has been honored with the prestigious "Living Human Treasures Award" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Duman, 59, received the award from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a ceremony held in the capital on January 20. The recognition comes after she played a pivotal role in securing a geographical indication certificate for silk produced from the endangered "Hatay Yellow" silkworm strain in September last year.

The artisan learned the traditional techniques of both silkworm breeding and silk weaving from her grandmother and has worked tirelessly to prevent these crafts from disappearing.

Speaking to Anadolu from her home in Bozlu Neighborhood of Yayladagi district, Duman said she was overwhelmed when she first learned of the honor.

"When I first heard the news, I was incredibly happy, because it showed me that we are seen, that we are heard, that our voice is being heard, and that the value of Hatay—especially Hatay's yellow silk of peace—has been recognized," Duman said.

She emphasized that the award represents not just her individual efforts but the collective work of many people who have supported the preservation of these traditional crafts.

"While receiving this award, I felt as though I was accepting it on behalf of many people collectively," she noted.

Duman expressed hope that the recognition will attract support from various institutions and help bring more women into silkworm breeding and silk fabric production.

She described this expansion as one of her primary goals from the outset of her efforts. "I have truly been fighting for years to ensure that cocoon silk silkworm breeding does not disappear," she said, adding that she now feels more confident about the future of these traditional crafts thanks to the official recognition the award brings.

The master artisan dedicated her award to her 82-year-old mother, Bedia Dogruel, and her aunts, who have consistently supported her work in preserving this centuries-old tradition of silkworm breeding and silk weaving.

Reporting by Lale Koklu Karagoz

Writing by Sibel Uygun