a selman project

It’s no secret that every nation has its own unique culture, demographics, and associated social issues. Unfortunately, sometimes our perception of many countries is shaped most by the negative issues which bubble up in the media. Worse still, is that many countries go both unheard of and unheard by the larger world.

Thankfully, every nation equally produces individuals who devote and sacrifice themselves to the principles of peace, freedom, and equality. The Peace Post project began as a means to shine a light on individuals from around the globe who are champions of peace.

As a starting point, we determined that every sovereign nation should be represented in the project with a few key disputed states entered at our discretion. As a referential guide for each illustration, we profiled each country with a keen eye on the progression of traditional and contemporary visual styles associated with the art and culture.

In choosing which individual to profile for each country, we first referenced Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, notable omissions, and various other international peace awards looking for potential candidates. In several cases when a nation was not represented by a winner of a major peace award, we used our own research to find an individual who represented associated ideals and actions of peace advocacy.

We elected to represent the chosen individuals as a series of stamps for several reasons. Stamps have a long history of commemorating important people and events. Stamps are collectible and shareable. Perhaps most importantly, stamps represent a vehicle of correspondence and dialogue.

Our goal was to learn more about these countries, the positive people there, and share their stories with you.

For more information please contact:
chris@selmandesign.com
peacepost on instagram:
@projectpeacepost
Copyright and disclaimer
The content of this web site contains information, photographs, and media intended solely for educational purposes.

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Hasan Kara

  • Turkey
  • Human Rights
  • Nobel Peace Prize

Hasan Kara is the mayor of Kilis, a Turkish city bordering Syria which was nominated in 2016 for a Nobel Peace Prize as an example of hospitality and human rights protection that the world should recognize. Over the course of the Syrian Civil War under Kara’s direction, Kilis, a town of 90,000 has welcomed over 120,000 Syrians into their community. Kilis has allowed the refugees to set up their own business and the locals share their jobs, homes, trades and social spaces with the Syrian people. Kara’s efforts in Kilis have been praised by the U.S. and other nations around the world.

Turkey

  • Population
    79,800,853 (18th)
  • Capital
    
Ankara
  • GDP (PPP)
    $21,198 per capita
  • October 29, 1923
  • Total Area
    783,356 km2 (37th)
  • Demonym
    Turkish
  • Government
    Unitary parliamentary constitutional republic

Artwork

Ebru (cloud, cloudy) or Abru (water face) is the technique of paper marbling that Turks have practiced since the 16th century. Kitre (gum tragacanth) is mixed with water in a shallow container. A horsehair brush is used to add insoluble inks to the surface of the liquid. These are swirled into intricate designs and patterns. A piece of paper is placed on top of the liquid --immediately transferring the design. The dyes and inks used are often mineral based, and given the region’s bounty of these natural resources in Turkey, a broad range of colors are seen in these designs.

  • Illustration by
    Anne Di Lillo