President of International Izmir Festival

“Festıvals create a common platform ın whıch the most valuable cultural treasures and tradıtıons of mankınd are dıscovered and experıences are shared. It ıs the heelıng power of Festıvals that leed us to a world full of hope...”  

Filiz Eczacıbaşı Sarper is a founder and the president of the Izmir Foundation for Culture, Arts and Education (İKSEV), which has an important role in the cultural and artistic life in Izmir. She is a choreologist, graduated with a master’s degree from The College of Choreology in 1976. She wrote Sait Sökmen’s “Kurban”, and this work made her gain the title “A. I. Chor”. “Kurban” is the first Turkish ballet registered in the International Library of Choreology in London. She represented her country at World Choreologists Meetings between 1977-1980. While working as the choreologist of the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet, she wrote the ballets, “Valpurgis Gecesi”, “Mezuniyet Balosu”, “Oluşum”, “Harika Mandarin”, “Anılar”, “Kavak Yeli”, “Balanchine Armağan” and “Patenciler”.

 In 1985 after the establishment of İKSEV, a foundation for culture, arts and education, she has been in the leading role working voluntarily. İKSEV organizes comprehensive masterclasses and workshops to contribute to the growth of the artists of the future, besides the International Izmir Festival, Izmir European Jazz Festival which has been continuing for 27 years and Dr. Nejat F. Eczacıbaşı National Composition Contest held biannually in the field of symphonic music. İKSEV has opened the first instrument museum in Turkey with around 350 valuable instruments, a sound archive, an auditorium which concerts can take place with the instruments exhibited. 

Sarper was appointed as the National Consultant by the Presidency during the Expo 2015 candidacy of İzmir, and as the Euro-Asia Delegate Leader in the Expo 2020 process. She has been awarded many times for her contribution to the cultural and artistic life of İzmir like The Outstanding Service Medal awarded by the Ege University Senate in 2000, the superior achievement awards given by İzmir Governorship in 2001 and İzmir Chamber of Commerce in 2002. Sarper was honored with the medal of “Star of Italian Solidarity" on 26 May 2009, for her constant contribution to the culture and art of the two countries, at the discretion of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

Sarper was deemed worthy of the medal of the Republic of Poland for her contributions to the Turkish-Polish cultural and scientific cooperation in June 2014.