A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

Ceyhan Özyıldız  

He was born in Nicosia in 1973.

He attended Ankara University, Turkey (1992-1996) and graduated with a BA degree in library science from the Department of Library Science, Faculty of Letters.

Throughout 1996 his articles and literary writings were published in the Genç Görüş (The Opinion of the Young) page in the local Ortam Newspaper.

His career as a librarian began in 2000 when he was appointed Head of the Güzelyurt Public Library, one of the nine regional libraries in Nothern Cyprus, supported by the National Library. In 2006 he joined the Directorate of Culture where he worked as a staff member in the Publications and Public Relations section. At the same time he was assigned the duty of organizing the participation of the Directorate in International Book Fairs held overseas. Furthermore he also served as a member of the committee that oversaw the publication of the Defne (Daphne) Newspaper.

Throughout his secondary education he was actively involved in different sports activities, wrestling in particular, and won a number of certificates of merit and nearly thirty medals in various wrestling tournaments.

He is actively involved in a number of NGOs and was the President of the Cyprus Turkish Librarians Association between the years 2003-2007. He was also on the board of the Cyprus Turkish Civil Servants Trade Union (2006-2010) and was responsible for the Nicosia district. Lastly he was also a board member of the Cyprus Turkish Artists and Writers Association (2007-2008).

Between 2006-2009 he wrote and/or reported, once a week, on culture, art and photography in the local newspaper Halkın Sesi. Currently, in addition to his duties at the Directorate of Culture, he is also a part-time lecturer at the Department of Information and Document Management, Near East University.

His first book “Yastık Altı Gülkurusu” was published in June 2012. His second “Sonra A Matu” was published three months later in September 2012. The first is a story book while the second contains a selection of coloured and black and white photographs and writings by the author.

"He is a photographer, working more on country and graffiti. He has a special interest in village houses and their internal living space which have been touched/destroyed by new architecture, especially the ‘chain locked doors’    

Özyıldız has published three books of short story and photography. He continues to focus his work on Cyprus. (Translation by Gürgenç Korkmazel)"  

Couses Attended, Papers Presented and Certificates of Merit Received

·The History, Structure, Operation and Membership Profile of the Cyprus Turkish Librarians 

Association in the Light of the Developments of the Cyprus Turkish Librarianship (Paper 

Presentation); The Changing Ways of Reaching Knowledge and Second Symposium:  Management 

of Medical Knowledge and Technologies. Başkent University - University and Research Librarians 

Association, 25-27 September 2003.

·Becoming an Expert on EU (course), European Policy Information Centre (EPIC), September 2004.

·Ways of Working with Volunteers and Recruiting New Members (Course), The Management 

Centre, 20 August 2005.

·Cooperation at International and Local Level and Developing Relations (Course). The 

Management Centre, 3 September 2005.

·  Kowledge Management in the e-World: New Models for Scholarly Communication, (Participation 

to Symposium), Yeditepe University, Istanbul, 13-14 October 2005.

·Bilelim! Yürüyelim! (Workshop), Cyprus Turkish Civil Servants Trade Union (KTAMS), 19-20 November 2005.

·Seminar: Strengthening and Understanding the Civil Society (course), The Management Centre, February 2007.

·Discussions for a New Vision in Higher Education, Directorate of Higher Education and Foreign 

Relations, TRNC Ministry of National Education and Culture, 29 March 2008.

·Membership problems that cause internal and external problems in effective cooperation in and 

between Cyprus Turkish Civil Servants Trade Union and Cyprus Turkish Librarians Association 

(Paper Presentation). Libraries and Archives: Doors that Open to the World of 

Knowledge/Information and Bridges that Connect Us to Future, Symposium, TRNC Ministry of 

National Education and Culture-Directorate of Culture, 31 March-4 April 2008.

·Bilelim Yürüyelim 2: A Workshop on Management, Cyprus Turkish Civil Servants Trade Union 

(KTAMS), 20-21 September 2008.

·Project to Organize a Library and Archive for Kıbrıs Newspaper, Bir Numara Yayıncılık, Kıbrıs 

Newspaper, 2005, Implementation.

· Workshop to Organize a Library for Akova Women’s Association, Akova, 2007, Implementation.

Sports

·Wrestling Tournament, Participation Certificate, Haspolat Sanayi Gençlik Spor Kulübü, 14 July 1985.

·Intraschool Individual Free-style Wrestling Tournament, Runners-up Certificate, TRNC Ministry of 

National Education, 1986-1987.

·I. Bahadi Wrestling Tournament, Certificate of Merit, Karşıyaka Anamur Sports Club, 4 July 1987.

·U-15 Republic Cup Wrestling Tournament, Winners Certificate, Cyprus Wrestling Federation, 22 

November 1987.

Literary Works Published and Awards Received

·Ne Desem/What Should I Say, poem,Yeni Pygmalion (Art and culture supplement of Yenidüzen 

newspaper), page 4, issue date 14 August 2003.

·Çin Gülü/Chinese Hibiscus/China Rose, poem, Halkın Sesi Newspaper-Culture Art page 20,  6 

December 2005.

·Yap-Boz/Puzzle, poem, Turnalar (Periodical), page 73, Issue no: 21, January-March 2006.

·Çiy Damlası/Dew Drop, poem, Turnalar (Periodical), page 61, Issue no: 22, April-June 2006.

·Şeker Portakalı/Sweet Orange, short story, Turnalar (Periodical), page 18, issue no: 23, July-

September 2006.

·Dilini Bilmediğim Bir Şairi Dinliyorum/ I Listen to a Poet Whose Tongue I Know Not, poem, Yeni 

Pygmalion, 6 October 2006.

·Son Anlatış/The Last Narration, short story, Turnalar (Periodical), page 42, issue no: 24, October-

December 2006.

·Kurmacanın Dili ya da Öykünün Ağzı/The Tongue of the Plot or The Story’s Mouth, personal 

opinion, Defne (Bi-monthly magazine), December 2005- January 2006.

·Bir Köy Var/There is a Village There, short story, Yeni Pygmalion, 1 December 2006.

·Toplantı/Meeting, short story, Çağrı (KTAMS official publication), pages 16-17, issue no:111, 

December 2006.

·Bekir Kara: “Aşkla Üreten Bir Yazar” / Bekir Kara: “A Writer who Creates with Passion”, 

feature report, Defne, page 2, January-February 2007.

·Boş Koltuk ya da Babamın Kokusu/The Empty Armchair or My Father’s Smell, short story, 

Turnalar (Periodical), page 46, issue no: 25, January-March 2007.

·Onlar Gidince ya da Eski Bir Sokağım/When They Go or I am an Old Street, short story, reading 

on Short Story day at Büyük Han (Grand Inn), Nicosia, 14 February 2007.

·“Şair ve Öykücü Kimliğiyle Doğu Akdenizli Bir Larva: M.Kansu/M. Kansu: The Identity of an 

Eastern Mediterranean Larva as Poet and Short Story Writer, feature report, Defne (Bi-monthly 

magazine), page 4, May-June 2007.

·Sendikalar, Bilimsel Düşünce ve Yayın/Trade Unions, Scientific Thought and Publication, personal 

opinion, www.ktams.org, July 2007.

·“Son Tahlilde Belirleyici Olan Yazdıklarımızın Özgünlüğü ve Niteliğidir: Fikret Demirağ” / 

“Fikret Demirağ: In the Final Analysis What is Defining is the Originality and  Quality of What 

We Write”, feature report, Defne (Bi-monthly magazine), page 6, September-October 2007.

·Bir Köy Var/There is A Village There, short story, Nea Ebohi, (Literary magazine, South Cyprus, in 

Greek), page 9, issue no: 292, December 2007.

·Beyaz Köpüklerde Bir Yansıma/A Reflection on White Foams, short story, Notos Öykü (Turkey), 

page 119, issue no: 8, February-March 2008. 

·Ceyhan Özyıldız: Biyografisi ve Öyküleri Türk Edebiyatı’nda Öykü’nün 107 Yıllık Kronolojik-Antolojik Tarihsel Süreci / Ceyhan Özyıldız: His Biography and Short Stories,  The 107 Years of Short Story in Cyprus Turkish Literature in Chronological-Antological Order, A SAMTAY Foundation Publication, Volume 1, 1. Edition, pages 408 – 417, 2008.

· Bener Hakkı Hakeri: Okumayı ve Yazmayı Kendine İş Edinenlerden Biriyim/My Job is to Read 

and Write, feature report, Defne, page 11, July-August 2008. 

· Neriman Cahit: Her Parmağında Bir Kalem-Gazeteci, Şair, Araştırmacı/A Versatile Lady with a 

Finger in Every Pie-Journalist, Poet and Researcher, feature report, Defne, page 15, March-April 

2009.

· Mahmut İslamoğlu, feature report, Defne, page

·Ali Nesim: Sosyal Araştırmacı Yazar/A Social Researcher and Writer, feature report, Defne, page 25, 25 December 2012.

·First prize in Essay Writing Competition among Turkish Cypriot Students, Ankara University-

Faculty of Letters, 1995.

·Second Prize in Poetry Competition among Turkish Cypriot Students, Ankara University-Faculty of 

Letters, 1995.

·Second Prize in Süleyman Uluçamgil Poetry Competition, Nicosia KIBATEK Club, July 2005.

·Mansion in Hikmet Afif Mapolar Short Story Contest, Cyprus Turkish Writers Association - 

KIBATEK Foundation, March 2006.

·Second Prize in Short Story Writing, A bi-communal event by Cyprus Turkish Artists and Writers 

Association and Union of Cyprus Writers, December 2006.

·Mansion in Poetry Writing, A bi-communal event by Cyprus Turkish Artists and Writers Association 

and Union of Cyprus Writers, December 2006.

Awards and Works in Graphic Design and Publication

·3. Culture and Art General Assembly Book, editor, publication and graphic design, book cover.

·Publication and Printing of Books etc by the Directorate of Culture: Catalogue of Books for the 

11. Izmir Book Fair, April 2006, Catalogue of Books for the 25. Istanbul Book Fair, October 2006, 

The 2007 Cyprus Turkish Publications Catalogue, April 2007, Catalogue of Books for Frankfurt 

Book Fair, 2007 and 2008 etc. Defne Culture and Art Newspaper/Magazine, issue no: 2, 3, 4, 8....., 

publication and graphic design, book cover etc.

·The Legends of Cyprus, Istanbul, a publication by the Cyprus Turkish Writers Association, 2007, 

designer of book cover.

·Cyprus Turkish Folk Dances Music, Cyprus Folklore Association (FOLKDER), 2008, designer of 

book and CD cover.

· Discussions for Creating A New Vision in Higher Education, Directorate of Higher Education and 

Foreign Relations, TRNC Ministry of National Education and Culture, 29 March 2008, publication 

curator, designer of workshop amblem and publications (poster, file cover, participation certificate 

etc).

·Libraries and Archives: Doors that Open to the World of Knowledge and Bridges that Connect 

Us to Future, Symposium, TRNC Ministry of National Education and Culture-Directorate of Culture, 31 

March-4 April 2008, publication curator, designer of symposium amblem and publications (poster, file 

cover, participation certificate etc), graphic design.

·The Art of Correct and Effective Exposition, Özden Aykaç and Şevket Öznur, Second Edition, 

Istanbul, A Gökada-Remzi Bookshop Publication, 2008, graphic designer of book cover.

·Zaman, Ceramic Show by artist Semral Öztan, Middle East Technical University-North Cyprus Campus, 

5-8 May 2009, Publication curator.

·Don’t Hit Me! Don’t Toss Me About!: Cyprus Folksongs Composed by Bekir Kara, Director of 

Music: Tuncay Langal, designer of CD Box and amp and cover.

·Your Memories are Like a Movie, Özhan Güzeloğlu, book and CD, February 2011, design 

implementation of book cover, CD box and amp and cover.

·Nostalgia, sevhal Köprülü, CD, October 2011, design of CD box and amp and cover.

·Cyprus Turkish Folk Dances Federation, Amblem Competition, First prize, July 2007.

·Cyprus Turkish Librarians Association, Logo Competition, Second Prize, March 2011.

Awards and Works in Photography

·XX. Book Fair by Işık Bookshop, “Corruption and Societal Change”, Photography Competition,  
First Prize, August 2007.

·XVII. Annual State Photography Competition and Exhibition, Participant, November 2007.

·Veli Kaymaklılı: Everything He Saw Through the Visor of his Camera was Art, feature report,
Defne, page 8, January-February 2008.

·XVIII. Annual State Photography Competition and Exhibition, Jury Special Award, November
2008.

·1. Öztan Özatay Photography Competition, Jury Special Award, February 2009.

·Second, Third and Fourth Öztan Özatay Photography Competition in 2010, 2011 and 2012, 
Participator/Exhibitor.

·I. Lapta Municipality Photography Competition, Jury Special Award, May 2011.

·II. Lapta Municipality Photography Competition, Participator/Exhibitor, May 2012.

·Yıltan Taşcı: The Faces of Nicosia, photograph on the back cover of the book, December 2012

·Yıltan Taşcı: Musician and Photographer, His photograph on the front page of Adres, the art and 
culture supplement of Yenidüzen Newspaper, was taken by Ceyhan Özyıldız.