FAMILY VALUES

The traditional family structure and family values in Turkish society are going through changes along with the tempo of the times. For example, the age-old tradition of visiting elder members of the family on holidays has lost some of its importance in the rush of daily life in the big city.

For families that haven’t been able to come together for a long time, the Armada organizes "Big Family Meetings,” where groups of relatives can refresh their family ties while they enjoy walks in the historic peninsula and some of Istanbul’s cultural events. Inspired by the question "When was the last time our whole family got together?” that most of us can’t remember the answer to, the Armada invites core families, their elders and their other relatives to get together, especially during the holidays. Whether it be daily meetings, or a package holiday lasting several days, the Armada offers many choices for families who are concerned about growing apart, or for those who can’t find the time or the space to get together. 

Actually, the solutions offered by the Armada to bring big family gatherings to a manageable size aren’t new. For example, in 2000, well-known journalist for Hürriyet Newspaper, Ms. Emel Armutçu, wrote the humorous headline "Your Family Meets with Care" along with a "nice and special" news article which gave an account of a family meeting organized for the Sümen family. In the article, she summarized suggestions from the Armada like this:

“What do they recommend? Remove your family tree from computer programs, makes copies of those heirloom family photos that have no negatives, choose a meeting room that’s not only large enough for the size, but also suitable for the family. Show the old photographs and home movies on a screen, and if you wish, organize activities that the whole family will enjoy. The goal, if anything else, is when others ask "when is your "Family Day"? you can answer "It’s very soon. What about yours?”