The guest of this episode of With Eylül Aşkın, hosted by Eylül Aşkın and filmed at Bohem Apartment on Lüleci Hendek Street, was Rock’N Aid Charity Foundation’s Founder, Kaan Kadir Aktuna.
A Charity Where Money Doesn’t Change Hands
Rock’N Aid is an organization that arranges concerts to support those in need. Entry to these concerts isn’t through ticket sales but by providing one or more items from a pre-announced list of necessities for people or organizations in need. “This way, both the artist friends and you are helping,” explained Kaan Kadir Aktuna, adding that Rock’N Aid held its first event in 2018 with support from Burak Ocakçı, the manager of Kadıköy Ağaç Ev. Since then, the organization has held annual charity concerts across Turkey for various causes and now operates with over eighty volunteers.
“The place we provide the most aid to is the East.”
Kaan Kadir Aktuna stated that most of their aid is collected for the Eastern Anatolia region, noting that schools in Ağrı are in particularly poor condition. “The children have access to almost nothing,” he said, adding that Şırnak is not in much better shape. In addition to school assistance, the organization arranges aid events for sensitive issues such as animal rights, violence against women, and earthquakes. Aktuna explained, “We usually come together to show solidarity and say, ‘We musicians are here as well; we can raise our voices on your behalf in response to current events.’” He also shared that they have organized 14 concerts so far, hosting nearly 750 musicians.
2024 Event on December 15th at Dorock XL!
Rock N’ Aid 2024 will be held on December 15th at Dorock XL in Kadıköy, focusing on Animal Rights. A new alternative to Rock N’ Aid, called Metal N’ Aid, will also be connecting charitable metal fans at Beyoğlu Dorock Heavy Metal on November 24th.
Calling All Volunteers!
At the December 15th charity event, this time they will be accepting 5-10 kg bags of cat and dog food. Speaking about the event, Kaan Kadir Aktuna said, “On December 22nd, we also plan to distribute food. For this, we’ll need bread, pasta, and broth to cook meals for stray animals, which will require a lot of physical strength. If possible, we invite our participants to join us and lend a hand.” Emphasizing the need for muscle power, Aktuna urged animal lovers to come out and support.
Surprise for 2025!
Having previously hosted names like Grammy-winning singer Maya Azucena and Mahmut Tuncer for charity concerts, Rock N’ Aid is gearing up for an even larger-scale event with bigger names in 2025. Kaan Kadir Aktuna announced that starting in February, they will be working in a new format, and the 2025 charity event will focus specifically on supporting girls.
