Held in collaboration with EMpower, the conference occurred on April 25, 2025, in Istanbul. This year’s theme, “Empowering with Girls,” focused on enabling girls to make decisions about their own lives and ensuring they are supported throughout these processes.
The conference's opening speech was delivered by Alya Salan, a graduate of the Suna’nın Kızları Summer Institute. Salan shared her insights on why it is essential to strengthen girls' capacity to shape their own lives. Following her speech, Jennifer L. O’Donoghue, Senior Expert and Deputy Director at the Center for Universal Education at Brookings Institution, emphasized the transformative impact of girls’ active participation in education and society, as well as the importance of child participation in learning environments.
In the panel titled "Girl-Centered Philanthropy," moderated by Burcu Gündüz Maşalacı, General Coordinator of Suna’nın Kızları, speakers included Nevgül Bilsel Safkan, General Manager of Sabancı Foundation; Seda Özdemir Şimşek, Earthquake Funds Manager of Turkish Philanthropy Funds; and Rana Kotan, Secretary General of TÜSEV. They discussed how resources can be more effectively utilized to empower girls.
During the session titled "Girls' Journey to Agency," Suna’nın Kızları advisory team members Defne Ece Çelik and Leyla Esra Koyuncu, EMpower Senior Program Manager Jayanthi Pushkaran, Vacha Trust Project Director Yagna Lalitkumar Parmar, and EMpower Girls’ Advisory Board Member Roshni Bharti shared their experiences.
Another panel, "Designing with and for Girls," was moderated by Aysel Madra, Research Coordinator of Suna’nın Kızları. Speakers included Program Manager Bediz Gürel, Project Specialist Elif Ertekin, Children’s Communities Specialist Gizem Çiftçi, Gizem Kıygı from City Detective, Jayanthi Pushkaran from EMpower, Program Coordinator Melda Akbaş, and Clinical Psychologist Selen Yüksel from the Solidarity for Equality team. They discussed the impacts of child-centered design and field practices.
The event also showcased content developed in collaboration with Suna’nın Kızları circles, such as the Talking Photos, Capability Cards, and Learning Circle Guide. Additionally, a photo exhibition titled "Talking Photos" prepared by children was presented to participants.
At the 9th Major Community Gathering, the Suna’nın Kızları communities came together to review the past year’s outcomes and align on project plans for 2026. Participants explored new ideas and collaboration opportunities on how the model and programs co-developed with 33 civil society organizations over the past four years can further support and reinforce one another.
The Istanbul Research Institute continues to offer free guided tours of the exhibition The Photography Studio of an Adventurous Architect: Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu 1893–1982, which sheds light on the life of one of the most unconventional architects of his time, spanning the late Ottoman and early Republican periods.
The catalogue Extraordinary Minas: The Story of Inspiration and Innovation in Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics examines the efforts of Kütahya masters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to revive the disappearing craftsmanship of tile-making by focusing on a master and a group of his work, by presenting objects from the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics Collection.