Osman Kavala

Osman Kavala is a Turkish businessperson, rights defender, philanthropist and political prisoner. Kavala has supported numerous civil society organizations since the early 1990s. He is the founder and chair of the board of directors of Anadolu Kültür, a nonprofit arts and culture organization based in Istanbul. In 2019, he received the 21st European Archaeological Heritage Prize by the European Association of Archaeologists for his efforts to protect and preserve significant examples of cultural heritage in danger in Turkey. In 2019, he also received the 17th Ayşenur Zarakolu Freedom of Thought and Expression Award by Human Rights Association Istanbul branch.