Artists, academics, and arts and culture people that gathered in various cities around the world celebrated Osman Kavala's birthday through their wishes for many more free years to come.

Osman Kavala's family members, colleagues, and friends in Cezayir with a banner stating "Happy Birthday Osman Kavala, Wish you many more free years together" 

Artists and academics that were gathered in London, wishing Osman Kavala a happy birthday and many more free years together...

 "Osman Kavala taught us what we can do when there's nothing to be done"

On 28 September 2018, a symposium titled "What We Can Do When There's Nothing to be Done: Strategies for Change" was organized to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Columbia University, Center for the Study of Social Difference and the fifth anniversary of the "Women Creating Change" program in the new forum building of the Columbia University.

Artists, academics, and activits such as Judith Butler, Carol Becker, Ayşe Gül Altınay, Maria José Contreras, Masha Gessen, Diana Taylor and the program directors Jean Elisabeth Howard and Marienne Hirsch were among the participants of the conference. At the end of the program, participants and the audience came together under a banner celebrating Osman Kavala's birthday, and they conveyed the message "Osman Kavala taught us what we can do when there's nothing to be done". 

In 2014, "Women Mobilizing Memory" exhibition, curated by Ayşe Gül Altınay and Işın Önol, was organized through the collaboration of the Columbia University - Center for the Study of Social Difference, Sabancı University - Gender and Women's Studies Center of Excellence, and Columbia Global Centers Istanbul, in Depo, a gallery founded by Osman Kavala.