MONTHLY NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2012

TCA Commemorates the 89th Anniversary of Turkish Republic Day

TCA commemorated Turkish Republic Day on October 29. On this day in 1923, the newly recognized Turkish parliament proclaimed the establishment of the Republic of Turkey and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who led the Turkish National War of Liberation, was unanimously elected as its first president. The wide-ranging set of reforms in the political, economic and cultural aspects of Turkish society spearheaded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk created the foundation for today's modern, democratic and secular Turkish Republic. For the TCA release on the occasion of Turkish Republic Day, please visit here.

1912-1913 Balkan Wars Map Published in Bosnia

The Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law at the University of Sarajevo was granted permission to translate into Bosnian and republish the TCA sponsored 1912-1913 Balkan Wars Annotated Map chronicling the death and forced exile of approximately 1.5 million Ottoman Muslims. The map was prepared by Justin McCarthy, Professor of History at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, an expert on Ottoman history and particularly demographics and population movements. Free hard copies of the English version may be requested by sending an e-mail to info@tc-america.org or downloaded here. To view the Bosnian translation of the map, please click here.

TCA President Attends National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Annual Convention

On October 25th, TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy attended the 69th NCAI Annual Convention Gala Dinner in Sacramento, CA. The NCAI Convention marked the passage of a resolution calling on the U.S. Congress to pass legislation that encourages and facilitates tribal trade with Turkey and other World Trade Organization (WTO) countries. The resolution praises Turkey for its leadership in encouraging investment and economic growth in tribal communities. NCAI, founded in 1944, is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the interests of tribal governments and communities.

TCA Participates in Panel on Rise of Extremism in Greece

On October 23rd, TCA Research Fellow Sevin Elekdag, spoke at “The Rise of Extremism in Greece and Its Impact on Minorities” panel discussion hosted by the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD). Ms. Elekdag addressed the current grievances and longstanding human rights violations of the Turkish minority of Western Thrace in Greece. Other panelists speaking at the event included Archmandrite Nikodim Tsarknias, Representative of Greece’s Macedonian Orthodox religious community, Mr. Sali Bollati, Secretary-General of the Albanian American Organization and Ms. Eugenia Natsoulidou, UMD Greece Representative. For more information on the panel, click here.

TCAdvance Scholars Take Part in Political Activism Orientation Event

On October 19th, TCA welcomed 12 TCAdvance Scholars to Washington D.C. for a an orientation session. The event was led by TCA Project Manager Zeynep Guven, and gave recipients of TCA's prestigious Turkish American scholarship the opportunity to learn from congressional staffers about the U.S. legislative process and the importance of citizen advocacy. Since its inception in 2007, the TCAdvance program has provided 114 scholarships to 71 Turkish American students. For more information on TCAdvance Scholarships and our scholars, please click here.

TCA Approves Study Tour Grants to Georgia State, Grand Valley State University

TCA has approved two grants to support students traveling to Turkey in May 2013. The TCA grant to Georgia State University (GSU) will support the Global Business and Media course that is planned to take place in Turkey from May 16-26, 2013. The TCA grant to GSU will help subsidize participation costs for 18 students. The TCA study tour grant to Grand Valley State University will enable up to 12 students to participate in a 4-week 'Study Abroad' program in Turkey that will commence on May 3, 2013. Georgia State and Grand Valley State are the first 2 grant recipients of 2013. Since the inception of its Study Tour Grant program in 2011, TCA grants have supported 10 study tours to Turkey and have helped raise Turkey's profile as a destination for US college study tours.

Turkish Embassy Lecture Series to feature Dr. Kemal Dervis

On November 13, Dr. Kemal Dervis, Vice President and Director of the Global Economy and Development Program at the Brookings Institution, will speak on “Turkey on the Road to the 100th Anniversary of the Republic” as part of the Turkish Embassy Lecture Series. Organized by the American Friends of Turkey (AFOT), the lecture series, as well as other informational lectures on Turkey around the U.S. are supported by a 2-year TCA grant to AFOT. For more information on the lecture series please click here.

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