Message from Co-Chair Dr. Halil Mutlu:
As we enter the holiday season, we are excited to begin our newest projects:
TASCRoots,
TASC Sunday Schools, and
TASC Youth Bridges.
I believe in what my Co-Chair Gunay Evinch has coined “The Samsun Principle”. When Ataturk landed in the Black Sea town of Samsun on May 19, 1919, to start the Turkish Independence Movement, he embraced the full diversity of Anatolia under a unifying democratic Turkish Republic, nationality and common language, with liberty and justice for all. This principle has always worked for the Turks. Gunay and I believe it is the way forward for Turkish Americans.
Read Dr. Mutlu's full message
here.
|
|
#GivingTuesday2023
2023 is the 100th Anniversary of the Turkish Republic!
Support the Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) on #GivingTuesday, by giving $20.23 weekly or monthly, or with an annual donation of $2023. A modest sacrifice to honor the forefathers and mothers of the Turkish Republic, your gift will help TASC empower the Turkish American community through civic engagement education and training, and project a unified voice on issues important to Turkish Americans.
|
Alternatively,
Checks payable to:
Turkish American National Steering Committee
The Washington Turkish House
1526 18th Street NW
Washington DC 20036
|
|
Produced by Carri Connor, TASC Programs Director
Interested in participating as a speaker in our Embassy Row Lecture Series,
or have other program ideas for TASC?
Email me at cconnor@ourtasc.org
|
|
TASC Treasurer Murat Guzel Awarded
Ellis Island Medal of Honor!
|
|
TASC is proud to announce that TASC Treasurer Murat Güzel received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which is given to “American citizens who have distinguished themselves within their own ethnic groups while exemplifying the values of the American way of life.”
www.eihonors.org.
Güzel, a longtime political activist, received the Medal of Honor for his dedication to the Turkish American community and American, as well as for his project on preventing drug abuse among secondary school-age girls living in poverty.
The Ellis Island Medal of Honor has been awarded to several U.S. Presidents, Frank Sinatra, Muhammad Ali, and other notable recipients. Guzel became TASC’s third officer to receive the Ellis Medal of Honor, following Member of the TASC Board of Advisors Ibrahim Kurtulus and former Member of the TASC Board of Directors Ergun Kirlikovali.
TASC congratulates Mr. Murat Güzel for receiving this prestigious recognition and thanks hime for serving as an outstanding role model to Turkish Americans nationwide.
|
|
First TASCRoots Seminars Launches in New York
|
|
TASCRoots launched its first seminar on Saturday, December 1 in New York. Panelists included Dr. Halil Mutlu, on navigating the American healthcare system, and Ayhan Ogmen, Esq. on immigration compliance.
TASCRoots will hold seminars nationwide. TASCRoots works to empower Turkish American families through education and training in civic responsibility and economic, political and social integration. TASCRoots hopes to raise generations of Turkish Americans who are productive citizens of their new homeland, and who have a strong sense of the heritage of their motherland, Turkey.
|
|
TASCTalks Launches First Seminar at UCLA Campus
|
|
TASC and the Syrian American Council (SAC) co-hosted an event at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) on the Syrian War and its impact across the Middle East. Suzanne Meriden, Executive Director of SAC spoke regarding the refugee problem, issues facing the return of refugees to Syria in the future, and problems arising from American and Iranian support to proxy groups which are terrorist by definition, such as the YPG which is the Syrian affiliate of the PKK, according to the United States Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
|
|
Embassy Row Lecture Series: Archaeological Expedition to Sinop, Turkey
|
|
November 26 & 27: TASC was pleased to host Prof. Dr. Owen Doonan, California State University Northridge, at the Washington Turkish House for his lecture on his archaeological research in the Sinop Kale Region of Turkey, located on the Black Sea. Over 100 guests attended the lecture over two nights at the Washington Turkish House, one of our most popular lecture series.
Dr. Owen Doonan is Director of Sinop Kale Excavations. Learn more about the Sinop Kale excavations
here.
|
|
|
TRT World Interviews Turkish Language Students and Instructor for Television Segment
|
|
Students from all levels were interviewed in Turkish for a TRT World Segment. Esra Uludag, TASC Turkish Language Instructor, taught a lesson during the interview. Thank you to TASC Language Students who participated! TASC Turkish language course are given twice a week, and include approximately 60 students.
|
|
TASC Hosts Azerbaijan Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Fuad Muradov and State Delegation
|
|
November 16 - TASC leaders hosted the Chairman of the Azerbaijan Committee on Diaspora Affairs Chairman Fuat Muradov and his team at the Washington Turkish House. TASC Co Chairs Dr. Halil Mutlu and Gunay Evinch, Esq, discussed TASC’s 2019 joint projects with Azerbaijani Americans. TASC is expanding its cooperation with the Turkish Prime Ministry Directorate for Turks Abroad to include the Azerbaijan Committee on Diaspora Affairs to support the strong integration of Turks and Azeris in America through civi, economic and cultural empowerment.
|
|
TASC Participates in Documentary Screening Featuring Turkish High School
|
|
Turkish American alumni of Espiye Imam-Hatip High School from across the nation met in West Springfield, MA to attend the screening of a documentary about their alma mater, located in the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. Ilhami Temel, who worked at the Espiye Imam-Hatip High School as a teacher and school administrator for almost thirty years, directed the documentary.
After the screening, TASC Co-Chair Dr. Halil Mutlu spoke regarding the crucial role Imam-Hatip high schools have played in the lives of thousands of people in Turkey and America. Many came from families who could not afford to send their children to school. Many came from regions where public school facilities and opportunities were meager. Like Catholic schools, the Imam-Hatip School reached out to the people and opened opportunities for girls and boys, young women and men on an equal basis in all fields, including the physical sciences, social sciences, and spiritual development.The schools provided basic studies in religion, philosophy, law and ethics.
|
|
TASC Participates in "Accessible Cities" Discussion, Hosted by World Disability Union
|
|
TASC took part in an event at the United Nations Headquarters in NYC, titled "Accessible Cities," organized by World Disability Union (WDU). TASC thanks the President of WDU, Mr. Metin Senturk, for the kind invitation. TASC also thanks Mr. Bülent Kayabaş for coordinating the event and the Turkish American community members who participated. TASC commended Turkey and Turkish municipalities (particularly Mersin, Alanya, and Delaman) for effectively eliminating barriers for disabled citizens and providing full access to all of its citizens. TASC also commends the Turkish Amputee Men’s National Soccer Team, which placed second in the 2018 Amputee World Cup in Mexico, and Turkish Down Syndrome National Men’s Soccer Team which placed third in the 2018 World Cup in Italy.
|
|
TASC Sponsors
Rising Star Academy Archer, Adam Habib
|
|
TASC gifted an Ottoman Turkish Bow and Arrow set to Rising Star Academy student and Turkish Olympic Archer, Adam Habib. Archery is an ancient Turkish sport and military asset. The ancient Turks invented the compound bow which was more powerful and accurate than the European cross bow. The Ottoman distance record is 848 meters, which is 2783 feet, about eight football fields long.
|
|
TASC Participates in the 21st Annual MAS-LA Convention
|
|
|
|
Dr. Halil Mutlu (left), Co-Chair of TASC, participated in the Muslim American Society Los Angeles 21st Annual Convention. Other speakers included Tuba Nur Sonmez (middle) and Diyanet Center of America Imam Ali Tos (right). This was the first ever MAS-LA Conference session that was delivered in the Turkish Language.
Co-Chair Mutlu thanked MAS-LA for this opportunity to represent Turkish Americans in the Muslim American community.
|
|
Congratulations to Turkish Council of America (TCA) President, Lincoln McCurdy, For Receiving
Gusi International Peace Prize
|
|
|
|
The Gusi International Peace Prize is Asia’s foremost award that recognizes individuals and organizations working toward the attainment of peace and respect for human life and dignity.
Congratulations to Lincoln and the Turkish Coalition of America for an outstanding achievement.
|
|
November 6: TASC Congratulates
Turkish Amputee National Soccer Team
Silver Medalists in World Cup 2018!
|
|
TASC congratulates the Turkish National Amputee Soccer Team for winning the silver medal in the 2018 World Cup in San Juan de Los Lagos, Mexico.
|
|
|
November 9: TASC Mourns Thousand Oaks Victims,
307th Mass Shooting in America in 2018
|
|
The Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) mourns the deaths of 13 who were killed and hopes for the speedy recovery of more than 24 injured in a mass shooting on Wednesday night at the Borderline, a country-western dance bar in Thousand Oaks, California.
We pray for the victims and the wounded, and stand in solidarity with their families and friends, and all victims of mass shootings in America.
|
|
|
November 10: Forever in our hearts
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
1881-1938
|
|
"When a great man dies, for years the light he leaves behind shines on the path of men."
Henry Longfellow, American Poet, 1807-1881.
|
|
Collage produced by TASC from archival photos of the State Funeral Procession.
|
|
November 28: TASC Welcomes Turkish U17 Nationals to United States for
International Soccer Friendlies
|
|
|
|
The Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) welcomes the Turkish U17 National Soccer Team who arrived in Miami, Florida on November 26, 2018, as guests of the United States Soccer Federation. The annual Nike International Friendlies will be held at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2. The elite four-team tournament will feature the USA, Brazil, Portugal and Turkey.
Full press release and schedule can be found
here.
|
|
November 29: TASC Commends Turkey-Japan Symphony Concert in New York City
Memory of Japan saving Turkish Navy Men at Sea,
Turkey saving Japanese Citizens during Iran-Iraq War
|
|
|
|
New York’s Carnegie Hall hosted the Japanese Kii No Kuni Suite Symphony for a musical program titled “The Dramatic Rescue Operation of Two Nations,” a story of courage and humanity between Turkey and Japan that spans over 100 years. TASC Co-Chair Dr. Halil Mutlu and Executive Committee Member Ayhan Ogmen attended on behalf of TASC.
The symphonic concert honored the heroic history of both countries during life-threatening incidents in 1890 and 1985.
Read our full press release
here.
|
|
November 29: TASC Commends
UNESCO TURKSOY 25th Anniversary
Turkic Heritage Symphony Concert in Paris
|
|
UNESCO hosted the 25th Anniversary of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) with a symphonic concert and cultural exhibit in Paris, France.
Azerbaijani Maestro Mustafa Mehmandarov conducted the TURKSOY Youth Chamber Orchestra comprising students from the state conservatories of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Turkey.
UNESCO Director of Member States and Partners, Genc Seiti, delivered welcoming remarks. Turkish Ambassador to Paris, Ismail Hakki Musa, joined TURKSOY General Secretary Ambassador Düsen Kaseinov for the concert and exhibit that was attended by thousands.
|
|
Turkish Language lessons schedule released soon, to begin around the third week of January.
Coming Soon! Starting in February 2018, Ebru art classes will be offered at the Washington Turkish House!
|
|
In the Spring, the TASC Embassy Row Lecture Series will feature Speaker Dr. Brendon J. Cannon who will discuss his recent article on Turkey's military base in Somalia.
|
|
December 8, 2018: Uyghur Awareness Day will explore the Turkic heritage of western China, and the Uyghur people’s quest for equality and equal opportunity in China.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
