Summary of 2008 Activities
Here is the summary of TAFSUS Activities planned for 2008. Please see calendar above, for more information about each event.
| January 6 | ATA School Opening |
| January 13 | TAFSUS Board Meeting |
| February 17 | ATA School parents meeting |
| February 26 | TAFSUS Dinner at Divan |
| February 28 | TAFSUS Bowling for Young Professionals (over age 21) |
| March 8 |
Grassroots seminar by ATAA and TCA in Philadelphia. Includes TCA Reception and TCA Scholarship program meeting.
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| March 27 | TAFSUS Dinner at Fish and Grill |
| March 28 | Modern, Secular, Ancient and Sacred: Photographs from Turkey by David and Lisa U'Prichard at International House. |
| April 4 | Symposium on Ottoman-Iranian Relations @ University of Pennsylvania |
| April 19 | Philadelphia Turkish Festival |
| May 3 | UPenn Turkish Cultural Day |
| May 7-9 | International Children's Festival at Annenberg Center |
| May 8 | TAFSUS Dinner at Konak (Talent Show) |
| September | Potluck Fundraising for ATA School |
| October | Republic Day Event |
| December | Kurban Bayrami |
Summary of 2007 Activities
Here is the summary of 2007 TAFSUS Activities and Programs grouped by type:
- Social Activities
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A New Year Get Together Luncheon was held at Divan Restaurant on January 28. 60 people attended.
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Turkish Night Dinners were organized and held alternating between Konak and Divan in April, July and November.
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November 8 Dinner celebrated the UNESCO 2007 International year Mevlana with a special Turkish menu, music, poetry reading from Mevlana Celalettin Rumi. 62 people attended.
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A combination Cumhuriyet and Seker Bayrami Celebration luncheon cruise was organized by TAFSUS on the Spirit of Philadelphia with a buffet luncheon, live music, entertainment and narrated tour of the Delaware River. 74 people attended.
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- Cultural Activities
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TAFSUS promoted the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society's program with the Turkish cellist Efe Baltacigil at the American Philosophical Society on February 12. An informal dinner was held prior to the program at the Afghan restaurant, Ariana.
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With grants from the Turkish Cultural Foundation and the Middle East Center of the UPenn, TAFSUS presented The Court Music of the Ottoman Empire on April 21 with Singer Ayca Yesim and Oud Virtuoso Osman Nuri Ozpekel.
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TAFSUS board members helped Turkey Fellow teacher, Christine Jawork in organizing an all day Turkey Day in Harriton School. Hasan Ayaz and other Turkish students from Drexel interacted with the Harriton School students, showing a video on Turkey. Turkish food was served.
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TAFSUS again participated in the International Children's Festival at Annenberg Center of UPenn with a Turkish crafts table.
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TAFSUS participated in the Turkish Festival/March along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on May 26 along with many members of the Turkish community from the Greater Philadelphia region.
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With a grant from the Turkish Cultural Foundation, another Turkish Night was held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on June 1, 2007. There was Turkish music, flowers, food, folk dance group Kardelen performed many regional dances from Turkey and a display table showed Turkish crafts and served Turkish delight. Turkey tourism brochures were distributed. 750 people attended.
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- Educational Activities
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6 teachers received Okumus-TAFSUS Fellowships for a 2 week study tour of Turkey in July through the Education Department of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. This brings the total number of educators sent to Turkey to 49.
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About 20 high school students completed the "The Portrait of Turkey" program co-sponsored by TAFSUS and WAC. This is an intensive program of study on Turkey consisting of weekend courses often taught by previous Turkey fellow teachers.
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Turkey Fellow teacher Mary Hausler held a workshop on teaching history, art and geography of Turkey on March 2 during an educational conference of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.
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TAFSUS Board member Hasan Ayaz made a presentation on Turkey in December at the International Classroom of UPenn Museum.
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TAFSUS co-sponsored WAC's luncheon program with the Turkish Ambassador Nabi Sensoy on November 30 at the Union League of Philadelphia with the Ambassador speaking on Turkish-US relations. Over 200 people attended.
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TAFSUS presented Margaret Lonzetta of WAC with a Leadership Award in recognition of her contribution of excellence in international education on November 30.
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TAFSUS announced ATA School to teach Turkish and culture to children ages 6-14 with classes starting January 6, 2008. Program is supported by TAFSUS, the Turkish Cultural Foundation, and other private sources.
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Throughout the year, TAFSUS alerted the community about the Armenian Resolution H.Res. 106 and urged people to contact their legislators to take action against this resolution.
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Throughout the year, TAFSUS informed the community via email messages about news and developments related to the community and Turkey.
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Some TAFSUS programs were reported in the USA edition of the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet with photographs.
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- TAFSUS gave donations to:
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WAC for the Portrait of Turkey program
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The Community College of Philadelphia to support the travel expenses of 2 CCP student to Turkey along with 2 professors.
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The American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT) to support a historian at Ohio State University to study the Ottoman Court during the 17th century.
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Grant to Turkey Fellow teacher Rosemary Northcutt at Jenks School
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PMA for the Turkish Night (Event to take place in May, 2008)
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The Court Music of the Ottoman Empire
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WAC for the luncheon with the Turkish Ambassador
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TAFSUS financial books were examined by Bee, Bergvall and found in good order.
Summary of 2006 Activities
Here is the summary of 2006 TAFSUS Activities and Programs:
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-A Kurban Bayrami luncheon was held at the Aldar Bistro on January 15, 2006 with Turkish food and live Turkish music and a raffle.
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-TAFSUS co-sponsored "The 16th,17th and 188th Century Anatolian Carpets Exhibit" at the UPenn's Arthur Ross Gallery January 21 through April 2, 2006. Opening of the exhibit included a lecture by Walter Denny, professor of history of art at the Univ. of Massachusetts.
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-"Turkey: Ancient and Modern" A day long wworkshop for teachers was co-sponsored by the Education Dept of UPenn Museum, Middle East Center at UPenn and the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia on March 25, 2006 . This program was supported by TAFSUS, ATAA, Material Culture and Konak. 39 teachers attended.
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-TAFSUS organized a Turkish Night at the PPhiladelphia Museum of Art on April 7, 2006 with Turkish music, Turkish arts and crafts and tourism brochures on display, TAFSUS flyers and Turkish food being part of the menu. 890 people attended.
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-TAFSUS participated in the Annenberg Centter's Philadelphia International Children's Festival April 30-May 6, 2006 as one of the organizers for hands on arts and crafts activities.
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-TAFSUS provided 6 Okumus-TAFSUS Fellowshiips to teachers for a 2 week study tour of Turkey in July. This brings the total number of educators sent to Turkey to 43.
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-TAFSUS co-sponsored with the World Affairrs Council "The Portrait of Turkey" program for select high school students from Greater Philadelphia area schools for an intensive study of Turkey including a trip to the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C.
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-TAFSUS gave donations to the following:
- Rosemont College Political Science Dept. to support a trip to Washington D.C. in connection with the course on Turkish-US relations,
- the Turkish Studies Association for 1 Halide Edip Adivar scholarship,
- the American Research Institute in Turkey(ARIT) for a doctoral student at the Univ. of Chicago to study historical works in the Ottoman archives,
- the Community College of Philadelphia in support of sending 18 professors to Turkey on a study tour,
- the Hepatitis B Foundation to support their educational programs with Turkish researchers, and
- the Philadelphia Museum of Art for support of the Turkish Night program.
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-TAFSUS wrote letters to PBS to protest thhe program "The Armenian Genocide" program which aired on Channel 12
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-TAFSUS organized a Dinner Dance with Turkkish food and music on October 28, 2006 to celebrate the 83rd Anniversary of the Founding of the Turkish Republic at the Crowne Plaza Valley Forge Hotel with proclamations issued by Mayor Street and Governor Rendell. A program book was prepared with 10 advertisers.
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-TAFSUS invited the community to attend a musical evening with Odessa to Istanbul program on December 2, 2006 at Painted Bride Art Center with discounted tickets and food items at Konak Restaurant, next door.
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-Throughout the year, TAFSUS communicated with the Turkish American community to inform them of news and developments related to the community and Turkey.
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-TAFSUS financial books were examined by BBee, Bergvall and Co. and found in good order
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