Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic and its first President, stands as
a towering figure of the 20th Century. Among the great leaders of history, few
have achieved so much in so short period, transformed the life of a nation as
decisively, and given such profound inspiration to the world at large.
The Republic of
Turkey is a paradise of sun, sea, mountains, and lakes that are full of natural
beauties waiting to be discovered by you. Turkey has an ideal climate that is
perfect for relaxing on sandy beaches or enjoying the tranquility of mountains
and lakes. Turkey also has a magnificent past, and is a land full of historic
treasures from 13 successive civilizations spanning 10,000 years.
Dr. Nihat Bilgutay 1952- 2008
Posted by TAFSUS Board | July 03, 2008
We are deeply saddened to inform you that Dr. Nihat Bilgutay has passed away on
July 1, 2008 after a long illness. He will be buried in his hometown of
Kusadasi, in Turkey.
Dr. Bilgutay served as a Board Member for TAFSUS since 2001 and was its
President during 2005 and 2006. We are grateful for his many years of service
and numerous contributions to TAFSUS and to the Turkish American community in
the greater Philadelphia area.
We offer our heart felt condolences Dr. Bilgutay's wife Kathy and his three
children Canan, Aylin and Deniz Bilgutay.
TAFSUS Board
Turkish Cultural Day at UPenn Museum
Posted by TAFSUS Board | May 10, 2008
TAFSUS co-sponsored and hosted 'Turkish Delight! A celebration of Republic of
Turkey' on Saturday May 3, 2008 at the UPenn Museum (press
release). It was a day-long celebration of the rich culture of Turkey
with many activities. Many pictures from the day are available at our
photo album section.
Also, below is the program...
[ Continue reading at the newsletter section ]
TAFSUS OPEN MIKE NIGHT AT KONAK TURKISH RESTAURANT
Posted by TAFSUS Board | May 3, 2008
TAFSUS will host an open mike night at Konak Turkish Restaurant on May 8, 2008.
Happy hour will start at 5:30pm and dinner will start at 6:30pm.
All are invited to participate in the evening's festivities by sharing their
talent be it singing, playing an instrument, telling a story, or reciting a
poem at the open mike. Please send your email to
wallisu@msn.com to let us know how you would like to participate
without delay. Thank you very much...
[ Continue reading at the newsletter section ]
Photos from TAFSUS Dinner at Divan
Posted by Admin | March 28, 2008
TAFSUS hosted a get together dinner at Divan Turkish Kitchen on Tueday,
February 26, 2008. Some pictures from the event are available...
[ See all photo album here ]
LOGO DESIGN CONTEST WINNER
Posted by TAFSUS Board | March 10, 2008
The TAFSUS logo was
designed by Serdar Turkarslan, as part of a design contest organized by TAFSUS.
Serdar, who is a graduate student in cell and molecular biology at University
of Pennsylvania, describes his design concept as follows...
[ Continue reading at the newsletter section ]
Photos from TAFSUS Mevlana Dinner
Posted by Admin | February 14, 2008
TAFSUS hosted Mevlana Dinner at Konak Restaurant on Thursday, November 8, 2007
to celebrate the UNESCO 2007 International Year of Mevlana. There was music and
readings of Mevlana's poems as well as menu items reflecting the taste of his
time was presented.
[ See all photo album here ]
Photos from TAFSUS Republic Day and Seker Bayrami Cruise
Posted by Admin | February 14, 2008
TAFSUS celebrated Cumhuriyet Bayrami and Seker Bayrami on a Luncheon Cruise on
the Spirit of Philadelphia on October 21, 2007. Many TAFSUS members and friends
joined the celebrations. The rich Luncheon Buffet included a wide selection of
Salads, Entrees, Complements, Desserts, Coffee, Tea and Ice Tea Guests enjoyed
Live Entertainment by a talented DJ and Dancing throughout the Cruise.
[ See all photo album here ]
10th Annual Okumus/TAFSUS Fellowships for Turkey Study Tour
Posted by TAFSUS Board | January 30, 2008
The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia has announced the 10th annual Okumus/TAFSUS Fellowships for a 2 week study of Turkey July 13-28, 2008 and has sent a message to all Greater Philadelphia educators and school administrators. The necessary information and documents for educators to apply for these fellowships will also be posted at www.wacphila.org and a shorter version to TAFSUS website, www.tafsus.net.
If you like your children's or grandchildren's teachers and school administrators to get a first hand taste of Turkish culture, this is a golden opportunity for them to do so. Please note that the deadline for applications is March 7, 2008.
[ Continue reading at the newsletter section ]
DESIGN OUR LOGO
Posted by TAFSUS Board | January 28, 2008
We are looking for a logo that will reflect both the mission and spirit of the TAFSUS (Turkish American Friendship Society of US). A good fit for us would include the following:
- The logo should be able to be understood globally and inoffensive to all cultures.
- The logo may include the acronym TAFSUS or the 'Turkish American Friendship Society of US'
What do you win?
The winning design will receive $100 and the first runner up will receive $50.
The top designs will be announced and celebrated at a TAFSUS dinner reception
in Philadelphia.
[ Continue reading at the newsletter section ]
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Posted by TAFSUS Board | January 21, 2008
We are pleased to announce the 2008 TAFSUS Board:
|
Lale Iskarpatyoti, President and ATA School Liaison
Hasan Ayaz, VP Student Affairs and Website Development Suzan Aydin, VP Community Outreach Canan Bilgutay, VP Second Generation Affairs Nihat Bilgutay, Vice President At-Large Birtan Collier, VP Education Hasan Karatas, Secretary and VP Public Relations Serap Menda, Treasurer and VP Information Ibrahim Onaral, VP Membership, Social Affairs and Grassroots Activities Wallis Urmenyhazi, VP Cultural Affairs |
We thank our two outgoing Board members, Aysen Ozezer (Treasurer) and Meltem
Pusat-Gonnella (VP Public Relations) for all their past contributions and
welcome a new Board Member, Suzan Aydin, who is rejoining the TAFSUS Board as
VP for community outreach activities. Our special thanks go to Mohammed
Al-Khatib for overseeing the election process.
[ Continue reading at the newsletter section ]