A bridge from the US to the Turkic world

Arzu Karya Uranli
Arzu Karya Uranli


Date posted: March 17, 2013

Arzu Kaya Uranli

I was at the third convention of the Turkic American Association (TAA) and the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists’ (TUSKON) mutual event: the annual Turkic American Convention (TAC) in Washington, D.C., last week. The event started with a cruise on the Potomac River on Tuesday evening then continued all day long at the Marriott Hotel on Wednesday.

TAC is the largest annual meeting that concentrates on empowering political, social and economic relationships between Turkic countries.

The theme this year was “energy, trade and development.” It focused on improving the existing partnerships between the Turkic world and the US and increasing economic cooperation and new opportunities between those countries.

TAA is the largest national Turkic organization in the US. It represents six regional federations, 200 community association, cultural centers, business associations, education institutions and private schools. Also, TUSKON is the largest nongovernmental business organization in Turkey. It consists of federations, 176 business associations, 45,000 businesspeople and 120,000 companies.

Although TAA is a very young non-profit umbrella organization that was established only three years ago, it organizes amazing events to bring the Turkic world and the US together.

In 17 years in the United States I’ve never witnessed such an impressive Turkic American event. At the event there were eight US senators and 50 congressmen, while there were eight members of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), seven from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and three mayors from Turkey.

They made very inspirational speeches. Many positive remarks were made during the two-day program concerning Turkey’s remarkable economic progress and its growing importance in the Middle East as a unique Muslim democratic country — a model for Muslim countries in the Middle East

US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher from California expressed how he felt about the status of Turkey and the Turkish people in the US: “One hundred years ago Turkey was known as ‘the sick man of Europe,’ but now the whole world thinks it is terrific.”

Rohrabacher said: “Over the last 24 years, Turkish people have been very quiet and have never argued their case in the US. In those years we never heard Turkish voices in Washington, D.C. I don’t know if they were embarrassed about something. However, now they are confident, and they assert their needs, and they say what they want as equals. Turkish Americans in the US and the Republic of Turkey are both doing a wonderful job nowadays. I am glad you are active.”

There were also memorable remarks from many US senators and congressman from various states. They indicated that the Turkish American communities in their regions take an important role in the economic and political relationship between Turkey and the US. Also, they contribute greatly to the cultural fabric. Many of them have visited Turkey, and after those trips their belief in the Turkish American relationship has grown stronger.

Participants from parliaments in Turkey and Turkic countries and local politicians from İstanbul, Antalya, Rize and Turkey and businessmen from Turkey and Turkic countries said that since Turkey has changed its economic policies and opened its economy to the world, there has been a tremendous change in Turkey that has made Turkey a leader of the Turkic world.

Bülent Keneş, editor-in-chief of Sunday’s Zaman, participated in one of the events as a speaker and talked about the effect of “soft power” on Turkey’s rapid development. Mr. Keneş mentioned the elements of soft power that Turkey has used very successfully in recent years and how this progress affected Turkey’s confidence in Europe and Middle East.

While Mr. Keneş was summarizing how Turkey has improved since the reforms of the Turgut Özal government in 1980, he also pointed out that civil society in Turkey, especially the Hizmet movement, has made a very important contribution to this progress. Keneş said, “Hizmet led to Turkey’s active presence in more than 150 countries around the world and has made a very crucial contribution to Turkey’s progress.

In conclusion, it was great to hear all those wonderful remarks about Turkey from very important politicians from the US and the whole Turkic world. It clearly shows that a new era has started for the Turkic world in the 21st century. Turkey has worked hard for this result, but we still have much more to do to maintain this progress. TAA’s meeting is proof that we have much to look forward to in the future.

Source: Today’s Zaman, March 17, 2013


Related News

Kenneth Hunter on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement

Kenneth Hunter is the Principal of the Prosser Career Academy High School. He studied theology at Chicago Loyola University and taught world religions in high schools. He served as the chairperson of Illinois State Board of Education Language Arts Assessment Advisory Council (2002-2012). He is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Chicago.

TUSKON storm

When Meral said: “Politics is a platform where you serve the people. It is not the place to make money or build a fortune,” thousands of businessmen listening to his speech stood up and enthusiastically applauded.

Speaking about Gülen, Chomsky: ‘Mandela declared as terrorist, too’

World-famous philosopher, philologist and historian Prof Dr. Noam Chomsky gave a speech about the claims of ‘terrorist’ against Fethullah Gülen in Boston. Chomsky reminded that legendary leader Nelson Mandela, who was awarded with Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle against racism and insistence on peaceful solution for racism, had been in ‘list of terrorists’.

Clergy share ideals as source of peace

Quotations from Jewish, Muslim, and Christian scriptures mixed easily with personal reflections as a Conservative rabbi, a Muslim imam, and a Lutheran minister joined together April 14 at Drew University in Madison for a lunchtime discussion on “Religion as a Source of Peace.”

The U.S. may face a choice between geopolitical calculation and human decency

Such movements, especially if they’re Muslim, attract suspicion in the West. In 2008, the Dutch government began investigating Hizmet. Its conclusions were that the movement isn’t involved in terrorism or a breeding ground for radicalism, nor does it oppose integration of Muslims into secular states. In 2015, MLK’s alma mater, Morehouse College, awarded its Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award to Gülen for his lifelong commitment to peace among nations. But Erdogan insists that Gülen is a terrorist.

Donate your qurban, bring joy to families in need

USA-based Embrace Relief Organization is organizing an Eid Al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) campaign to distribute your “livestock donations” to the needy across the globe. Embrace has been organizing this campaign every year for many year.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Opposition deputy seeks answers on gov’t ban on Kimse Yok Mu

TUSKON foreign trade summit opens Central Asia’s doors

Mysterious visitors to holdings

Relatives Fear Turkish Govt May Kill Prisoners Through Staged Riot

You cannot fool all the people all the time

Deporting Gülen would undercut NATO

First female chairwoman appointed at Kimse Yok Mu

Copyright 2024 Hizmet News