The Pre-Election Study Tour Delegation at the TCA office with TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy and team

The 2016 Pre-Election Study Tour to Washington, DC, sponsored by the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) and organized by the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (USAFMC), visited Washington, DC, October 19-October 22, 2016. The delegation, which was comprised entirely of Turkish women politicians from all four major political parties in Turkey and members of the non-profit KADER (The Association for Supporting and Training Women Candidates), came to Washington to learn more about the U.S. election process including presidential, congressional, state, and local races as well as the potential impact of the upcoming U.S. election on the U.S.-Turkey relationship. The delegation met with several former members of Congress including Martin Frost (D-TX, 1979-2005), Cliff Stearns (R-FL, 1989-2013; President, USAFMC), Albert Wynn (D-MD, 1993-2008), and Dennis Hertel (D-MI, 1981-1993); as well as chiefs of staff from the offices of Reps. Alcee Hastings (D-FL/20^th), Jim Langevin (D-RI/2^nd), Susan Brooks (R-IN/5^th), Michael Burgess (R-TX/26^th), and Tom Cole (R-OK/4^th); journalists from Bloomberg, The Hill, and RealClearPolitics; Turkish Embassy officials; and think tank experts on U.S.-Turkey relations.

On Friday, October 21, the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) hosted a reception for the Hon. Ed Whitfield (R-KY, 1995-2016) upon his retirement from Congress for his contributions to the Turkish American community and the U.S.-Turkey relationship. As co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkey Relations and Turkish Americans, he was an ardent supporter of the U.S.-Turkey relationship and a voice on Capitol Hill for Turkish Americans. Members and friends of the Turkish American community attended the reception along with a delegation of Turkish Women Politicians.

TCA's 2015 Annual Report is now available online. The report highlights TCA's many programs, projects, and grants in 2015. TCA Chairman Dr. Yalcin Ayasli stated on the occasion, “Since its founding in 2007, TCA has worked to make a meaningful contribution to advancing the role of civil society and strengthening relations between the United States and Turkey. 2015 was a year of many highlights for TCA…I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the TCA board and staff, as well as to all of our partners in the Turkish American community and beyond, for their contributions to our common goal of strengthening U.S.-Turkey relations through people-to-people bridges.”

On October 19, TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy attended a reception celebrating the exhibition entitled “The Art of the Qur’an: Treasures from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts” at the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. The exhibition was organized in cooperation with Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and will run from October 22, 2016 through February 20, 2017. This is first major presentation of Qur’ans in the United States, and the exhibition features almost sixty manuscripts from Herat to Istanbul between the early eighth and seventeenth centuries.

TCA celebrates the 93rd Anniversary of the Republic of Turkey founded on October 29, 1923. TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy and staff attended Republic Day receptions at the Turkish Ambassador’s Residence and the Turkish Embassy in Washington, DC. TCA staff also attended the American Turkish Association of Washington D.C.’s annual Republic Day Gala.

On Tuesday, October 18, TCA hosted a discussion on women’s rights in Turkey with Itir Bagdadi, Lecturer at the Izmir University of Economics International Relations and European Union Department. Bagdadi briefly discussed the history of women’s rights and later examined the issues currently facing women in Turkey.

TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy traveled to Miami, Houston, and Denver to meet with Turkish Americans and discuss issues of importance to their communities. While in Miami, McCurdy attended a reception celebrating Turkish Republic Day.

TCA's Third Annual Turkish American Youth Leadership Congress is kicking off soon in Washington, DC, November 3-6, 2016. 25 young Turkish Americans will visit Washington, DC and will meet with U.S. congressional staff, American and Turkish diplomats and scholars, and representatives of Turkish American community organization. The Turkish American Youth Congress is open to undergraduate/graduate students and recent graduates of Turkish American heritage who wish to become active in American civic and political life, contribute to U.S.-Turkey relations and the Turkish American community, and are committed to advancing the TCA mission.