The American Friends of Turkey (AFOT)The American Friends of Turkey (AFOT) The American Friends of Turkey (AFOT), based in Washington, DC, is a charitable organization organized and operated pursuant to Section 501 © (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. AFOT's programs and activities promote greater public awareness and understanding of Turkey's history, culture and modern day society. Contributions to AFOT are tax deductible as charitable contributions. AFOT OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS AFOT MISSION STATEMENT Approved by the Board of Directors on June 7, 2001
Who Are the American Friends of Turkey? AFOT was founded in 1982 by Americans who had come to know Turkey through professional and other contacts, and who were concerned about the proliferation of negative stereotypes that could undermine friendship between the two countries. Since then, AFOT has sought through various means to build bridges between the U.S. and Turkish peoples. Today, its focus is on creating opportunities, primarily but not exclusively in the greater Washington, D.C. area, for current and future American opinion-makers to be exposed to Turkey's uniquely rich culture. Our expectation is that such exposure will help a broad cross-section of American society better appreciate the links of friendship, tradition, and common interest that bind our two peoples. In addition to the annual Ralph E. Ropp reception (named for the organization's founder), AFOT several times each year brings together selected Americans and Turks for informal exchanges of view on current issues affecting the U.S.-Turkish relationship. AFOT funds yearly visits by Congressional staff members to Turkey and provides financial support to programs for undergraduate study in there. It also provides grants for projects contributing to stronger ties between the United States and Turkey. [AFOT is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit association organized and operated
pursuant to Section 301 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions
are usually tax-deductible as a charitable contribution to the extent
allowed by law. Please confer with your tax professional to access
the deductibility of your donation.]
The Banquet is one of the principal events of the Annual Conference of the American-Turkish Council/American Friends of Turkey and the Turkish-US Business Council of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK). In 1994, the banquet was named in honor of the founder of the American Friends of Turkey, the late Colonel Ralph E. Ropp. Under Colonel Ropp's leadership the Annual Conference and Banquet were initiated in 1982. Colonel Ropp, who served at NATO Headquarters in Turkey in mid-1970, was, after his retirement, a devoted proponent of closer US-Turkish relations in the broad areas of defense, commerce and culture.
For over seven years, the AFOT Book Sale has been a prominent feature of the Annual Conference. The book sale typically offers the widest possible selection of books on Turkey and undoubtedly a better and more complete selection than can be found in most bookstores. On the book sale table will be titles on: business, travel, children's stories, culinary arts, graphic arts, architecture, archaeology, history and biography. Book sale proceeds provide income for AFOT to support its many philanthropic projects.
The Friendship Fund, which was created in 1992, provides grants to worthy organizations and causes in support of AFOT's objectives. In 2000, the Fund was renamed in honor and memory of Daniel Oliver Newberry, who served in Ankara, Istanbul and Adana during his long and distinguished diplomatic career. Mr. Newberry's final post was as United States Consul General in Istanbul from 1981 to 1985. A true friend of Turkey, Mr. Newberry contributed significantly to building the American Friends of Turkey. For many years he served as AFOT's Executive Vice President and as a member of the AFOT Board of Directors. A SUMMARY OF RECENT DISTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FUND IS PROVIDED BELOW. Smithsonian Campus on the Mall Programs: For the ninth successive year, AFOT and ATC co-sponsored a weekend seminar at the Smithsonian Campus on the Mall that took place in on November 3 - 4, 2000. AFOT contributed $3000 to the Smithsonian Associates in support of this program. University Programs: AFOT co-sponsors lectures on Turkey at various universities across the United States. These lectures are widely publicized and offered to the campus communities and the general public. Recent lectures in this series have taken place in Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania), Chicago (University of Chicago), Seattle (University of Washington), Tacoma (University of Puget Sound) and Portland (Portland State University). AFOT's contributions vary with each of these programs, but generally cover the lecturer's honorarium and travel expenses. Annually, AFOT contributes approximately $2,600 towards the University Programs. The Economic and Social History Foundation of Turkey (History Foundation): In the fall of 1999, AFOT began working with the History Foundation to encourage contributions from American sources for the establishment of the Anatolian Ethnographic and Textile Research Center. The Center will exhibit thousands of objects and tens of thousands of photographs and books accumulated over 25 years by Ms. Josephine Powell. Since the fall of 1999, over $18,300 has been sent by AFOT to the History Foundation for this project. American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT): ARIT is the organization devoted to the encouragement and support of American academic research in Turkey. Fellowships and grants from ARIT make it possible for American scholars to pursue research in Turkey in a wide variety of fields and historical periods. ARIT facilities in Istanbul and Ankara offer housing, research libraries and administrative support for scholars. This year AFOT is contributing $1,000 to ARIT. Washington Turkish Women's Association (WTWA): For over 30 years, this organization of dedicated women has raised money to build schools outside of the major urban areas in order to provide educational opportunities for the children of Turkey. AFOT has supported WTWA for the last four years. This year, AFOT has made a contribution of $1,000. 2000 Istanbul International Music Festival: AFOT covered the transportation costs of the popular art and music commentator, Robert Aubry Davis, who hosts the weekly series The European Centuries, on National Public Radio, to attend the 2000 Istanbul International Music Festival in June. Mr. Davis had featured distinguished performances from previous festivals on his program in spring, 2000, and will feature the Istanbul Festival again this year. Study-Abroad Programs in Turkey: In 2000, AFOT and General Dynamics Land Systems contributed a grant of $5,000 to Hanover College, a liberal arts college of 1100 students in rural southeastern Indiana, to be used as an incentive for Hanover College students to enroll in the college's semester-abroad program with Bosphorus University in Istanbul. The grant covers transportation expenses for the first five students who enroll in the program. Due to the initial success of this grant, AFOT and General Dynamics Land Systems are contributing this year a grant of $5,000 with the same criteria to The George Washington University that has also established a study-abroad program with Bosphorus University. |