" I am not leaving a spritual legacy
of dogmas, unchangeable petrified directives. My spritual legacy is
science and reason."

M. Kemal Atatürk 1933

 

The Atatürk Society of America (ASA) is an independent non-profit organization founded in Washington DC in 1995 with the objective of promoting Atatürk’s political legacy as a contribution to freedom and peace.

ASA understands Atatürk’s political philosophy to be:

Sovereignty belongs to the people. People alone administer people. Public sovereignty cannot be shared with any other authority, including a religious authority.

Rational education ensures absoluteness of public sovereignty and rationality in politics. Science leads to progress Doctrines, including religious ideologies, hinder progress.

The contemporary civilization is the common heritage of mankind. All nations must participate in it through progress. The universality of civilization means peace at home and peace in the world".

Towards this objective the ASA organizes scholarly lectures, grants research fellowships, maintains a resource and reference center, makes representations regarding the benefits of Atatürk’s political principles for world’s prosperity and peace.

 

Atatürk Society of America

4731 Massachusetts Ave. NW,
Washington DC 20016

 

 

 

 

ASA EVENTS

2008

On May 18, 2008 Atatürk Society of America (ASA) held an event in Washington DC at the historic Dacor Bacon House with Professor Arnold Ludwig who presented his findings based on research for his book, King of the Mountain.

For eighteen years Professor Arnold Ludwig studied 1,941 rulers from 199 countries who led from January 1, 1900 through December 31, 2000 to learn why rulers want to rule and what distinguishes them from other kinds of people.  Based on his analysis, he identified Atatürk as excelling in many areas such as liberator, visionary, defiant against traditional religious beliefs, and discarding social customs.  At the end, Atatürk emerged as King of the Mountain.

Arnold Ludwig is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the University of Kentucky.  He is the past winner of the Hofheimer Prize for Outstanding Research in his field and the author of ten books.

ASA organized a Mehmetcik Fund Drive to help support Turkish Veterans. In collaboration with ATA-DC, ASA held a fundraising dinner for this purpose. Over $17,000.00 was raised for the cause, and that amount was matched dollar for dollar by the Turkish Coalition of America to bring the grand total to more than $34,000.00

2007

The ASA Executive Board has launched a campaign to donate books to local libraries on modern Turkey. The books are Ataturk, by Andrew Mango, The Ataturk Revolution, by Suna Kili, and Turkish Woman, by Ayse Cebesoy Sarialp.

On March 17, ASA and ATA-DC hosted a dinner in honor of Prof. Arnold M. Ludwig, author of “King of the Mountain”. The book studies over a thousand leaders around the world for their acumen, intelligence, and capabilities using empirical methods, and finds that Kemal Ataturk emerges as the top leader of the world.

ASA Board members visited Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) to present him with books and reference material about Ataturk and requested his guidance in distributing these books to public schools and libraries in Indiana.

ASA members walked to Ataturk’s Mausoleum with thousands of others in the April 14 demonstration in Ankara. This was the first and largest participation of Turkish people gathering together wholeheartedly, 69 years after Ataturk’s death, to show their faith in the secular Republic of Turkey.

On April 25, ASA board members participated in Anzac Day Commemorative Services at the Washington National Cathedral.


On May 20, ASA members joined more than 700 members of Turkish, Turkish-American and Friends of Turkey participants at the “Support for an Ever-Secular Turkey” demonstration in Washington, DC. ASA was one of the organizers of this demonstration, which was organized in order to support all other similar demonstrations that happened in major cities in Turkey and Europe in 2007.

2006

The historical Gazi High School in Izmit, Turkey was among many buildings that were damaged in the earthquake of August 17, 1999.  The rebuilding of the High School was recently completed. The new Library at the school is a gift from the Ataturk Society of America. ASA also donated books and computers to the library.

ASA donated gardening tools and equipment again this year to the grounds keeping facilities of the mausoleum of Ataturk at Anitkabir in Ankara, in order to help maintain and beautify the mausoleum grounds.

On April 25, ASA board members participated in Anzac Day Commemorative Services at the Washington National Cathedral.

On April 26, ASA organized and held a Panel Discussion titled: “Ataturk’s Reforms as Response to Radical Islam” at Georgetown University, Washington, DC.

On May 19, ASA celebrated Ataturk’s 125th birthday at the historic House Caucus Room in Washington, DC. The featured speaker was Newt Gingrich. The event was attended by ASA members,  Members of Congress, congressional staff, diplomats, U.S. government representatives, and others.

On November 10, ASA President and Board members participated in the remembrance ceremony for Ataturk at the Turkish Embassy.

2005

May 19 was celebrated with a keynote speech by Senator Chuck Hagel  about Turkish- American relations. The event took place with an attendance of more than 150 guests at the Russel Senate Office Building’s main meeting room, and was followed by a reception. An ASA memento was presented to Senator Hagel by Ambassador F. Logoglu.

The Executive Board continued to make its views known by letters to Turkish and European authorities who misrepresent Ataturk’s reforms and political principles on their statements. The Executive Board also continued to lend its support for the second consecutive year to the federal funding of The American Forum for Global Education US-Turkey Student Exchange program.

The post-doctoral research commissioned last year was denied the full award because the ASA’s academic Research Grant Jury did not find the manuscript of publishable quality. The Executive Board decided to abolish the Ataturk research Fund established for granting such awards because of unsatisfactory results despite several attempts made since its inception.

Following the continued success of sales of recent publications on Ataturk, our supplies had to be replenished. And a new booklet, “Turkish Woman” by A. C. Sarialp, 2004, was added to the collection.

2004

March - The educational visit to Turkey by Abigail Bowman, 8th placed student from Des Moines in 2002 National History Day Contest, materialized in March. During her one-week stay in Ankara and Istanbul Abigail visited museums, high schools, the President of the Turkish History Society, and the U.S. Ambassador.

May 23 - May 19 was celebrated on May 23 with an event organized at the Turkish Embassy. The theme of the day was Ataturk's reforms on education and on women's rights. Speeches were delivered by a student, Abigail Bowman from Des Moines Iowa, and a teacher, Cathleen Boivin from Fairfax County Virginia.

May 25 - President of ASA addressed a group of Congressional staff at one of the Committee rooms in Rayburn building. His talk on "The Concepts of the Turkish Model and the Greater Middle East" attracted considerable interest."

October 8 - The 70th anniversary of Turkish women’s voting rights, and the 80th of the introduction of the co-educational system in Turkey was celebrated on October 8th at the Turkish Embassy’s hall. The program included a presentation by author and teacher Judy Light Ayyildiz from Virginia, and the premier showing of a documentary produced by Gulsah Celiker on Sabiha Gokcen, the first combat pilot and adoptive daughter of Ataturk.

November - A library and an Ataturk memorial were donated to Gazi High school in Izmit. The library is named after a former popular teacher in the school. The memorial consists of four granite tablets inscribed with Ataturk’s words on science, education, arts, and sports, one with the youth’s answer to Ataturk’s address to the youth.

2003

February 15-A lecture by Dr. Daniel Pipes titled "Turkey and the War on Terror" was organized at the Library of Congress.

May 18 - May 19 was celebrated at the Turkish Embassy premises.The ASA presented "Appreciation of Support" awards to Ambassador Baki Ilkin and to Mrs. Ilkin for their untiring support of the ASA that continues after their move from Washington to Ankara. Ambassador Ilkin's acceptance speech focused on Atatürk's reforms. A concert and a buffet dinner followed.

September 1-The Executive Board co-operated with Fairfax County, Virginia, Public School Administration in the preparation of instructional material for history teachers regarding Ataturk's reforms. The introduction of this information in education is a first in the U.S.

October 26-80th anniversary of the Turkish Republic was celebrated with a ceremony at the Turkish Embassy premises. Andrew Mango, the author of Ataturk, was presented with ASA Ataturk award called "Universality of Civilization". Prof. Bruce Kuniholm presented the award, Dr. Mango delivered an acceptance speech. A concert and buffet followed.

October 27, 28-ASA organized lectures to be delivered by Dr. Andrew Mango at Georgetown University and Princeton.

November 10-80th anniversary of the Turkish Republic and the 50th anniversary of Ataturk's burial at the Mausoleum were commemorated in Ankara. Thousands of people attended the program at the Mausoleum, which included reading by the Istanbul University students Ataturk's address to the youth and youth's response to him, and a performance by Dilek Turker of a play by Nezihe Araz. Evening program organized by curtesy of Bilkent university at the University Concert Hall included a reception, a speech by Prof. Turkan Saylan, presentation of gratitude awards to Prof. Suna Kili, Prof. Turkan Saylan, Nezihe Araz, and Dilek Sabanci, and a concert by Bilkent Symphony Orchestra.

2002

March 22 - Lecture by Judge Sam Weems titled "An American’s Personal Experience with Ataturk" delivered at the American University.
May 4 - The event organized by The Smithsonian Institute to present the Turkish Culture was sponsored by the Ataturk Society of America. The program included an audio-visual presentation of the Turkish Culture through the ages by Prof. Talat Halman, an audio-visual presentation of Turkey’s cultural heritage since the antiquities by Dr. Scott Redford, a classical composition by the Turkish-American composer Osman Kivrak performed by the Jefferson High School Orchestra, and a folk dance performance by the famous Collage Dance Ensemble of Boston.

May19 - Prof. Bernard Lewis was presented with the Universality of Civilization & Peace Award in a ceremony organized at the Turkisk Embassy. The award was presented by the ASA Trustee Richard Perle. Prof. Lewis delivered an acceptance speech. A concert and reception followed.

June 11-The seventh grader Abigail Bowman from DesMoines whose entry on Atatürk-Reformer of Turkey in the National History Day Contest won her the eighth place in the competition out of seven hundred thousand entrants was honored by ASA at a ceremony at the Turkish Ambassador’s residence.

November 10-The day was commemorated at the Turkish Embassy by a lecture delivered by Dr. Engin Holmstrom.

2001

April 29 - Turkish stage actress Dilek Turker performed Nezihe Araz' play "Latife-One Thousand Days with Mustafa Kemal" in New York and in Washington DC upon invitation by the Atatürk Society of America. The show in New York was hosted by the Federation of Turkish American Associations. The events were on April 27 in New York and on April 29 in DC.

May 25 - The Atatürk Society of America presented Atatürk awards, on the occasion of celebrating May 19 at a ceremony at the Turkish Embassy on May 25, to three outstanding Turks who are representatives and guardians of Atatürk's principles and reforms. "Science is Guidance Award" went to Prof. Behram Kursunoglu of Miami FL. His award was presented by Turkish Ambassador Baki Ilkin. "Education & Modernization Award" was presented to Prof. Turkan Saylan of Istanbul Turkey, by former Ambassador to Turkey Amb. Richard Barkley. "Secularism & Democracy Award" to Orhan Tarhan of Bethesda MD was presented by Prof. Amos Perlmutter.

November 10 - Commemorated at the Turkish Embassy premises. In addition to commemorative speeches the program included the showing of the 1954 video titled "Incredible Turk" narrated by Walter Cronkite, and a concert.

2000

April 21- Lectures by Hon. Richard N. Perle and Amb. Richard C. Barkley at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

May 14 - Celebration of May 19 at Westin Fairfax, Washington DC, with guest speaker Hon. Greg Laughlin, and a concert.

September 24 - Lecture and book signing by Dr. Andrew Mango at Westin Fairfax, Washington DC.

November 1 2- Commemorating November 10 with a Panel Discussion at the American University. The theme of the discussion was "Ataturk’s Secularism and International Stability". Discussants were Professors Suna Kili, Unsal Yavuz, Amos Perlmutter, and Dr. George Harris, Moderator was Prof. Talat Halman.

1999

April 23 - Participation in ANZAC Day celebrations in Washington DC.

May 19 - Celebration of Atatürk’s birthday at Park Hyatt Hotel; Video showing of an archival film taken at the 10th Anniversary of the Turkish Republic.

Letters of protests sent to the President of Turkey, Speaker of Turkish Grand National Assembly and President of Turkish Constitutional Court regarding the actions and words by some elected politicians against Atatürk’s reforms and principles.

Donation of hundreds of books collected by Prof. Emeritus Bulent Atabek to several universities in Turkey.

Nov.10 - Commemorative ceremony at the ATAA facilities in Washington DC, Video showing of "Sari Zeybek", and President William J. Clinton’s message on the occasion. Organization by ASA of a flower planting campaign by Turkish students, a concert by Bilkent Un. Symphony Orchestra and speeches at Atatürk mausoleum park. President William J. Clinton’s visit to the Mausoleum.

1998

May 15 - Celebration of Atatürk’s birthday at Mayflower Hotel, Washington DC. Presentation of Atatürk Peace And Democracy Award to Adm. William Crowe Jr.

Donation of hundreds of medical books collected by Dr. Faruk Ozer, to Gulhane Military Medical School.

Nov.10 - Visit by ASA to Atatürk’s mausoleum, and donation of landscaping material by Hudai Yavalar, Founding President of ASA.

Nov.24 - Panel discussion titled " Atatürk’s View of Popular Sovereignty and Current Turkish Political Reality" at The Library of Congress. Panelists were: Prof. Leslie Lipson, U. of California, Berkeley; Paul Henze, Rand Corporation; Prof. Sabri Sayari, Georgetown Un.; Congressman Ed Withfield; Former Congressmen Greg Laughlin and Jim Moody; Prof. Emre Kongar, Yildiz Un.; Prof. Ersin Kalaycioglu, Bogazici Un.; Orhan Tarhan, President ASA.

1997

March 2 - Demonstration of solidarity, at Lafayette Park, with the anti-fundamentalist movement in Turkey called "A minute of darkness for a brighter future".

April 6 - Panel discussion titled "Rising Fundamentalism in Turkey: What Now?" at the American Un. Panelists were: George Harris, Alan Makovsky, Orhan Tarhan.

April 25 - Participation in ANZAC Day celebrations in Washington, DC.

May 18 - Celebration of Atatürk’s birthday at the American Un., video showing of "Incredible Turk" and of a concert.

Nov.10 - Visit by ASA to Atatürk’s mausoleum, and donation of landscaping material by Hudai Yavalar, President of ASA.

Nov. 25 - Presentation of Atatürk Award to the Turkish Armed Forces at Four Seasons Hotel, Washington DC. Received by Gen Cevik Bir

1996 - 1995

March 10 - Panel Discussion titled "Rising Fundamentalism in Turkey: Challenges for the U.S." at the American Un. auditorium. Panelists were: Prof. Talat Halman, New York Un.; Prof. Nilufer Narli, Marmara Un.; Prof. Howard Reed, Un. Of Connecticut; Prof. Kenneth Moss, National defense Un.; Orhan Tarhan, V.P. of ASA. Moderator was Prof. Sabri Sayari, Georgetown Un.

May 19 - Inauguration of ASA and Celebration of Atatürk’s birthday at Cosmos Club, Washington, DC.

Presentation of Atatürk Peace and Democracy Award to Sen. Robert C. Byrd and Amb. Richard C. Holebrooke.

ASA informed the Turkish Government about anti-Atatürk activities of fundamentalist students in the U.S., and caused their recall back to Turkey.

Nov. 10 - Commemorative ceremony at the American Un. with speeches by Amb. Nuzhet Kandemir, Prof. Sabri Sayari, Dr. Curtis Bristol, and Engin Holmstrom; Video showing of "Incredible Turk"; Photo exhibition.

Donation of landscaping material to Atatürk’s mausoleum by Hudai Yavalar, President of ASA