Turkish Cypriot Day Big Success on Capitol Hill

The Federation of Turkish American Associations (FTAA), Turkish American Community Centers and Mosques (TACC), Maryland American Turkish Association (MATA), Turkish American Association of Washington, DC (ATADC), Mobile Turkish Coffee House, and Northern Cyprus Cultural Society co-hosted the event with ATAA.  Major donors included Haji Mehmet Coffee and Turkish Airlines.  Ambassador Ahmet Erdengiz, Washington Representative of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and his staff participated and met with staffers and CRS experts.

Turkish Cypriot Day featured a rich buffet by Divan Restaurant, a Turkish Delights table by Turkish Airlines, and a Turkish Coffee stand by the Mobile Turkish Coffee House.  The only thing missing, according to some visitors, was Turkish Coffee fortune telling, which Mobile Turkish Coffee House' founder, Ms. Gizem Salcigil White, stated will be featured next time.

ATAA Past President Gunay Evinch enthused, "The interest in and good-will demonstrated toward the Turkish Cypriots moved us all!  Staffers came to learn about Northern Cyprus and meet Turkish Cypriot Americans, and went away with happy hearts and happy stomachs."
 
Evinch expressed his gratitude to Congressman Pete Sessions' office for arranging the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee room for our event.  "Indeed, it is justice and equality we want for the Turkish Cypriots and all inhabitants of the island of Cyprus," he said

Evinch added "Turkish Cypriot Day was also an opportunity to discuss the Cyprus matter with Congressional staffers who were often consulted by smart legislators.  He referred visitors to the ATAA Fact Finding Mission to Northern Cyprus Report and Turkish Cypriot Day Quick Facts.
 
Turkish Cypriot Day came one week after an FTAA-ATAA Reception for President Dervish Eroglu of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in New York.  Turkish Americans are taking a deeper interest in the self-determination of Turkish Cypriots.  During the summer TRNC Washington Representative Ahmet Erdengiz spoke on Capitol Hill as a part of the Ambassador's Speaking Series sponsored by the Turkish American Alliance (TAA), which ATAA helped promote.