Social & Cultural Programs
- SOCIETY : 0312 426 26 44 / 0312 426 26 48
- COURSES DEPARTMENT: 0312 426 26 44 - 114 / 122
- Arizona University and TAA Assist: +90542 292 41 42
TURKISH-AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1951 as a non-profit organization to promote understanding and strengthen cultural ties between Turks and Americans; the Turkish-American Association has been trying to achieve this goal by offering to the Turkish, American and international residents of Ankara a wide range of social and cultural activities held in its multipurpose facilities. Some of the cultural and social activities can be listed as follows:
- Conferences and round-table discussions on economy, defense, politics, energy and etc.,
- Seminars, panels, lectures, presentations on general public interest areas (such as fine arts, literature, health, archeology and more),
- Concerts, recitals, shows, musicals, drama and dance performances. TAA is one of the rare venues where you can see a Broadway musical in English staged by semi-professional Turkish and international community theater groups,
- Exhibitions on all branches of art such as painting, photography, digital art and on Turkish decorative arts such as felt-making or marbling,
- Special nights (such as chili night, spaghetti night, Haloween Costume Party, New Year’s Eve parties, thanksgiving dinners, barbecue parties, anchovy nights etc.), cocktails and receptions,
- Four-day “Touring Around Turkey” programs introducing various aspects of different Turkish provinces,
- Tours promoting Turkey and the Turkish culture,
- Christmas and Mothers’ Day Bazaars,
- Painting and photography contests,
- Hobby Clubs (felt-making club),
Most of the activities organized by the Turkish-American Association are free of charge and open to all residents of Ankara.
- To be informed about TAA’s monthly cultural activities;
- To open exhibitions, give lectures, seminars or presentations at TAA on your area of expertise;
- To use TAA’s lounges or theater;
- To obtain information on TAA membership or TAA in general
To donate books to TAA Library Or for other questions or suggestions and to be added to the e-mail list, please contact TAA Programs Department at (0312) 426-2648 or e-mail taaprograms@taa-ankara.org.tr
www.facebook.com/taa.programs / www.twitter.com/taaprograms
Here is also an article published at a community paper which includes information on TAA:
From Generation to Generation:
The Turkish-American Association
For six decades, the Turkish-American Association has been seeking to promote understanding between Turks and Americans and to strengthen the friendship and the cultural ties between the two countries. The Turkish-American Association (TAA) is a long-established and prestigious non-governmental and non-profit organization established in 1951 as a result of a bilateral agreement between Turkey and the United States. It strives to further cultural, social, and educational exchange through a wide range of activities including: English, Spanish, and Turkish courses; conferences, exhibitions, tours, special events and receptions to celebrate Turkish and American holidays; and concerts, drama performances, and musicals in Turkish and in English.
With all these activities, TAA has been a prominent bridge between the two peoples from “generation to generation.” Many Turkish business leaders, bureaucrats, foreign mission service officials, and many locals have fond memories of spending parts of their formative years at TAA. For some Turks, TAA is the place where they first tasted a hamburger or drank their first tea made from a tea bag or watched American movies. For others, TAA is the place where they met their loved ones and got married or where they attended their first fancy ball. Some recall that the TAA is the best English teaching center of all time and a place where they received a scholarship to study in the US. Melissa Kunstadter, a former board member and current member of TAA says, “For the 25 year span of my experiences in Ankara, TAA—its staff, teachers, students, and other participants—has been an anchor for me to learn about Ankara/Turkey, make friends, and to volunteer at TAA and in the community. TAA is an irreplaceable opportunity for every American to come into contact with the ‘real’ Turkey. And for Turkey to meet ‘real’ Americans in ways that simply are not possible elsewhere. If TAA didn’t exist, it would have to be invented. Congratulations to TAA upon its 60th birthday!”
Sixty-two years have passed, and the international and the cultural environment have changed over all these years. Now TAA, with its 48-year-old building, is not the only place to experience American culture; but the relationships and friendships, the cultural bridge established at TAA will never get old for most Turks and Americans who have called TAA their “second home.” TAA will always remain as a center where people from all walks of life, age, profession, and nationality come and mingle under the umbrella of a non-profit, non-governmental, strictly cultural and educational center. This place and these people will always be bringing Turks, Americans, and all the members of the international community together through intellectual gatherings, educational services, and performing arts and will be shared as a place where people have the best memories from generation to generation.
If you want to be part of the TAA family, come join us by becoming a member, supporter, volunteer, or donor. For further information about what TAA offers to the community, please visit www.taa-ankara.org.tr, send an email to taaprograms@taa-ankara.org.tr to contact the Programs Department or stop by: Cinnah Caddesi 20, Kavaklidere, 06690 Ankara.