Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN

PROPOSAL
Deputy Ambassador Mr. Fazli CORMAN
Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations
Date: January 11, 2011, New York (Total 3 pages)
Project Title
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk through the lenses of the Millennium Development Goals:
On His 130th Birth Anniversary
“Ataturk, who set an outstanding example in promoting the spirit of mutual understanding
between peoples and lasting peace between the nations of the world.” UNESCO/The Executive
Board – November 1979
“Even the most powerful nation cannot establish peace and prosperity at home by itself without
establishing global peace and prosperity. We have to think of the whole world like a body, and
every nation is a part of this body.” - M.K.Ataturk
Other Ideas for Project Title:
1) A Visionary and Groundbreaking Leader for Universal Education, Girls & Women’s Rights,
Development and Pioneer for Global Peace:
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on His 130th Birthday
2) A Pioneer – Visionary Leader for Universal Education, Girls-Women’s Rights, Development,
and International Peace in the Middle East
- A Celebration of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s 130th Birth Year.
3) Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on His 130th Birth Year: “The Only True Guide in Life is Science.” A
Pioneer – Visionary Leader for Universal Education, Girls-Women’s Rights, Development, and Global
Peace in the Middle East
Venue: General Assembly Hall of the United Nations (preferably) or Conference Room#4.
Proposed Date: Thursday, May 19, 2011
Time(s): 3-5 pm (Presentations & Q&A: 3-5 pm; Performances: 5-6pm)
Art Opening & Reception: 6:30-8:00 pm
Sponsored by: The Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations
Proposal by: Bircan Unver, The Light Millennium – Associated with the UNDPI (2005)
- As an NGO Led Project in collaborations with other Turkish-American Organizations.
Website: http://www.lightmillennium.org E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 1-347-666-8658
Projected collaborators: TADF, TACCI, ATS, Turkish Business Forum, ATAA, TUSIAD-US,
ITUMEZUS…
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A Celebration for MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATURK’s 130th Birth Year (1881-1938)
Concept and PROJECT Summary: Since its foundation, Turkey has attached the utmost
importance to the key role of “universal education” (UNESCO: Equality in education: educational
institutions are open to all regardless of race, sex, or religion.”), gender equality, and empowering
women nationwide, and has exerted every effort in policy and in practice to ensure “gender
equality and empowering women”, and to eliminate discrimination of all kinds against them. The
founder of the Turkish Republic, Ataturk, regarded “universal education” and “equal rights for girls
and women” as the pillars of the society he was building. He formed all the necessity institutions
and took measures during his lifetime to ensure these rights for all peoples in Turkey. Ataturk
underlined these in his own words: “Peace and development necessitate the equal participation of
women in every field. Implementations of these visions were followed by the formation of Turkey in
1923, through radical and immediate series of reforms. Modern and democratic Turkey of Ataturk,
then and now still has been one of the most pioneering, visionary, and compelling examples for the
most parts of the Middle East, Developing(DCs), the Least Developing(LDCs), Land Lock
Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States(SIDS) as of today. On the
occasion of Ataturk’s 130th Birthday, this proposal aims to celebrate it at the United Nations HQ
in NYC, with a specific focus on the above defined concepts in conjunction with a new look at
Ataturk’s visions and reforms through the lenses of the MDGs#2, #3, including #7: Environment,
and #8: Global Partnership. Highlighting Ataturk’s visions and well established institutions for
“universal education”, “girls-women”, “development”, “global peace” within the MDGs framework,
the program will also highlight a powerful and effective model for the developing and the least
developing countries (DCs, LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS) by inspiring and encouraging them for
similar modernization, changes, and implementations in achieving the MDGs.
The proposed project contains 3 parts as follow (3 to 5 pm):
1) The first part will focus on Ataturk’s pioneering and visionary implementations, which brought in
drastic changes and development through the issues of “universal education”, “girls-women”,
“development” and “global peace”, while pointing out the relevancy of these implementations with
the MDGs. Also the major changes in life style with the founding of the Republic and the
Westernization of Turkey will be presented through examples of fine arts, music, theater,
literature, and film in order to reflect the prompt outcomes of these implementations in the overall
spectrum of the Turkish daily life.
2) Multi-Media/Documentary & Live Performances: The second part of the program will
present selected examples of Ataturk’s ways of modernization and democratization of Turkey in the
areas of culture, arts, music, and poetry. This part will include live performances as well as multimedia, documentary and/or short theatrical presentations.
3) Opening an Art Exhibit and Reception at the Main Lobby of the UN at 6:30PM:
References for Ataturk’s Centennial Birth Year (1-7):
1) 34th Session of the General Assembly – Official Document – 19 December 1979
http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/landmark/pdf/a34pv107e.pdf
2) UNESCO - Turkey, Profile of Education:
http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/worldwide/unesco-regions/asia-and-the-pacific/turkey/profile-of-education.html
3) UNESCO Centenary of Ataturk’s birth - The Executive Board
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0003/000370/037018e.pdf(Page: 21) November1979
4) The Unesco COURIER - November 1981
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0007/000747/074752eo.pdf
5) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atatürk_Centennial
6) Anniversaries of Great Personalities and Important Historical Events 1981-1982 (Dated: Paris, November 27, 1980)
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0004/000423/042343Eb.pdf
7) “Ataturk and Modernization of Turkey” Symposium, Jerusalem, Israel, October 1981 (also as a published Book)
http://books.google.com/books?id=8_n93Kq5PwMC&pg=PR9&lpg=PR9&dq=Centenary+of+Ataturk,+Jerusalem,+October+1981&source=bl&ots=MYutiSYng&sig=8oanBCsJumgceqALwKhppwmLjGM&hl=en&ei=AvMrTcuRIoL_8Aa3hpTYCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=C
entenary%20of%20Ataturk%2C%20Jerusalem%2C%20October%201981&f=false
8) Prof. Asim Sen, Leadership, Inequality, and Economic Crisis
http://orgs.bloomu.edu/gasi/2009%20Proceedings%20PDFs/SENLEADERSHIP,INEQUALIY%20AND%20ECONOMIC%20CRIS
IS%2012.pdf
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Ideas for potential Speakers & Presenters, Part 1 (as work in progress):
Opening Remarks by: Secretary General; or President of General Assembly and/or
Kiyo Akasaka/Director-DPI;
Ambassador: Ertugrul Apakan
On Global Peace: Ambassador of Romania, Greek and Azerbaijan
Moderator: Prof. Talat Halman & Ataturk: In His Words
Universal Education: Among a speaker from the UNICEF; G.L.Lewis, Can Dundar
(2) Girls and Women Rights: Prof. Feride Acar or Prof. Cigdem Kagitcibasi; or Pinar Ilkkaracan,
Kadin icin Kadin Haklari (WWR) Baskani or Muazzez Ilmiye Cig (As First Turkish Women
Archeologist and Sumerolog)
(2) Development – Economy & Global Partnership/MDGs#8: Dr. Gary Leiser, Travis Air
Museum or Prof. Asim SEN a among a speaker from the UNDP
(2) On Modernization through arts, music, literature, archeology: Among a speaker from the
UNESCO and Stephen Kinzer
Environment: Prof. Ilknur Gunturkun Kalipci
- Questions & Answers
Conclusion of the first part and transition: A theatrical performance from the NUTUK/Great
Speech (in English) with 6 to 8 or 10 students accompanied with music (15-20 minutes).
(Depending on the total numbers of the presenters, duration might change to each from 5 to 20min.)
Part 2: (Excerpts) Archival films of Ataturk from the 10th and 15th Anniversary Speeches and
touring in Turkey.
Documentary: First 3 Turkish Professional Women: Sabiha Gokcen
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1gq2L5LdQ4); (I have to find out the title of the
documentary with Sabiha Gokcen and other 2 or 3 profiles);
Music: 2 aria from the Yunus Emre/Adnan Saygun; Sertap Erener; Makber; Fahir Atakoglu(?);…
Part 3: Opening Art Exhibition and Reception ((2 Ideas for exhibition)
1) Utku Ozden Otman/oil painting : “From the coffee ground to the Canvas:
http://www.isikbinyili.org/docView.php?d=article&id=271; or
2) Girls and Women in Turkish Paintings 1900-1950 (A Selection through Turkish oil paintings on
canvas which depicts changes in life style, attire, schools, professionals, and taking roles in
professional and social lives of Turkey.)
About The Light Millennium/LM:
The LM (2001) provides an international platform for free expression of ideas and experiences to
foster a global dialog and better understanding among all people, and a channel to remove
prejudices between various cultures and countries. As an innovative public benefit multi-media and
arts-culture organization, LM uses Internet, TV, and public events to cross borders in order to
conduct research and to compile, and publish information concerning global issues, peace, UN,
MDGs, arts, and literature, regardless of age, gender, disciplines, ethnicity, and cultural
background. The organization is associated with the Department of Public Information of the
United Nations in December 2005. Up to date: E-published 47 issues; organized 57 events and
produced/promoted 65 TV programs since 2000: Selected Themes: “Voices for Peace”, “Choices for
Humanity”, "UN Vision and MDGs Speak Through the Arts", “Human Security for All”, “Wild Cards in
Climate Change”, “A World without Nuclear and All Weapons”, “2015 & Beyond in Science and
Arts”, “MDGs: Where are we now? & Freedom of Expression”... Was member of the DPI/NGO
Annual Conf./Planning Committees in 2006-07-08, and led 2 events in 2006-07. LM’s website
visited in 155 countries and monthly hits over 750 thousand.
Contact: Bircan Unver, The Light Millennium – http://www.lightmillennium.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 347-666-8658
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