ATAA UN Related Announcement# 39
In Support of the December 15 World Turkic Language Family Day
Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) ,
Turkish Women League of America (TWLA) , and
Empowering the Turkish American Community (ETAC-USA)
Jointly Present a program on
Dil Kültürün Taşıyıcısıdır
Language Carries Cultural Identity
Celebrating December 15 World Turkic Language Family Day
**Thursday, December 4, 2025
5pm-7pm
**Turkish House, 821 United Nations Plaza #10017, New York, NY 10017
**REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND
**https://forms.gle/GsyCoJ5cNME2AU7C7
Language: Turkish & English
Introduction
The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), the Turkish Women’s League of America (TWLA), and Empowering the Turkish American Community (ETAC-USA)—organizations officially associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UN DGC)—are jointly hosting an event titled “Language Carries Cultural Identity ” to celebrate World Turkic Language Family Day.
This collaborative program highlights the unifying power of language as a cultural bridge that connects communities across borders, reflecting shared heritage, values, and identity among Turkic-speaking peoples around the world.
Background
World Turkic Language Family Day, proclaimed by UNESCO on December 15, is an important observance that celebrates the deep-rooted history, linguistic unity, and cultural connections among Turkic languages and the communities that speak them.
The day aims to honor the shared linguistic and cultural heritage of Turkic-speaking societies and to emphasize the importance of preserving and passing this heritage on to future generations.
Within the framework of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, language is recognized as one of the most vital carriers of identity, cultural memory, and social continuity. Languages are not only means of communication but also bridges that transmit a community’s history, values, wisdom, and aesthetic sensibilities from generation to generation.
Turkish, Azerbaijani, Turkmen, Uzbek, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic languages share common origins and exhibit structural and lexical similarities. Beyond linguistics, they also embody a shared cultural identity expressed through folk traditions, literature, and the arts.
This December program, following the initial series launched in February and the event held on September 7, 2025, continues to highlight the unifying strength of Turkic languages and the importance of sustaining linguistic and cultural diversity in multicultural societies.
Through this gathering, we celebrate not only the beauty of linguistic diversity but also the universal power of language to connect people, communities, and cultures across the world.
Program
Opening Remarks & Introduction by
Berna Gürdal
President, Turkish Women’s League of America (TWLA)
**Alev Wieland
**President, Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA)
Diplomatic Address by
**H.E. Mr. Ahmet Yıldız
**Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the United Nations
UNESCO Türkiye Speaker
**Prof. Dr. M. Öcal Oğuz
**Chairman of the Board of Directors of
the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO
Expert Speakers
Prof. Dr. Gregory Key
Department of Middle Eastern and
Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Binghamton University
Dr. Feride Hatiboğlu
Lecturer in Foreign Languages, University of Pennsylvania
Youth Speakers
**Ceyda Güllü
Global Politics and International Relations Student
Middle East Technical University (METU) / Binghamton University
**
**Berke Genç
**International Relations and Global Politics Student
Binghamton University
Inspirations from Turkish Musical Instruments
**Dr. Afsar Barlas
** Senior Research Scientist
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Cultural Performances
Poem “Go’zal” by Abdulhamid Cho’lpon 1919 read by Lapasova Komila
Poem “Bana zamandan sӧz ediyorlar” by Murathan Mungan read Ömer Mungan
Tim Tim Dance and Butterfly Dance by Crimean Turks
Folk Dance by American Karachay-Kavkaz Benevolent Association
Moderator
**Mine Yenigün
**Secretary General, Turkish Women’s Association of America (TWLA)
Closing Remarks
(Refreshments will be served.)
Biographies
H.E. Mr. Ahmet Yıldız
_Turkish politician and career diplomat currently serving as the 22 nd _ Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the United Nations since 25 April 2024.
Ambassador Yıldız held office as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for two terms: from 22 June 2023 until 25 April 2024 and from 2016 to 2018.
He was a member of the Grand National Assembly from 7 July 2018 to 14 May 2023 and prior to that he served as a senior adviser to both the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic of Türkiye between 2014 and 2016.
Throughout his career, he has been appointed to posts in various embassies and consulates of the Republic of Türkiye around the world. He served as Ambassador of Türkiye to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2011 to 2014; Consul General in Mosul, Iraq from 2009 to 2011; in Saudi Arabia from 2006 to 2008 and from 2004 to 2005; in Syria from 2005 to 2006 and from 2000 to 2002; in the United States from 1997 to 2000; in Germany from 1993 to 1995; and in Libya from 1991 to 1993.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from the School of International Relations in the Faculty of Political Science of Ankara University and speaks English and Arabic.
Prof. Dr. M. Öcal Oğuz
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO and Professor at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University
Dr. Oğuz graduated from Karadeniz Technical University’s Department of Turkish Language and Literature in 1984. He completed his master’s (1987) and Ph.D. (1991) at Gazi University, focusing on Turkish folk poetry. In 1992, he began his academic career at Hacettepe University, becoming Associate Professor in 1995 and Full Professor in 2002. Since 2005, he has served as Head of the Department of Turkish Folklore at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University.
Oğuz has taught and supervised theses at undergraduate and graduate levels in folklore, cultural studies, intangible cultural heritage, and teaching Turkish to foreigners. He has worked at several institutions in Türkiye and abroad, including Gazi University, Bilkent University, Ahmet Yesevi University, and universities in Tunisia and Kazakhstan.
He played a key role in establishing major folklore institutions and museums, such as the Turkish Folklore Research and Application Center and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. As a cultural policy expert, he contributed to UNESCO conventions on intangible cultural heritage and cultural diversity, and served as one of six international experts evaluating applications for the UNESCO Representative List (2008–2010).
Oğuz has held leadership roles in various cultural organizations. He was founding president of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Association and has been active in ILESAM and the Turkish World Foundation. He served as Chairman of the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO (2011), following roles as Deputy Chairman (2010) and Board Member (2006).
He has authored 75 books, around 150 articles, and over 50 presentations, and has been editor-in-chief of National Folklore magazine since 1989.
Expert Speakers
Feride Hatiboğlu
Lecturer in Foreign Languages, University of Pennsylvania
Leading the Turkish Language Program in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Feride Hatiboglu has been teaching Turkish language and culture courses at Penn for twenty years.
Dr. Hatiboglu has been highly active in the field. She is the Past President of the American Association of Teachers of Turkic Languages (AATT) and the Immediate Past President of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL). She is also a member of the American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT) and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
Dr. Hatiboglu has organized and participated in numerous national and international conferences and academic committees. She has received multiple grants and developed Turkish teaching materials for both online and in-person courses.
Currently, Dr. Hatiboglu teaches Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Turkish, as well as Ottoman Turkish, at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Gregory Key
Lecturer in Turkish and Linguistics at Binghamton University
Greg Key holds a PhD in linguistics from the University of Arizona. He is currently a lecturer in Turkish and Linguistics at Binghamton University. He teaches courses in Turkish language and culture, as well as Ottoman Turkish. His own research concentrates on the analysis of modern Turkish morphology and syntax as a coherent synchronic system.
His theoretical and pedagogical interests complement each other, as discoveries on the theoretical side suggest new approaches to teaching Turkish and Ottoman, and teaching frequently raises new issues for theoretical inquiry.
He has translated novels by Halikarnas Balıkçısı (The Fisherman of Halicarnassus) and İhsan Oktay Anar. His translation of Fatma Aliye’s work Nisvan-ı İslam(The Women of Islam) from Ottoman to English is scheduled for publication in November 2025.
Youth Speakers
Ceyda Güllü
Global Politics Student, Binghamton University
Ceyda is a student of Global Politics and International Relations in the Dual Degree Program of Middle East Technical University (METU) and Binghamton University. She has a strong interest in diplomacy, politics, and human rights.
So far, she has had the opportunity to attend many conferences and take active roles in various student organizations. Currently, she contributes to the organization of cultural projects as a member of the Organization and Events Group of the TURCA community.
Berke Genc
Global Politics Student, Binghamton University
Berke is a student of International Relations and Global Politics at Binghamton University.
He has a strong interest in diplomacy, international security, and global politics. He has had the opportunity to visit the parliaments, embassies, consulates, and diplomatic receptions of various countries.
Currently, he serves as the Secretary General of the TURCA organization at his university, contributing to the organization of cultural events.
Inspirations from Turkish Musical Instruments
Dr. Afsar Barlas
After completing his General Surgery residency at the Faculty of Medicine of Marmara University in Istanbul, he began working as a Senior Research Scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York in 2006, where he continues to serve to this day.
Due to his interest in musical instruments, he began collecting and teaching various instruments as a hobby and now owns a collection of approximately 80 musical instruments.
He will introduce examples of traditional Turkish instruments such as the Ney, Kaval, Mey/Balaban, Bağlama, Cura, and Mouth Kopuz.
Cultural Performances
Kamila Lapasova
Spouse of the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to the United Nations
Komila Lapasova holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a master’s degree in Political Science from Sorbonne University, as well as a master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Lyon 3 University in France. She is the mother of four children.
As part of the program, Mrs. Lapasova will contribute by reading the poem “Go’zal” (“Beautiful”) written by Abdulhamid Cho’lpon (1919), sharing a voice from Uzbek literary heritage that beautifully reflects the cultural theme of the event.
Ömer Mungan
Global Politics Student, Binghamton University
Ömer Mungan is studying Global Politics and International Relations in the joint program between Middle East Technical University (METU) and Binghamton University.
He enjoys working on topics related to international politics, global security, and state-society relations. Throughout his university years, he has participated in various conferences, panels, and diplomacy-related events.
On campus, he serves as the Human Resources Officer of the TURCA community, contributing to member management, communication, and event organization processes.
Project Team
**Alev Wieland
**
President, Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA)
Alev Wieland has Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from University of Cincinnati, OH. Worked for Balcan Engineering at Proctor of Gamble as Project Engineer for 7 years. She retired from PepsiCo, Inc-AMEA Capability Director in 2012.
Alev has extensive experience in Lean Manufacturing, Lean Product Life Cycle Management, Equipment and Processes Development. Project Management, Construction Management, Food Manufacturing, Paper Converting, Cosmetics and Laundry Soap Industries. She has solid understanding of Engineering, Manufacturing and Operations Processes. She is an expert in ISO 9001 and GMP Certifications and Standards. Alev is the CEO of Manufacturing Excellence Technical Services and Alev Cosmetics.
Alev has been serving as the President-Elect of ATAA since May 2024. She served on the ATAA Board of Directors as the Southwest Region Vice President from 2020 to 2024 and as First Vice President from October 2023 to May 2024. Alev also serves as the co-Chair of the ATAA UN Relations Committee and Chair of the ATAA Newsletter Committee.
She is the Secretary General and NGO Relations Director Contemporary Education Foundation (COEDFO) since 2013, has been responsible for organizational communication, meetings management, documentation, website management. As the Trustee and active member of the Turkish American Association of Northern Texas (TURANT), she has been providing organizational operations support to its elected board members and helping with executions of projects since 2000.
Since 2008, Alev takes active role at her local Main Street Organization and International Community, helps with organizations of the major festivals that is proven to become the key events that provides income to the city. She served as President of Cincinnati Turkish American Association (CTAA) from 1994 to 1996.
Since 2023 Alev serves as the Trustee of the Turkish American Visual and Performing Arts (TAVPA).
Since March 2024, Alev is serving Dallas Turkish Businesswomen’s Network as the Advisor.
Association of Northern Texas (TURANT), she has been providing organizational operations support to its elected board members and helping with executions of projects since 2000.
Since 2008, Alev takes active role at her local Main Street Organization and International Community, helps with organizations of the major festivals that is proven to become the key events that provides income to the city. She served as President of Cincinnati Turkish American Association (CTAA) from 1994 to 1996.
Since 2023 Alev serves as the Trustee of the Turkish American Visual and Performing Arts (TAVPA).
Since March 2024, Alev is serving Dallas Turkish Businesswomen’s Network as the Advisor.
**Berna Gürdal
**
_President, Turkish Women’s League of America (TWLA)
_
Berna Gürdal graduated as a dietitian from Hacettepe University’s Nutrition and Dietetics Department in 1997. From 1997 to 1999, she worked as a Corporate Dietitian at Panorama Catering Company. Between 1998 and 2005, she served as a clinical dietitian in the Internal Medicine Department of Uludağ University. During her tenure, she participated as a speaker in various conferences and presented posters at international congresses. In 2006, she contributed to the book Diabetes Mellitus Türkiye by writing on the topic of Nutrition and Diabetes Treatment.
Since 2005, she has been residing in New York, where she earned certificates from Stanford University’s Child Nutrition and Cooking program and Cornell University’s Nutrition and Healthy Living certificate program.
She has been a member of the board of directors at the American Turkish Women’s Association (ATKB) since 2017 and currently provides nutrition and diet consultancy services through BG Life Style. She is married and the mother of two children. Her son Onur graduated from Atatürk School in 2018, and her daughter Duygu graduated in 2023.
Berna Gürdal is serving as the president of ATKB for the 2023-2025 term.
Mine Yenigün
Secretary General, Turkish Women’s Association of America (TWLA)
Mine Yenigün joined the Turkish National Police under the Ministry of Interior in 1992 as Civilian Staff Assistant for human resource management of the Turkish National Police constituted 200,00 police personnel in 81 provinces within Turkey.
She is a first degree graduate from Eskişehir Açıköğretim İktisat Fakültesi. In 1995, she was posted as Staff Assistant, within the Department of Police Personnel for management health records and welfare provision of the Turkish National Police deployed around the country.
In addition, she had the responsibilities to manage duty shift record for personnel to manage safety and security of the National Police Headquarter.
She has obtained excellent performance during her service is currently retired from the Ministry of Interior. Mrs. Yenigun is married for 25 years and has two children whom of which are both graduates of Ataturk School .
For further inquiries, please e-mail uncommittee@ataa.org, president@ataa.org (Alev Wieland, ATAA President) or berna_gurdal@yahoo.com (Berna Gürdal, TWLA President).
Websites: ataa.org | atkb.org | etacusa.org | www.ataa.org/u-n
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