Turkish American Associations in the U.S.
In alphabetical order:
American Association of Teachers of Turkic Languages (AATT)
AATT members are teachers of Turkic languages; universities, including language schools in government services; and other related educational institutions. AATT is dedicated to the enhancement of study, criticism, and research in the field of Turkic languages, literature, and linguistics. It seeks to improve and advance the teaching methods of modern and historical Turkic languages. AATT develops guidelines and standards for proficiency-based teaching of Turkic languages, publishes bibliography of teaching materials, and organizes workshops for teachers.
American Friends of Turkey (AFOT)
Founded in 1982, AFOT is based in Washington, DC. It is a charitable organization with programs and activities to promote greater public awareness and understanding of Turkey's history, culture and modern day society; and in doing so, to build bridges between the American and Turkish peoples.
American Research Institute (ARIT) - U.S. Office
ARIT is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to promoting North American and Turkish research and exchanges related to Turkey in all fields of the humanities and social sciences. ARIT provides support for these scholarly endeavors by maintaining research centers in Istanbul and Ankara, and by administering programs of fellowships to support research in Turkey at doctoral and advanced research levels. In the U.S., ARIT sponsors lectures in collaboration with the American Turkish Council, the New York chapter of the Archaeological Institute of America, and the University of Pennsylvania Museum. ARIT institutional member, the University of Pennsylvania, houses the ARIT U.S. office in the Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology in Philadelphia.
American Turkish Council (ATC)
ATC is a business association which is dedicated to effectively strengthening US-Turkish relations through the promotion of commercial, defense, technology and cultural relations. Its diverse membership includes Fortune 500, U.S. and Turkish companies, multinationals, non-profit organizations and individuals with an interest in U.S.-Turkish relations. Guided by member interests, ATC strives to enhance the growing ties between the U.S. and Turkey by initiating and facilitating efforts to increase investment and trade between the two countries.
American Turkish Society (ATS)
Founded in 1949, ATS is the oldest American-Turkish organization in the U.S. which aims to serve any corporations/individuals with an interest in Turkey and U.S.-Turkish relations. ATS aims to build an understanding and a positive image of Turkey among Americans; serve the Turkish community in America; encourage tourism to Turkey; support artists and their art; and share the history, culture and art of Turkey.
Anatolian Artistans (AnARt)
Based in Washington Metropolitan area with coordinators in Turkey, AnARt is a small but growing organization supplemented by a network of expert consultants. Raising awareness about the Turkish arts and culture is an integral part of AnARt’s activities.
Arkadaslar - Association of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers from Turkey
Arkadaslar is a network of those who served as Peace Corps Volunteers or staff in Turkey between 1962 and 1970. Its members are committed to maintaining the network and fostering continued ties among Turkish and American peoples.
Assembly of Turkish American Association (ATAA)
The founding principle of ATAA was the need to create cohesion and cooperation between the large numbers of social/cultural Turkish American organizations around the US. The main objectives of ATAA are two-fold. One is to create an informed national Turkish American community that can help foster US-Turkish relations and take an active part in promoting a balanced and truthful picture of Turkey in the US. The other is to educate Americans in government, the media and the public at large about Turkey and issues that concern Turkish Americans. In pursuit of its mission and objectives, ATAA undertakes a number of activities including educational workshops, seminars and conferences on a variety of political, social and economic issues facing Turkey, and cultural events to promote Turkey's rich cultural heritage, as well as educational seminars for American teachers. See also: ATAA Component Associations.
Atatürk Society of America (ASA)
Founded in Washington DC in 1995, ASA is an independent non-profit organization with the objective of promoting Atatürk’s political legacy as a contribution to universal freedom and peace. Given this objective, the ASA organizes scholarly lectures, grants research fellowships, maintains a resource and reference center, and makes representations regarding the benefits of Atatürk’s political principles for world’s prosperity and peace.
Federation of Turkish American Associations (FTAA)
Founded in 1956, FTAA is a non-profit organization with the aim of uniting and supporting the Turkish community within the U.S. It is an umbrella organization consisting of over 40 member associations/organizations mainly located in the northeast. Its major responsibility is to provide support to the Turkish-American community in the U.S. It also strives to provide maximum exposure of Turkish culture, music, history and overall knowledge of Turkey to the U.S. public. This is achieved through cultural activities and other public relations activities throughout the United States.
Institute of Turkish Studies (ITS)
Founded in 1982, ITS is located at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service of the Georgetown University. As the oldest and largest school of international affairs in the country, ITS is the only non-profit, private educational foundation in the U.S. that supports the development of Turkish Studies in American higher education. Its major objectives are: To support individual scholars, especially younger members of the academic profession in the United States for advanced research on Turkish history and culture, as well as contemporary political, social, and economic developments in Turkey; assist american universities in developing their library resources, programs of study, scholarly conferences, and outreach activities in the field of Turkish Studies; support publishing of books and journals that contribute to American scholarship on Turkey and broaden the understanding and knowledge of Turkish history, society, politics, and economics in the U.S.; and promote better understanding of Turkish politics, economy, and society through conferences and lecture series.
Intercollegiate Turkish Students Society
Founded in 1997 as a volunteer students organization, ITSS aims to increase communication and cooperation among Turkish student associations in the U.S. and Canada. Its major aims are to provide an exchange of information, experience and resources; support students before-during-after their school education; better implement lobbyist activities; better promote peaceful relations among societies with the motto of "Peace at home, Peace on the world."
Turkish American Alliance for Fairness (TAAF)
TAAF is a non-profit organization dedicated to promote public understanding and fair treatment of issues of concern to Turkish-Americans, public education and other civil activities in related matters. TAAF aims to promote, advocate, and advance issues and viewpoints of importance to Turkish-Americans; promote fairness in media, education, community affairs, government activities, and public opinion in regard to issues relating to Turkish-Americans and others with a Turkish heritage; counter incorrect, biased, and prejudiced statements and activities aimed at, or defamation of, those of Turkish heritage, arising either from race, religion, color, language, ethnic identity, or from malicious intent; and promote/advocate equality as well as harmonious relations between those of Turkish heritage and other ethnic groups in the U.S.
Turkish American Business Forum (TABF)
Founded in New York in 1997, TABF is a non-profit organization with a membership of businesspeople/entrepreneurs representing a variety of industries and business segments such as financial services, technology, new media, architecture, design, law, textiles, fashion, trading, logistics, tourism and construction. TABF's mission is to enhance the economic and social standing of Turkish-American businesspeople within the U.S. economy. TABF accomplishes its mission through providing a peer-to-peer support network, as well as by encouraging its members to become business and community leaders.
Turkish American Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Maritime Trade® (TACCIM®)
Founded in 2000, TACCIM is a non-profit organization which promotes opportunities to increase business, trade and investments between the U.S. and Turkey. It provides information and assistance to members of the business communities in both countries about trade, industrial cooperation, investment, tourism and other opportunities in their respective market areas. TACCIM offers to organize support and conduct research, educational, social and cultural programs and developmental activities. It cooperates with other public organizations, governmental bodies, and public/private educational institutions in the creation and promotion of such educational, social and cultural programs and developmental activities.
Turkish American Scientists and Scholars Association (TASSA)
TASSA is an independent, non-profit, and non-political organization with the aim of increasing the communication and co-operation among its members and their counterparts. It will also initiate or participate in specific programs to improve the educational advancement opportunities, scientific exchange, and fellowship between the U.S. and Turkey.
Turkish Cultural Foundation (TCF)
Founded in 2000, TCF aims to promote and preserve Turkish culture and heritage worldwide, through original programs and cooperation with like minded organizations. TCF is a U.S. tax-exempt public charitable organization supported entirely by private donations, with offices in Boston, Washington DC, and Istanbul.
Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF)
Founded in 2007, TPF was created by a group of individuals who recognized the importance of assisting donors eager to give back to Turkey. TPF is the first diaspora organization of the Turkish-American community that employs the community foundation model, which is an application of one of the oldest traditions in human history: Helping your neighbor. At its most simple, TPF's donor centric model allows donors to give "through" rather than giving directly to TPF.