Projects under President's Aegis
TÜBİTAK Awards
The TÜBİTAK Science, Incentive, Service Awards and the TÜBİTAK Special Award that are Turkey’s most important and respected awards were given the awardees under the aegis of President Gül at the Çankaya Presidential Palace on January 25, 2009. For the year of 2009, 1 Science Award, 16 Incentive Awards, 1 TÜBİTAK Special Award and 1 TWAS Incentive Award had been agreed to be given by the the TÜBİTAK Science Board. As for 2008, 3 Science Awards, 18 Incentive Awards and 1 TÜBİTAK Special Award were presented. In 2007, 3 Science Awards, 12 Incentive Awards and 3 TÜBİTAK Special Awards were given to the awardees during the ceremony at the Çankaya Presidential Palace.
TÜBİTAK Awards :
47th Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey
The 47th Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey the first stage of which President Abdullah Gül watched was launched on April 24, 2011, as part of the Intercontinental Cycling Tour, which will end on May 1, 2011.
The President presented awards to the awardees after the end of the first stage of the tour, ‘From Europe to Asia’, which was launched at the Sultanahmet Square and ended at the Bostancı coastal road.
176 professional cyclists from 22 teams are competing for first place in the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey that will end on May 1, 2011 with the Side-Alanya stage. The stages of Tekirova, Manavgat and Side have also been included in the tour this year.
Presidential Grand Awards in Art and Culture
According to the regulation on Presidential Grand Awards in Art and Culture that has been issued in the Official Gazette on January 20, 1995, Turkish citizens, foreigners and institutions that contribute to Turkish art and cultural life will be granted the Presidential Grand Awards in Art and Culture in order to honour and encourage them on behalf of the state. President Gül, thus presented Uğur Derman, Nuri Bilge Ceylan and the Sakıp Sabancı Museum their awards for the year of 2009.
Turkey Is Reading
The “Turkey is Reading Campaign” is being conducted under President Gül’s auspices with the participation of both governmental and private institutions and in cooperation between the Ministry of National Education, the Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Turkish Informatics Society.
Within the scope of this campaign that started in January,2008, various activities are held in cities and provinces and original and creative sub-projects are implemented. Furthermore, the campaign aims to raise the public awareness of the advantages of reading and to make computer use efficient and effective.
The studies are being followed by the Presidency.
President's Cup International Sailing Regatta
Launched by President Gül on August 12, 2010, the President’s Cup International Sailing Regatta ended on August 16, 2010.
Held by the Istanbul Sailing Club (ISC) for the 21st time this year, the President’s Cup International Sailing Regatta in which 167 sailors from 11 countries participated has been organized under this name for two years.
During the races in the Kalamış section with the Windsurf, Laser, 420, 470 and Benetau 25 classes, Turkey, Greece, India and Pakistan became the most successful teams.
1st International Seljuk Symposium
Organized by Erciyes University’s Research and Implementation Center for the Turkic World aiming that the Seljuk era can be understood better, the 1st International Seljuk Symposium, under President Abdullah Gül’s aegis, was held in Kayseri from September 27-30, 2010.
Some 150 scientists from 28 countries from the today’s representatives of the then Seljuk geography attended the symposium during which the studies conducted on the Seljuk era were discussed in detail in the light of new knowledge.
The participants also exchanged their views on the scientific, historical and cultural civilization of the Seljuk era between the 11th and 14th century.
Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği
Under the President’s auspices, the project and application studies to protect the Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği, which has been on the World Heritage List on UNESCO since 1985, have been conducted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the General Directorate of Foundations and the Governorate of Sivas.
Undertaken though President Gül’s aegis during his visit to the city of Sivas in 2008, the Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği is the first cultural monument under his auspices.
Northern Lake Van Seljuk Area Project
The Seljuk Area Cultural Development and Action Plan that is to help develop the socio-cultural and physical features of the area and to protect the historical and cultural legacies of the Seljuks has been completed under the aegis of the Presidency.
The Activation Plan has been laid by analyzing the area’s socio-economic structure, natural, historical and cultural assets, what needs to be done, what the area lacks in this regard and by evaluating the plans and reports that have been presented by several institutions so far.
As part of this strategy, the area has been proclaimed to be The Culture and Tourism Protection and Development Area and a project entitled the “Culture-themed Development and Action Plan for the Northern Lake Van Seljuk Area”.
The project that encompasses Ahlat, Adilcevaz, Tatvan, Malazgirt and Erciş will be carried out under the Presidency’s aegis by an inter-ministerial committee via the Secretariat of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The project aims to improve the cultural and touristic activities in the region including the provinces of Van and Bitlis.
Turkey's Strategic Vision 2023
A multi-dimensional, strategic and special education and interactive project, Turkey’s Strategic Vision 2023 Project, which is aimed at high officials, NGOs and the public, is concerned with the targets and place where Turkey should stand in 2023 when the Turkish Republic will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Its aim is to produce projects and suggestions on a wide basis as to what vision Turkey should manifest in the fields of foreign policy, security, politics, economy, technology and socio-cultural arenas in 2023 in order to be in line with the developments in the world.
The Projects of "The Anatolian Seljuk Civilization" and "The Great Seljuk Legacy"
“The Project of The Anatolian Seljuk Civilization” has been completed under the auspices of President Gül, stating that “All kinds of efforts to be made in order to protect, to take inventory and to promote the historical works deserve being remembered by gratitude”
Within the framework of the project, it has been aimed to promote the works which date back to the the Anatolian Seljuk era and reflect the financial, social, cultural and architectural features of the term. The current conditions of inns, caravanserais, hospitals, Muslim theological schools, mosques, domes, tombs, palaces and mansions in the cities founded in the Seljuk era were determined. These findings were published in form of a photograph album and a trailer.
Turkey's Flora Project
Turkey’s Flora Project has been launched under the aegis of President Gül by the Flora Association.
The intense studies and search on Turkey’s vegetation, one of the richest in the world, have made it necessary to update, write about and classify Turkey’s flora, which will be prepared in Turkish and by Turkish leading botanists and which will have been completed by 2023, when Turkish Republic will be celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Mawlid Cantata Project
Not a single western classical piece of music has so far been composed telling of the life of the prophet Muhammed. In this vein, the Mawlid about the prophet that was written by Süleyman Çelebi has been composed in the form of serenade by the reputed Turkish musician, Selman Ada. This piece of music is ready to be performed with a 100-musician symphony orchestra, 400-person chorus, tenor solo as well as bass solo.
The project aims to put on the stage the world premiere of this unique and unprecedented work at the square between Sultanahmet and Hagia Sophia and later to perform it in 10 bigger cities in Turkey and in 10 countries’ capitals.
Moreover, among the aims of the project is to present the Mawlid Eulogy recited by 4 well-known reciters in the HD form to the world markets.
The project, under the Presidency’s aegis and sponsored by the Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Directorate of Religious Affairs, will be organized by producer Ahmet San.
