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We just began a program
in the US in which Armenians have been active since the
1970s:
One of the tooks by which we can teach our children and
students as to how they can be a part of the fabric of
America, is to teach them the American political
machinery.
Since 2003, ATAA has been placing Turkish students as
interns at the offoces of the American congressmen. ATAA
pays a part of the transportation and lodging expenses
for these programs that last during the summer months. I
am in deep gratitute to Mr. Abdullah Akyuz, the
representative of TUSIAD (Turkish Businessmen's
Association) in Washington for his extraordinary
support.
Ercument Kilic
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Mr. Gursan Gurkan of Chicago
is the newest ATAA intern in the US Congress. Mr. Gurkan
has arrived today in Washington DC to intern at the
office of Congressman Rahm Emanuel. Mr. Emanuel is a
first-term Democrat from Illinois's 5th District.
Gursan Gurkan is a young resident of Chicago, and is an
avid ATAA supporter, community activist and volunteer.
Gurkan is also a current Chicago Police Officer, and was
recently awarded by the Chicago City Council for his
“outstanding police work.”
Gurkan is very involved with the Turkish-American
community, and was one of the ATAA delegates who
recently visited Turkey and Azerbaijan on ATAA’s Annual
Delegation Trip.
In addition to being a police officer, Gurkan also
serves in the United States Navy Reserve as a Petty
Officer, Second Class, and he is about to earn his
Master’s degree in Law Enforcement Administration at
Calumet College of St. Joseph in Indiana.
Mr. Gurkan, son of long-time Chicago residents Gungor
and Gunsel Gurkan, is the latest arrival in Washington
DC for ATAA's Fall Internship Program at the U.S.
Congress.
Internship programs are an integral part of the
democratic process of our community. Many other ethnic
groups from Chinese-Americans to American-Indians have
been organizing such programs for their youth.
Armenian-Americans, for instance, have installed this
important program in their list of activities since the
early 1970's. ATAA, as the umbrella organization of all
the local community Turkish-American organizations, is
proud to have adopted this program since 2003.
Through such programs, our future in this country, the
Turkish-American youth, will be more adapted into the
American political system and hopefully become more
active segments of our community in a political sense.
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