Now with its first year in the record books, TUSAT’s newly elected Chairman Janet Açikgöz wants to help change the misperception of Turkish people, expand and develop new activities, and encourage students of all nationalities to join the association. In Açikgöz opinion, the newly formed board will make a ‘good team together.’
In her third year as a PhD candidate studying in the field of Nanotechnology, the 28-year-old Açikgöz comes from the southern Turkish city of Hatay. She says, ‘There is a kind of prejudice against Turkish people sometimes.’
The images of Turkey as portrayed in the news, Açikgöz says, shows everybody wearing head scarves and focuses on the subject of war, ‘I want to share the positive aspects of a modern Turkey and change these perceptions. It’s important that people understand my culture.’
In her opening speech to a crowd of fifty attendees, Açikgöz said, ‘We have collaborated with other student associations to organize activities.’ One of the highlights of their first year was the Turkish Night, attended by 150 people last June. Aside from this main event, TUSAT organizes trips, dinners, movie nights, picnics, and a variety of sport activities. The association wants to welcome people of all backgrounds and beliefs to join their organization, and participate in their activities. ‘We want to be more international,’ enthuses Açikgöz.
She describes the upcoming year with great optimism, ‘We hope that our interaction and cooperation will increase even more. Our Turkish Night will be an integral part of the Let’s Go event and the International Festival this year.’
According to Emre Dikmen, public relations coordinator of TUSAT, ‘relations between all the student associations have improved.’
As evidence, members of the student organization AEGEE attended last Friday to congratulate TUSAT on a successful first year. Jelmer Hoogendoorn, the president of AEGEE, along with Treasurer Tyra Eijselendoorn, both seemed to agree that internationalization at the UT is a slow, and somewhat arduous process.
According to Eijselendoorn, ‘What you are beginning to see on the campus is that the international organizations are beginning to mix.’ Hoogendoorn opines, ‘I can image there is a big challenge within a year from now to make sure that the organizations are really mixing. ’
Armand Sağ, chairman of the 400-member Erkin Turkish Association at the University of Utrecht, boarded two trains and two buses to attend the UT event. Why all the effort? He said, ‘I want to try to work together with members of TUSAT to organize one big event with other Turkish associations in the Netherlands.’
Along these same lines, Saxion Hogescholen student Osman Ok, who is chairman of the Anka Turkish Student Association in Deventer, was in attendance to open the discussion with TUSAT members about forming a national Turkish Federation in the Netherlands over the next couple of years, he said, ‘In order to constitute a federation, it takes a total of 7 participating associations. In the future, an appointed representative from each association could possibly join in a newly formed national federation.’
TUSAT’s schedule for 2008 promises to host a range of new activities, ‘We have a project with the Vestingbar where we can organize a social drink evening and show people our dance and music,’ says Açikgöz. And on March 16, TUSAT is planning a Backgammon Tournament, open to all UT students, alumni and staff—Why not join them? Winners of the tournament can walk away with a bottle of Turkish Raki, and the first runner-up, a backgammon board.
Facts about TUSAT
Aim: The association was formed in order to advance the intellectual, social and cultural interaction between Turkish, Dutch and all international students, publicize the Turkish culture and orient incoming students to the university environment and the new community.
Established: Inauguration Ceremony, February 23, 2007
Membership: 51 (including non-Turkish nationalities)
Membership fee: €20.00 (one time fee)
Chairman: Janet Açikgöz, newly elected for 2008
Website link: www.tusat.org (available in three languages)
