A FEW WORDS ABOUT TURKISH-NORWEGIAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION

A FEW WORDS ABOUTTHE TURKISH-NORWEGIAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION(TNDD)
TNDD was founded in Izmir on 18.11.2002 and the main objective is to contribute in developing relations between Turks and Norwegians. Social relationship already existed between the locals of Balcova and the Norwegians. For a more comprehensive cultural and economic dimension to be added, the relations have paved the way for cooperation with NTV in Norway, so the TNDD have thus come into being.
Now the Mayor of Balçova- then The General Manager of Balçova Thermal Facilities, Mr.Mehmet Ali Çalkaya and the Norwegian numismatist, a real friend of the Turks and a true lover of Izmir, Mr. Sverre Lerdahl together have extended efforts to achieve this result. Likewise we would like to mention the contribution of Mr.Turabi Çelebi, General Manager of Balçova Thermal Facilities. We were provided with more valuable contributions by the other founder members in materializing the result.
Finally we would like to thank Mr. Yusuf Ziya Göksu, Governor of Izmir who is already well-known with his support for any kind of civilian initiative at every stage and encouragement provided by the district governors of Balçova so far.
Founders
Mehmet Ali CalkayaServet EcemisSinan TortumAlaettin YucelCoskun OktemNuh Cihangir DurgunSadik YardimciProf.Dr. Guven BakırAss.Prof.Dr. R.Eser Gultekin
Activities and Projects
Participation at the Metropolis Excavations (Project Leader: Ass.Prof.Dr.H åkon Ingvaldsen)A four-man team of archeologists from the University of Oslo participated in August-September,2004 at the excavations in Torbalı-Metropolis led by Prof.Dr.Recep Meriç.
In 2005, Ass.Prof.Dr. H åkon Ingvaldsen, Expert Marina Prusac, Expert Şermin Anadol and students Ole-Christian Aslaksen ve Jone Rost Kile participated at the excavations.
Support Project for Adana Children's Home (Project Leader: Sezar Kayri)
NTV leads the support Project for The Children's Home in Adana. In the home, there are 160 children in the age group 0-18. The work with the sanitary system was completed. NTV contributed with 30.000 Norwegian Crowns.
Student Exchange Project (Project Leader: Cavidan Hansen)
Within the framework of this pilot Project, two students from Darüşşafaka High School came to Drammen in 2004 and contributed to the exchange of cultures.
Turkish Week
Turkish Culture Week 2005
In the dates 20-29.January,2005 a Turkish Culture Week was successfully completed at the exhibition hall of Galeri 2000 in Lilleström. During the whole week carpets from different regions of Turkey were exhibited by Aina Romanich ve Hayim Akyüz.
Experts in different areas gave lectures on their subjects. Hayim Akyüz held a speech on the Turkish carpet art. The other lectureres and the subjects were as follows:
*Ass.Prof.Dr. Håkon Ingvaldsen- Antique city of Metropolis-a Norwegian pilot Project in Turkey
*Anne Grete Haugen from Vingreiser-Turkey as a country to be visited.
*Mag,Art. Şermin Anadol- Theatre in Turkey in the antique age.
As part of the same activity, Jorunn K irkenær Ballet School presented a dance show led by Thale Smestad.
Visit by The Governor of Izmir in 2004
The governor of Izmir-Mr.Yusuf Ziya Göksu, on his visit in Norway, delivered officially the house, which will be used as Norway House. The house is located at the entrance of Balçova Thermal Facilities. On 17.May, 2004 the agreement of intention was signed by Ass.Prof.Dr.Håkon Ingvaldsen and the governor of Izmir Mr.Yusuf Ziya Göksu.
Finally the house was opened on 17.May, 2005.
We are intebted to Mr.M.Ali Çalkaya, who started the initiative and Mr.Turabi Çelebi, who made his invaluable contribution in the restoration work. We also owe much to Mr. Yusuf Ziya Göksu for acting as the guardian of the project.
Meeting with Mr.Erdogan-The Prime Minister of Turkey
On April 11 th two representatives of the Norwegian-Turkish Friendship Union had the honour of meeting with the Turkish Prime Minister, Mr. Recep Erdoğan, during his official visit to Norway . Chairman Mr. Sverre Y. Lerdahl and board member Dr. Håkon Ingvaldsen represented NTV. The Turkish Ambassador to Norway sat by during the meeting that lasted for 30 minutes in the Presidents suite, Grand Hotel, Oslo .
Mr. Lerdahl opened the conversation by giving a brief history of NTV, our sister organization in Turkey and the initiative behind this prosperous collaboration. He stressed the importance that the former and present General Directors of Balçova Termal had played in this process, and the decisive support the Governor of Izmir had given the collaboration. Mr. Lerdahl informed also about the coming events in Balçova in May. PM Mr. Erdoğan was obviously already informed about the key persons involved in this process, and gave his strong support to the collaboration. He treasured the efforts made by everyone involved, and promised to keep an eye on the process in the time to come.
Dr. Ingvaldsen then gave a short digital presentation of NTV's activities, projects and achievements. A special emphasis was put on the plans for the Norway House in Izmir . The prosperous mix of social engagement, academic collaboration and cultural exchange was stressed upon, and future plans for additional achievements were pointed out. We focused on the possibilities of developing tourism to an even wider extent in Turkey , and the importance that a variety of cultural activities obviously will play in this development. PM Mr. Erdoğan elaborated further on this matters, and both parties had thoughts following the same path.
PM Erdogan closed the meeting by commending NTV's work and the collaborating parties on the Turkish side. He promised that the Embassy in Norway as well as the Governor's office in Izmir would be of assistance if problems occurred during our future work. Erdogan was handed over gifts from NTV, the (preliminary) statutes of Norway House and copies from the press about Turkey , Balcova and NTV/Norway House that have been published during the last two years.