This year again World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth has been awarded the Turkish Cultural Foundation Grant to sponsor selected six teachers to travel Turkey from July 13 – 24, 2009.   Teachers MUST attend the free introductory Turkey program at Region X on April 25 to be eligible. Winners will be announced at the conclusion of this program.  This program is focused on exploring of Turkey through a series of events. Each event is designed to promote education and cross-cultural understanding of Turkey that straddles the European and Middle Eastern worlds.  

As a part of its 2008 Portrait of Turkey program, the World Affairs Council has awarded four Metroplex teachers, Robbie Johnson (Lancaster ISD), Nicole Vickerman (Plano ISD), Leah Beard (Keller ISD) and Ginger Pawlowski (Corsicana ISD), study tours of Turkey from June 30 to July 9. Later this year, the program will present additional opportunities for educators and students throughout North Texas to get involved in Turkish culture and activities.

Also part of this program last November Deputy Consul General of Turkey  in Houston, Ali Findik visited UTD and Berkner High School in Richardson ISD for a tour and questions and answer sessions.

Consul Ali Findik is fast becoming an expert in comparing Turkish and American education systems. Last year, Consul Findik visited Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas ISD and Trinity High School in Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD in order to get a closer look at modern American education and compare/contrast with the Turkish education program.  

TURANT is proud to be part of this educational project for American educators.