Turkish Olympiad award ceremony was held in New York on Saturday, May 5, 2012. First Turkish Olympiads in New York had started in year 2007. This year’s ceremony had hundreds of new attendees who were very anxious to see the event. But unfortunately many could not get in due to high interest for the program.The event brought people together from all walks of life, including students who were competing and their families, academicians, elected officials and etc.
The ceremony took place in New York’s Manhattan Studio Center. Contestants competed in several categories such as poetry, composition, English, Spanish, Chinese folk songs,dances and Turkish songs. Winner of first second and third place competitors received their prizes. Around 1000 students from 40 different schools throughout Northeast region, performed in this exciting event and competed each other in 8 different categories,the winners from different categories will have a chance to compete in Turkey in June 2012.
In addition, 4 different types of awards were given for those who are successful in their fields. US representative Yvette Clarke has got Diversity Award, State assembly member Catherine Nolan received Excellence Award in Education,The year of Turkey Award has been given to CUNY (City University of New York) and Queens College President James Muyskens” and finally Metropolitan Museum received Art & Culture Award.
“I thank all the volunteers that made it possible for so many of you to join here today. It is celebration of beauty and the diversity of the USA and the beauty and the diversity of Turkey.”
Marty Markowitz
Brooklyn Borough President
“Each year we focus on a country to do intensive study. This year it was Turkey. We understood in a deep way, all of our faculty and students, the rich history, culture, politics, religions; how east and west met. We will all be better people for it. Thank you so much for sharing this culture with us”
Dr. James Muyskens
President, CUNY Queens College
“We have people from every part of the world in Brooklyn and the New York in Particular. Our population includes 1st,2nd and 3rd generations. I know the story very well. My parents came to the US from the island nation of Jamaica and established themselves here. We remember our origins by celebrating our traditions and culture. Through our traditions we honor those who blaze the trail so that we could be here and we honor those trailblazers by welcoming the people who are here now. We welcome those who are different from ourselves, those who may speak a different language or may eat different types of food or who practice different religions.
Yvette Clark US Representative
We recognize that we share an aspiration to participate in the American deram. We must not allow divisions to determine our destiny together and working together we will succeed.
