April 25, 2015, Austin, TX – Raindrop Foundation organized the 11th Annual Anatolian Festival in Austin, Texas. The event drew a diverse crowd of some 3,500 residents of Austin and took place at at the Raindrop Turkish House.
Former Representative Pete Gallego, who served in the Texas legislature for many years, noted that the Turkish community members in Austin were very dedicated to, and loved their nation. Mr. Gallego also remarked how he had observed them to be just as dedicated to the principles of democracy and freedom. Former State Representative also noted that the festival reminded him of his trip to Turkey, as well as touching on the positive effect this experience was having on his son.
State Representative Cesar Blanco also took the stage to say a few words. He noted that the Turkish American community was active not only with their participation culturally and by contributing to the broader dialogue in the United States via numerous organizations, but also with the members’ participation in the political discourse as well, contributing to the solution of problems that are of concern to the public at large.
The guests were particularly happy about the samples of Turkish cuisine which were available to them at the festival. They also enjoyed numerous music and dance performances representing various cultures, as well as live demonstrations of hat and ebru (traditional Turkish arts.)
Mehmet Okunmuş, the President of Raindrop Foundation, noted that they held festivals such as these in all cities where they are present, in order to promote Turkish culture and broader cultural exchange. He especially underscored how the organization relied on the volunteers in Austin to organized this event, and thanked them wholeheartedly.
