Message from the President

I am pleased to welcome our readers to this inaugural website in its new format. AFOT has been revived and rejuvenated: we have a new website, an excellent Executive Director with years of experience in Turkish-American cultural relations, and Board members whose enthusiasm to support our goals has been most rewarding.

Our monthly website will include topics of interest to both Turks and Americans – lectures at the Smithsonian and other programs, AFOT fund-raisers and long-term plans. Regular features will include:

• reviews by Dr. Soner Cagaptay, Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute and FSI professor, and others of recent books on Turkey,
• an occasional assessment of recent events of “Turkey in the Region” by Amb. Ross Wilson (ret.), now at the Atlantic Council, and AFOT Board Member,
• a look at Turkish and American scholars and scholarship by Dr. David Cuthell, the Director of the Institute for Turkish Studies at Georgetown University and Prof. at Columbia University, and AFOT Board member,
• information of events in the world of museums and artists that pertain to Turkey, provided by Mr. “Sandy” Pfunder, Esq, former Peace Corps volunteer. And AFOT Board member,
• links to other Turkish-American organizations and their events, as we seek to strengthen cooperation among the organizations in Washington and region that are dedicated to strengthening Turkish-American friendship.

October 17-20 are the dates of the annual American Turkish Council Conference, this year, to be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. I encourage all who are interested in expanding business opportunities in Turkey to attend these important meetings where American and Turkish business leaders gather to discuss issues of mutual interest.
I look forward to meeting you at future AFOT events! We welcome suggestions and ideas from all of our readers.

Cordially,
Amb. Alan W. Lukens (Ret.)