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TÜRKİYE HOLLAND 4OO

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O 2012 A Year
to
Remember
O The celebrations of the 4ooth Anniversary
of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations
between Turkey and the Netherlands

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First published in 2013 by the Turkish Embassy, Jan Evertstraat 15, 2514 BS, The Hague,The Netherlands

Copyright © Turkish Embassy, The Hague

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any
electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or here-after invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher
or author.

All photographs are provided by the organisations, institutions, municipalities, companies and governmental
departments to which the articles and activities refer. Non-commercial use is limited to this publication only.
Hortus bulborum: Photographs by Deb Wiley and Tietoja Minusta
Different Impressions, Changing Traditions Exhibition: Photographs by Huub Keulers and Stephanie
Lodewijks. Highlights & Shadows Photography
Turckse Boucken Exhibition: Photograph by Frank Jansen
Basketball and parliament football: Photographs by Yalçın Çakır
Multifestijn: Photographs by Mehmet Ali Topçu

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

2012 A YEAR TO REMEMBER:

THE CELEBRATIONS OF THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE NETHERLANDS

Edited by TV Culture, Schiedam, The Netherlands: Wolter Braamhorst, Eray Ergeç assisted by Alex Donks
Designed by Myra, Istanbul, Turkey: Rauf Kösemen (supervisor), Damla Özlüer (coordinator),
Deniz Kurşunlu (book design), Tuba Mücella Kiper (book design), Gülderen Rencber Erbaş (page design),
Harun Yılmaz (technical control)
Paper and Printing İMAK Basım, Istanbul, Turkey

120 pages

ISBN/EAN 978-90-820971-1-5

Keywords: History of The Netherlands; History of Turkey, Bilateral Diplomatic Relations, Intercultural
Relations
2012
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Ahitname of the Ottoman Sultan, granted to Cornelis Haga Cornelis Haga, the first Dutch ambassador to the Ottoman Empire

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PREFACE
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2012 was truly a year to remember: the 400th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations
between Turkey and the Netherlands was celebrated with around 600 activities in both countries; a

tremendous success.

In 2012, two nations grew closer together through art, music, fashion, exhibitions, sport and, of course,
high profile trade and business meetings. The official bilateral programme showed the best both coun-
tries had to offer. This book features the highlights of the bilateral activities in the Netherlands. In addi-
tion, a special documentary shows many of the memorable moments of the jubilee year. They celebrate
the wide variety of the bilateral programme in the Netherlands.

The state visit of President Gül to the Netherlands in April was the starting point of many other important
activities in the year; from exhibitions to trade missions, from classical concerts to modern dance, from 5
films to sports.

Hundreds of professionals and volunteers in both countries have made the commemorative year very
special indeed. It was a year in which people and neighbourhoods grew closer together and many of
the activities were organised and attended by the Dutch and Dutch-Turkish communities.

2012, a year of cultural exchanges, of fun, of friendship and of trade. Truly, a year to remember.

The editors

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 FOREWORD
It is a distinct pleasure for me to write the foreword to the commemorative book
“2012, A Year to Remember: The celebrations of the 400th Anniversary of the
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Turkey and the Netherlands,”
published to recall many of the wonderful, surprising and inspiring activities of
the bilateral year between Turkey and the Netherlands.
In 1612, the Dutch envoy Cornelis Haga presented his credentials to the Ottoman
Sultan, on behalf of the then Republic of the Netherlands. This was the start of four cen-
turies of cooperation and exchange between the Netherlands and Turkey. Through these
years, we have had a very unique relationship based on mutual respect and friendship. In 2012,
the longstanding ties between the Netherlands and Turkey were celebrated with numerous festivities in both
countries. Besides this, reciprocal state visits, ministerial visits and trade missions were realised.
Within the context of the 400th anniversary celebrations more than 600 activities in political, cultural, eco-
nomic, academic and social fields were organised in both countries.
When we first started preparing for the year, we did not know what to expect. Celebrations of diplomatic rela-
tions between countries are usually official affairs. Meetings are organised and cultural events are staged, but
do they truly capture the heart of both nations? Right from the beginning, however, it became clear that this
celebration was going to be very different. We noticed immediately that the enthusiasm was overwhelming.
Many people and organisations felt inspired by the idea and wanted to organise their own special activities in
the field of trade, economy, science and education, culture and art. This whole idea of celebrating 400 years of
relations and friendship between Turkey and the Netherlands created a synergy. New ideas were born, initia-
tives developed and old friendships rekindled. At the end of the year, we realised that we had accomplished
five times, maybe ten times, of what we had previously planned. 7

My personal highlight was the state visit of our President Abdullah Gül to the Netherlands. Our heads of state
communicated and worked so well together and the whole visit had a unique aura. This flowed from the top to
the other levels of society and other institutions. There was a positive energy of cooperation and friendship. His
visit was the starting point of many important exchanges in the field of economy, trade and culture. It worked
as a catalyst and inspired even more people to get involved.
The Consuls-General of Rotterdam and Deventer, as well as the Honorary Consuls of Amsterdam and Leiden
together with my wife and myself, were able to participate in many activities. The enthusiasm we encountered
on so many occasions was inspiring and overwhelming. Both countries can look back with pride and look
forward with optimism. It was an honour and a pleasure for me to be a part of the celebrations. It was a very
busy year, especially for the dedicated and praiseworthy staff of the Embassy and the Consulates, but it was
also a very rewarding year.
At the end of 2012, we closed one chapter in our relations with the Netherlands and yet opened up new hori-
zons for mutual benefit. Most importantly, we trust that the year of 2012 has been instrumental in bringing the
people of our two countries closer and has helped forge a better understanding and appreciation of each other.
This book concentrates on the highlights of the official bilateral programme which took place in the Nether-
lands. A DVD with a special documentary is also included at the back of this publication. We hope you enjoy
looking back at some of the events that took place last year. They are just the tip of the iceberg, but we think
they represent the spirit of 2012; truly a year to remember.
Uğur Doğan
Turkish Ambassador to the Netherlands
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OFFICIAL
VISITS
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State visit by The highlight of the year was the official
state visit by the Turkish President Abdullah
President Gül to Gül. Besides official meetings with Her Royal
Highness Queen Beatrix, President Gül was
The Netherlands also received by the Dutch government and
Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
17 -19 April 2012 President Gül was accompanied by Minister
EU Affairs Egemen Bağış and Minister of
Food, Agriculture and Livestock Mehdi Eker as well as some members of the Turkish parliament.
At a state banquet in Amsterdam’s Royal Palace on Dam Square, the Queen praised the important role
Turkey has played in the region and in the world. “Your country is a stable factor in a turbulent region
in which existing powers and relations are constantly being challenged,” she said to President Gül.
“To many, your country is an inspiration and an example.” The Queen added that in spite of the “four
centuries behind us, a period in which armed conflicts have exhausted our part of the world, relations
between our two countries have always been peaceful.”
11
The state visit was also the starting point of many other important activities of the jubilee year.
President Gül and his wife were shown around in the Amsterdam Museum accompanied by Queen
Beatrix, Crown Prince Willem Alexander, Princess Maxima and the Mayor of Amsterdam Van der Laan.
The President met with students, business leaders and with representatives of the Turkish community in
the Netherlands. He attended an array of concerts and performances by Turkish and Dutch artists and
orchestras. He also travelled to the south of the country to open – together with Queen Beatrix – an
exhibition in the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht. In nearby Venlo, President Gül opened the award-
winning Turkish Pavilion, one of highlights of the world famous Floriade World Exhibition Expo 2012.
During a special ceremony the President also named a flower the ‘Istanbul Hyacinth’. Agriculture offers
important business opportunities for both countries.
13
Many other business meetings and networking opportunities were also organised in and by both
countries. President Gül gave the opening address at the important Business Forum in Amsterdam.
500 prominent figures from the Turkish and Dutch business and diplomatic circles attended the forum.
It featured round-table meetings on animal husbandry, agriculture, logistics, transportation, renewable
energy and environmental technologies.
The Netherlands is one of the largest investors in Turkey. The value of mutual trade has increased to
about 7 billion euros in 2012.

The President
also visited the
Organisation for
Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons
(OPCW) in The Hague
and met with its Director
General, Ambassador
Ahmet Üzümcü.

STATE VISIT
15
President Gül was not the only high profile visitor to the Netherlands. Many other officials and
government representatives were part of high-level discussions and meetings. The Turkish Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoğlu was received by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Uri Rosenthal.
Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu: “This year is very special for us, the 400th Anniversary of Diplomatic Rela-
tions between Turkey and the Netherlands. In the world not many countries have such a deep-rooted
diplomatic relations. We are dedicated to further develop these relations.”
The Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Cemil Çiçek also came to the Netherlands to discuss politics and
business.

STATE VISIT
 Presidents of the
Dutch Senate
and House of
Representatives,
Speaker of the
Turkish Parliament
Cemil Çiçek

Turkish Minister
of Foreign Affairs
Ahmet Davutoğlu 17

Turkish Minister of Foreign

Affairs Ahmet Davutoğlu and
Dutch Minister of Foreign
Affairs Uri Rosenthal.
 Visit of The Queen visited the cities of Ankara and Istanbul. On
13 June, the Queen was received at the presidential pal-
Queen Beatrix ace in Ankara by President Abdullah Gül and his wife
Mrs. Hayrünnisa Gül. The next day, the Queen travelled
to Turkey to Istanbul for a lunch meeting with Turkish students and
academicians. In the evening, the Queen attended a per-
13 - 15 June 2012 formance of the Nederlands Dans Theater 2 (NDT2) in the
Muhsin Ertuğrul Theatre.

OFFICIAL VISIT
Visit of Crown Crown Prince Willem Alexander and Princess
Maxima also visited Turkey. The royal couple at-
Prince Willem tended the closing event of the festivities surround-
ing the 400th anniversary of diplomatic relations in
Alexander and Turkey. Minister of Foreign Affairs Frans Timmer-
mans accompanied the couple. The programme
Princess Maxima included business meetings and a concert by the
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. In order to pro-
10 - 11 November 2012 mote cycling in Istanbul, the royal couple made
a bike ride from the Dutch consulate through the
famous İstiklâl Caddesi, the busiest shopping street
of Istanbul.

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oFFICIAL VISIT oF At the invitation of Prime Minister Erdoğan, Prime Min-
ister Rutte and Minister of Foreign Trade and Develop-
Prime Minister ment Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen visited Turkey in
November. The trip focussed on further strengthening
Rutte the diplomatic and economic relations between both
countries. Led by the chairman of the Confederation
5 - 7 November 2012 of Netherlands Industry and Employers (WNO-NCW)
Wientjes, a trade delegation of 10 CEOs of Dutch
multinationals and over 80 representatives of Dutch
SMEs also travelled to Turkey. With various seminars and company visits, new contacts between Dutch
and Turkish companies were established and existing relations thereby strengthened.
Prime Minister Rutte was received by President Gül and met with Prime Minister Erdoğan. They dis-
cussed the economic cooperation between the Netherlands and Turkey, and the 400 years of diplo-
matic relations. The next day Prime Minister Rutte participated in a round-table meeting in Istanbul with
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Babacan and CEOs of a dozen Dutch companies.

OFFICIAL VISIT
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ECONOMY
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Turkey Holland During his state visit President Gül gave the
opening address at the Turkey Holland Business
Business Forum Forum at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam. He
also participated in a round-table meeting with a
17 April 2012 delegation of ministers and CEO’s from Turkey.
Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, Princess Maxima
Passenger Terminal, and Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Verhagen were
Amsterdam also actively particapting in the meeting. President
Gül stressed the importance of trade relations
between the two nations.

ECONOMY AND TRADE

25
Top 25 Taskan Consultancy – in close cooperation
with the Syntens Centre for Innovation - or-
Most Innovative ganised in the famous Kurhaus Hotel in the
seaside resort of Scheveningen the election of
Turkish-Dutch the top 25 most innovative Turkish-Dutch en-
trepreneurs. Murat Kıran of Conclusion won
Entrepreneurs the first prize with his ICT-concept ‘Managed
Diversity Workplace’. His winning concept is
18 October 2012 the next step in work place functionality. The
Kurhaus, Scheveningen prize was handed out by Minister of Foreign
Trade, Agriculture and Innovation Henk Ble-
ker. The second and third prizes were award-
ed to Atilla Aytekin & Umut Akpınar of Triodor for their ‘Innovative Software Teams’ and Recep Bakırcıof
Fitcons for his ‘Fit Cat Dealer Template’. They were honoured by Uğur Doğan, Turkish Ambassador to
the Netherlands and Jan-Paul Dirkse, Dutch Ambassador to the Turkish Republic.
The 300 invited guests included the top of the Dutch-Turkish business world as well as politicians and
representatives of non-governmental organisations.

ECONOMY AND TRADE

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INNOVATIEVE
ONDERNEMERS

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origin/Destination: The ‘Origin/Destination: 50 Years of
Turkish Haarlemmers’ project started the
5o Years of Turkish bilateral year and continued throughout
it. It featured a series of exhibitions and
Haarlemmers activities, including a show in the Philhar-
monie on 24 March and an exhibition in
20 January - 9 April 2012 De Waag. It began with the exhibition in
‘De Kloostergangen’, which was opened
De Waag, Haarlem
on the 20th of January by Bernt Schnei-
ders, Mayor of Haarlem, and consisted
of a partnership between the artist groups
KiM7 and KZOD. All artists produced works especially for this exhibition, displaying personal state-
ments on the theme Origin and Destination. Included in the opening was a short scene from the play
‘In de Schaduw van mijn Vader’ (In the Shadow of my Father ed.), performed by Cabaret group MES.
One of the artists, Leo van Velzen, wrote on the KZOD website: “On the occasion of the event ‘50
years Turkish Haarlemmers,’ I have created new pieces using metaphors like a maelstrom and a funnel
to indicate aspects of migrating. They are also metaphors for a life taking place between questions of
origin and destination. In other words, universal questions which can not only be attributed to groups of
people which are indicated in society as migrants. Everyone is a migrant looking for answers between
origin and destination.”

EXHIBITIONS
31
Istanbul Modern Boijmans van Beuningen Museum pre-
sented a remarkable selection of art work
- Boijmans van from the collection of the Istanbul Museum
of Modern Art, the first private museum in
Beuningen Museum Turkey to organise modern and contempo-
rary art exhibitions. The Istanbul Modern
Rotterdam - Rotterdam exhibition was compiled by the
Chief Curator, Levent Çalıkoğlu, of the mu-
10 March - 10 June 2012 seum in Turkey and was the first large-scale
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, exhibition of contemporary art from Turkey
in Rotterdam. Showcasing Istanbul as a re-
Rotterdam nowned capital of modern art, the exhibi-
tion presented selected works by fourteen
different artists from different periods. No-
table works included ‘Fire’ by Ramazan Bayrakoğlu, ‘Straitjacket’ by Balkan Naci İslimyeli and ‘The
Stained Glass of the Innocents (prototypes)’ by Sarkis.
Sjarel Ex, Director of Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, said: “The fact is, contemporary art has, in
just a short time, claimed an important place in Turkish society. Many artists of Turkish origin exhibit
in important art centres throughout the world. (…) We are extremely grateful to the management and
staff of Istanbul Modern for exhibiting this exceptional selection of their collection in Museum Boijmans
van Beuningen.”

EXHIBITIONS
Levent Çalıkoğlu said: “Istanbul Modern – Rotterdam is the latest in a series of shows that Istanbul Mod-
ern has held in major cities since 2009. While describing Istanbul as a ‘new continent’ at the centre of
the contemporary art world, the exhibition scrutinises the dynamics of transformation and change that
have taken place in contemporary Turkish art from the 1970s to the present day.”

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Marius Bauer in Cornelis Haga (1578-1654) of Schiedam
was the first Dutch Ambassador to Turkey.
Turkey In commemoration of the historical ties
between Schiedam and Turkey (Schiedam
16 March - 6 July 2012 has the largest Turkish community in the
Netherlands) and at the invitation of the
Grote or Sint Janskerk, Schiedam Bauer Documentation Foundation, the
Stedelijk Museum Schiedam presented
the ‘Marius Bauer in Turkey’ exhibition in
the Grote or Sint Janskerk in Schiedam. The artist Marius Bauer made several journeys through Turkey
and was a great admirer of Turkish culture. The exhibition consisted of paintings, drawings and letters
reflecting his love for Turkey and was inventively laid out in accordance with the travels and walks that
Bauer undertook in Turkey, especially in Istanbul.
Curator Dirk-Jan List: “The work of Bauer is romantic, but it is recognisable for a lot of Turkish people.
At the end of the 19th century, Istanbul changed, rapidly, into a western, modern society and a lot of
the architecture Bauer drew is now gone. Therefore it is not just nice to see, but it is also an historical
document; this is how it was.”

EXHIBITIONS
Commemorative plaque
of Cornelis Haga in the
Schiedam church

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The Prince and the In 1612, Dutch envoy Cornelis Haga was
granted the right by the Turkish Sultan
Pasha Exhibition Ahmed I to trade under the Dutch flag
in the Ottoman Empire. This is recorded
22 March – 2 September 2012 in the Ahitname, a beautifully decorated
document which, together with many
National Archives, The Hague other documents on the relationship be-
tween the Netherlands and Turkey, could
be viewed in ‘The Prince and the Pasha’
exhibition in the National Archives. Wonderfully decorated diplomatic treaties and a rich collection of
maps that depict the Ottoman Empire were also on display. The exhibition was so successful it was ex-
tended by a full two months. The National Archives also organised a number of lectures and a special
debate on the influence of Holland on young Turkish Dutchmen. Attending the debate were the Dutch
politician Nebahat Albayrak and author Sevtap Baycılı and the lecturers included the Ottoman-Turkish
expert dr. Jan Schmidt and historical researcher drs. Mehmet Tütüncü.
The curator of the exhibition, Paul Brood, said: “The central thread of this exhibition are the treaties be-
tween the Dutch and the Ottoman Empire. Since 1612 the Netherlands and the Ottomans had relations
on a diplomatic and economic level. The most important document of these relations is the Ahitname,
the privilege of the sultan. The Ottoman Empire was much larger than present-day Turkey. The coast of
North Africa, the Middle East and South-East Europe were all part of the Ottoman Empire, so a trade
treaty was very important for the Netherlands.”

EXHIBITIONS
 “The Dutch sent an envoy, the ambassador Cornelis Haga, to Istanbul in 1611. It took
some time, it took some gifts, it took some talking, but finally, in July 1612, we had
an arrangement. It was the first privilege with the Netherlands and we weren’t
even a country yet. We were rebels, fighting against King Philip II, so it is very
remarkable that we had such a privilege. The privilege is textually similar to
other treaties of that time, but it is the way it was made that is significant; it is
a very beautiful document. Of all the treaties we have in the National Archives
for our relations with other countries, this one is the most beautiful we possess.”

Cornelis Haga

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Ahitname
Dice Kayek - To celebrate 400 years of Dutch-Turkish
relations, the Amsterdam Museum fea-
Istanbul Contrast tured a number of special exhibitions, one
of these being the Istanbul Contrast Exhi-
Exhibition bition, showcasing the exquisite dresses
of fashion label Dice Kayek. The special
18 April - 17 June 2012 ‘Dice Kayek Istanbul Contrast’ exhibition
was an interpretation of historical and
Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam
modern Istanbul transformed into fashion.
Organised by dDf Dream Design Factory The exhibition consisted of 26 different
fashion designs that reflected the histori-
cal background and cultural diversity of
Istanbul. Each item of clothing showed a different view of the city. The magical beauty of the Dolma-
bahçe palace was translated in a dress decorated with lace and the cast-iron lattice work of the Galata
Bridge was reflected in a coat with metallic embroidery. The special collection was entirely hand-made.
The famous writer Elif Şafak even wrote special poetry for the models on display.
The sisters Ece and Ayşe Ege, founders of the label, said: “In our designs we picture the contrasts and
extremes of Istanbul, eliciting both wonder and excitement. We present the ancient historical roots of
this magical city stretching into our time: from its architecture to its smells, tastes and its wilful character,
the capacity to create harmony from the chaos between old and new, the gift to embrace so many
diverse cultures. Each separate design reflects these extraordinary values of Istanbul.”

EXHIBITIONS
39
The Chamber of Also featured by the Amsterdam Museum
was the intriguing exhibition about the
Levantine Trade paintings in the Chamber of Levantine
Trade. In the 17th Century, a special or-
18 April - 26 August 2012 ganisation was formed in the small but
powerful Republic to stimulate trade with
Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam the Levant and to arm ships. The Levant
was the region to the east of the Mediter-
ranean Sea, around the modern Turkish
Republic. The seven directors of this organisation had a room in the historic City Hall on the Dam in
Amsterdam. That room was full of costly paintings and maps of the Levant. Anyone who came there had
to be impressed. This exhibition showed these paintings together, reunited for the first time in over two
centuries. The Chamber of Levantine Trade exhibition was opened by Queen Beatrix and President Gül.
The exhibition highlighted the early history of 400 years of Dutch-Turkish relations, the management of
the trade and how the Netherlands viewed the exotic Levant region. Featured in this collection are two
panoramic paintings; ‘View of Constantinople’ by Jan Steen and ‘View of Ankara’ by an anonymous
Dutch painter.
Curator Laura van Hasselt of the Amsterdam Museum: “What we have tried to do in this exhibition is
to recreate a room which was actually in the City Hall of Amsterdam in the 17th and 18th centuries and
which was filled with beautiful maps and paintings of the Ottoman Empire. This was the room where
a group of merchants would assemble to talk about their affairs with the Ottoman Empire; they would
trade with that far-away exotic country.”
“These are all paintings about the Ottoman Empire which used to be shown in Amsterdam. For instance
a series of costume portraits from the early 18th century which were made in Istanbul by Van Mour and
his students. They all depict different figures from the Ottoman court, including the Sultan himself, as well
as very ordinary Ottomans: an Albanian soldier, a Greek bride, a Bulgarian sailor. So it gives you a
really great insight in how people from the West viewed the Ottoman empire in those days.”

EXHIBITIONS
41
Different Impressions, The Bonnenfantenmuseum pre-
sented a selection of about 80
Changing Traditions modern and contemporary
works of art from the collection
The Art Collection of the of the Central Bank of Turkey.
The bank has been collecting
Central Bank of the Republic art since the 1930s. The exhi-
bition was opened by Queen
of Turkey Beatrix and President Gül. The
19 April - 26 August 2012 curator of the exposition was
Zeynep Yama-Yasan. With
Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht works ranging from the ‘1914
Impressionists’ to modern art-
ists like Bedri Baykam and
Serdar Arat, the exhibition aimed to introduce and share the changes and transformations in Turkish
art since the end of the 18th century, and contributions to new and contemporary art practices. Some
notable works included ‘The Salacak Ferry landing’ by Hasan Vecih Bereketoğlu, ‘China Makers’ by
Şeref Akdik, ‘Family Tree’ by Özdemir Altan and ‘Resistance’ by Mustafa Ata.
Curator of the Bonnefantenmuseum Lars Hendrikman: “The exhibition has been organised by the Cen-
tral Bank of the Republic of Turkey. All the paintings are in the possession of the Central Bank and the
exhibition has been compiled by a Turkish curator who usually works as an art historian in the university
of Ankara. We are more or less hosting his exhibition, we have not made it ourselves.
What I like about these paintings, is that they are almost like a friend passing you by on a bike. Only
when he is very close do you notice that it is not this friend, but somebody who looks almost exactly like
him. In other words, you can see where the tradition comes from, you can see where the pictures come
from, yet from a different angle, from a different part of art-history, from a different part of Europe.
I think in every respect it is something new for the Dutch audience. The pictures are not known at all and
it gives a different angle from which to look at European and international modern art. For example,
some are very European but other paintings in this exhibition very much go back to Turkish and Otto-
man traditions. You have something like a rubber band between the Turkish tradition on the one hand
and the Western European and, more particularly, the Paris tradition on the other.”

EXHIBITIONS
43
5th International The Making City project is aimed
at the development of a strategy
Architecture Biennale for steering the urbanisation wave
so that drinking water facilities
Rotterdam: and agriculture can be used sus-
tainably in the cities of the future.
Making City - Atelier Istanbul Istanbul is one of the key test sites.
The Strategic Vision and Action
20 April - 12 August Plan being developed jointly with
IABR, Rotterdam the Arnavutköy municipal author-
ity will lead to a design and the
actual implementation of projects.
The results of this formed part of the main exhibition at several locations, with a special conference,
debates and lectures, as well as publications and TV and radio productions together with the VPRO
broadcasting association. The initiative was very well-received. Over 132,600 people visited the exhi-
bitions and programmes held jointly in Holland, Turkey and Brazil and almost 3 million people watched
and listened to the broadcasts.
A number of concrete projects were the result, including the official sanctioning of a plan developed
by IABR Atelier Istanbul to secure the river Bolluca, safeguarding the area from flooding and creating
a city park and eco-corridor.

EXHIBITIONS
Photo Exhibition: ‘The Doors of Heaven’ was a photo exhibition
featuring the Great Mosque and Hospital of
‘The Doors of Divriği, which is called the Al-Hamra of Ana-
tolia.
Heaven’ In 1228-29 Emir Ahmet Shah founded a
mosque, with its adjoining hospital, at Divriği.
22 May– 3 June 2012 The mosque has a single prayer room and is
Atrium of the City Hall, The Hague crowned by two cupolas. The highly sophisti-
cated technique of vault construction, and a
creative, exuberant type of decorative sculp-
ture – particularly on the three doorways, in contrast to the unadorned walls of the interior - are the
unique features of this masterpiece of Islamic architecture.
This beautiful photo exhibition, showing the grandeur as well as many architectural details of the site,
was appreciated by many visitors in the busy Atrium of the City Hall of The Hague. The exhibition was
sponsored by Turkish Tourism Office in The Hague.
The Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği are on the World Heritage list of UNESCO since 1985.

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EXHIBITIONS
Photo-exhibition: Much has been said about mi-
gration and integration and not
Turks Behind the Dikes always in positive terms. Some-
times we forget that many Turkish-
25 June - 31 August 2012 Dutch citizens have been very
successful in Dutch society.
Rabobank, Amsterdam
In a series of 21 provocative por-
traits, photographer Özden Kara-
baba shows the strength and beauty of these Dutch Turks and Turkish Dutch, who each in their own
way contribute to Dutch society.
At the opening of the exhibition on 25 June in the Rabobank branch on the corner of the Kalverstraat
and Dam Square in Amsterdam, the photographer gave a heart felt speech about her portraits of the
‘Turks behind the dikes.’
The exhibition was later also shown in Leiden.

EXHIBITIONS
Commons Tense: New Initiated by amberPlatform in con-
junction with TodaysArt Festival
Media Art from Turkey in The Hague, ‘Commons Tense’
exhibited the works of new media
15 - 30 September 2012 artists from Turkey. As a subtitle of
amberPlatform’s theme in 2012
EON Electricity Factory, The Hague ‘Paratactic Commons’, ‘Commons
Organised by amberPlatform Tense’ took as departure point the
need to revisit and reclaim the
commons. The artworks presented at the exhibition offered various interpretations of the year’s theme.
The project was curated by Fatih Aydoğdu and Ekmel Ertan. The co-events, which consisted of two
workshops, artists’ presentations and a seminar, were held parallel to the exhibition and targeted a
larger and diverse audience through a participatory approach.
Some of the artists featured were: Ebru Kurbak, who created a data catcher net which is an actual
Faraday Cage, pointing out the electromagnetic environment that we are surrounded with which is (in)
the public space, but carries coded and private information; Ahmet Sertaç Öztürk, who took the word
itch, which has a wide range of connotations in Turkish, and created a common tool/station to agitate
new associations to the word; and Özgün Kılıç and Sedef Aydoğan who dealt with the most common
state of mind: forgetfulness.

47
Time Tells: ‘Time Tells’ was an exhibition by the interna-
tionally acknowledged fine art photographer
Photography Diana Blok who has very profound concepts
and an excellent quality of work. ‘Time Tells’ is
installation by the true story of Diana Blok’s family, who sur-
vived the dangers of the Nazi Holocaust with
Diana Blok the help of a Turkish Diplomat. Blok’s personal
connection with Turkey unfolded when she
10 October - 10 November 2012 started investigating this essential part of her
Witteveen Gallery, Amsterdam family history. On one of her visits to Turkey
she discovered the story of the Turkish Ambas-
Organised by 7 Hills Foundation sador Abdulahad Akşin, who saved her father
(a Dutch diplomat of Jewish descent) from the
tragic destiny that took away his parents and
only brother. The exhibition chronicling this family history consisted of photographs, a special photo-
book and a documentary made together with Sonia Herman Dolz. The exhibition was also mounted
in Turkey.
Diana Blok explains the project: “I began a process of rescuing memories after my father’s death in
1998. I was searching for clues which would lead me to discover more of who he was and as a result,
more of who I was.
In a most unexpected way during a journey to Istanbul in 2009, I met the children of the Turkish Ambas-
sador, now 80 and 82 years old respectively. They had grown up knowing my father, first in The Hague
and later in Buenos Aires. As they told their stories and unlocked some of the mysteries surrounding my
father, I knew the time had come for me, as a visual artist to tell the story. I heard my mother’s voice:
‘El tiempo lo dirá’, ‘time will tell’.”

EXHIBITIONS
49
Troy. City, Homer There is no other city that captures the imagi-
nation as much as Troy. There is something
and Turkey magical, something mythical, something fas-
cinating about Troy. From 7 December 2012
6 December 2012 - 5 May 2013 till 5 May 2013, the Allard Pierson Museum
– the archaeology museum of the University of
Allard Pierson Museum, Amsterdam Amsterdam – presented the exhibition ‘Troy.
City, Homer and Turkey’. The exhibition illumi-
nated Turkey’s approach to a cultural legacy that constitutes the foundations of European culture on the
basis of the highly evocative themes of Troy and Homer. Is Homer’s legacy part of a heritage shared
by Turkey and the West? Visitors could gain insight into how Homer is seen in Turkey by viewing the
magnificent artefacts of the Turkish archaeological collection from Troy, as well as the collection held
by the Allard Pierson Museum.
The exhibition ‘Troy. City, Homer and Turkey’ presented a historical reflection on the city from various
points of view – from the city itself, from the poet Homer and from different cultures and countries.
The many myths that developed about Troy over time act like a thread running through the exhibition.
The sensational excavations by Heinrich Schliemann and his successors were displayed with the aid
of copies of the famous Priam’s Treasure, along with original finds from the various digs. The large
marble head of Zeus from the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul was a highlight. The reception of
the history of Troy by various cultures and Turkish culture during the 19th and 20th centuries formed a
major part of the exhibition. A selection of items from the Ottoman archives, including photographs
of President Kemal Atatürk at Troy and the excavation permit issued to Schliemann, revealed Homeric
Troy’s relevance to Turkey.
René van Beek, curator of the Allard Pierson Museum: “The most important object of the exhibition is the
head of the god Zeus. He is in the centre of the exhibition, that is very important. It is an important piece
in the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul and we are very happy that it can be on show here in Amster-
dam. It is exceptional that so many important archaeological objects, finds from the excavations, which
normally can be seen in the museums in Istanbul, Çanakkale, Çorum are now here in Amsterdam.”

EXHIBITIONS
51
TurcksCHe Boucken: Meermanno Museum and
Leiden University teamed up
The oriental collection for a special project on ori-
ental manuscripts. The man-
of Levinus Warner, uscripts were collected by
Levinus Warner (ca. 1618-
diplomat in 17th century 1665), ambassador to the
Dutch Republic in Istanbul.
Istanbul Warner was very interested
in the languages and cul-
16 December 2012 - 3 March 2013 tures of the Middle East
Museum Meermanno, The Hague and bequeathed a huge
collection of manuscripts to
the University of Leiden, the
place where he had studied Oriental languages. These manuscripts are rarely exhibited and have
never been seen in Turkey.
The exhibition painted a very vivid picture of the intellectual and diplomatic climate in Istanbul in the
seventeenth century and showed how the relations between the Netherlands and Turkey at that time
took shape. The exhibition was accompanied by a richly illustrated, scientific catalogue and an elabo-
rate educational programme.
Prior to the exhibition, on December 14, Jan Schmidt organised an international science symposium
on the history and literature of the Ottoman Empire in the seventeenth century with speakers from the
Netherlands, Turkey, Great Britain, Hungary and the United States.

EXHIBITIONS
53
Creative Bridges; ‘Creative Bridges: From Traditional Arts to
Creative Industries’ focused on bridging tradi-
From Traditional tional arts and crafts and contemporary design
of the Netherlands and Turkey with lectures in
Arts to Creative the Netherlands in the spring and workshops
in Turkey in the fall. The project resulted in an
Industries exhibition and a conference.
Turkish scholars, artists and designers travelled
5 June – 5 November 2012 to the Netherlands to give lectures to Dutch stu-
Organised by Association of dents and professionals attended workshops
Intercultural Communication on how contemporary Turkish art is influenced
by traditional arts.
For instance, on 8 May, Designhuis Eindhoven
hosted two lectures in cooperation with Capital
D. Brainport & Design Academy Eindhoven.
Prof. Tevfik Balcıoğlu (Yaşar University, Izmir)
spoke on the evolution of Turkish design and Gamze Güven lectured on the tradition of industrial design
in Turkey. On 15 May, in cooperation with the AKV-St.Joost in Breda, Prof. Dilek Bektaş discussed the
link between traditional arts and Turkish graphic design and Gültekin Çizgen gave a lecture on how
traditional arts influenced Turkish photography.

ARTS AND CRAFTS

55
The fall workshops in Turkey gave Dutch designers and design students the opportunity to work with
traditional Turkish craftsmen and local artists in 8 workshops in 5 cities, for example in the field of ce-
ramic tiles, felt and sheepskin design and glass arts, thus facilitating new connections and exchanges
in the creative industries. It was a cooperation between many different organisations and institutes like
the Iznik Foundation, the Şanlıurfa Development Center for Traditional Crafts and the Eskişehir Anadolu
University. Participants also included the Centre for Traditional Arts of Kütahya, the Association for Inter-
cultural Communication and Interdisciplinary Art, the Gerrit Rietveld Academy of Amsterdam, the ArtEZ
Fashion Design of Arnhem and many established artists from Turkey as well as from the Netherlands.
Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul hosted the closing exhibition and conference from 16 to 22 October.

ARTS AND CRAFTS

57
The Turkish National President Abdullah Gül hosted the
special concert by the Turkish National
Youth Philharmonic Youth Philharmonic Orchestra held
at the Royal Tropical Institute in the
orchestra company of Queen Beatrix during his
state visit to the Netherlands in April
18 April 2012 of 2012.
Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam The program was presented by Dutch-
14 September 2012 born 2002 Miss World Azra Akın and
the well-known photographer Wilco
Dr. Anton Philipzaal, The Hague van Herpen, who lives in Turkey. Azra
16 September 2012 Akın presented the program in Dutch
and Van Herpen presented in Turkish.
Conservatorium of Amsterdam
The concert included works by Dutch
composer Hendrik Andriessen’s ‘Vari-
ations and Fugue on a Theme by Johann Khunau’; Argentinean composer Astor Piazzola’s ‘Melody in
A Minor’ and Turkish composer Ulvi Cemal Erkin’s ‘Sinfonietta’. The orchestra ended their performance
with ‘Gülnihal’ by Dede Efendi, a well-reputed Turkish classical musician of the 19th century.
Supported by the Sabancı Vakfı Foundation, the Turkish National Youth Philharmonic Orchestra is
made up of promising artists between 16-22 years of age who are screened from established con-
servatories in a variety of Turkish cities; one hundred young musicians, whose impressive virtuosity and
infectious energy have captivated audiences in musical capitals such as Berlin, Vienna, Linz and Rome.
For the bilateral year, the TYPO also performed in the Netherlands in September. The concert on 14
September brought the star soloist Natalia Gutman and the Turkish National Youth Philharmonic Or-
chestra together under founding conductor Cem Mansur. The concert on 16 September featured the
young cellist virtuoso Ketti Roinishvili from the Conservatorium of Amsterdam. These two concerts com-
bined the familiar with the lesser known, youth and experience in a manner befitting this special year.

CLASSICAL CONCERTS
59
Hoofdstadkoor and The famous choir of Amsterdam,
the Hoofdstadkoor, celebrated in
the Promenade orkest 2012 its 50th anniversary. The
Dutch-Turkish organisation Kulsan,
Yunus Emre oratorium of which supports Turkish musicians
and artists to perform in the
Ahmet Adnan Saygun Netherlands, requested the choir
to re-interpret the ‘Yunus Emre
13 May 2012 Oratorium’, composed by Ahmet
Koninklijk Concertgebouw, Amsterdam Adnan Saygun to celebrate the
400th anniversary of diplomatic
relations. Together with the Prome-
nade Orkest, conducted by Martin van der Brugge, they performed the magnificent composition in the
world famous Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, a fitting setting.
Saygun’s ‘Oratorium’ is inspired by the 13th century poetry of Yunus Emre and is acclaimed around the
world as a work of rare beauty and precision. Ahmet Adnan Saygun (1907-1991) was one of the first
generation Turkish composers to study in western Europe. The ‘Yunus Emre Oratorium’ is his magnus
opus. The musical form is in the western classical style, but its spirit is truly middle-eastern. What is man
in the light of eternity? His message of humanity and tolerance made Saygun world famous. The work
premiered in Paris in 1947.

Concertgebouw Amsterdam

CLASSICAL CONCERTS
Ahmet Adnan
Saygun

61
Mevlâna - On 1 June 2012, the Rotterdamse Opera-
dagen (Rotterdam Opera Days ed.) hosted
Say, I am You the world premiere of ‘Mevlâna - Say, I am
You’. This contemporary musical theatre show,
World Premiere opera by leading composer Michael Ellison, tells
the life story of the poet, philosopher and
1 June 2012 mystic Jelaladin Rumi, throwing boundaries
of theatrical, intercultural, and musical clichés
Operadagen Rotterdam, Rotterdam aside, creating a lively theatrical immediacy
Organised by IKSV in probing Mevlana’s relationship with his
mentor. Rumi was the founder of the Sufi
movement in Islam and of the dancing dervish
order. The opera tells a centuries-old story that still relates directly to the condition of modern man. The
show was co-produced with the Istanbul Music Festival.
Critic Alexandra Ivanoff wrote: “It’s an innovative vehicle to deliver the mystical essence of Mevlâna
to us all. The video installation showed the texts in English and Turkish with actors miming actions
of Rumi, his wife and other characters. Hezarfen combined the Turkish ney and kanun with several
standard orchestral instruments. (…) The overall effect of Ellison’s remarkable instrumental textures and
occasional choral moments bordered on the supernatural.”

CLASSICAL CONCERTS
63
Antakya Chorus On 25 September the Antakya Chorus of Ci-
vilisations gave a stunning concert in the Dom-
of Civilisations kerk in Utrecht. The choir consists of adher-
ents to three monotheistic faiths and includes
25 September 2012 various professionals such as priests, imams,
nuns, jewellers, teachers, students and pen-
Domkerk, Utrecht sioners. By sharing some extant beautiful val-
ues, the choir aims to open new horizons and
draw humanity closer to beauty and truth, and by using music’s universal language it strives to act as
a bridge between civilisations. The Chorus currently has 120 members who perform in costumes of
flowing white silk designed by prominent fashion designer Bahar Korçan. They were even nominated
for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.
Conductor Şeyda Koyaş: “We dream of a world where people stop arguing and waging war. The choir
will then increase from 130 to 7 billion members and send out a message to the world: We can live
together, we are tolerant of one another. We want to spread a message of peace across the world.”
This special concert was completely sold out and the performers received a standing ovation. The
concert was made possible by the Turkish Tourism Office in The Hague and the Utrecht municipality.
Besides the concert, an exchange was organised with school children from Utrecht as well as a photo
exhibition “Hier ben ik thuis - 50 jaar gastarbeiders in de stad Utrecht,” (This is my home – 50 years
of migrant workers in Utrecht ed.) which was on show in the Domkerk.

CLASSICAL CONCERTS
65
Piano concert Twin-sisters Ferhan and Ferzan Önder were
born in Tokat in 1965. They began playing
by Ferhan and the piano at age ten. At fourteen, they won
the ‘Jury Special Award’ at the International
Ferzan Önder Duo Competition in Terni, Italy. Many prizes
and international awards would follow. They
26 Oktober 2012 have established themselves as one of the
most promising Piano-Duos of the younger
Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
generation in the world’s concert circuit. Ex-
tensive concert tours have taken the pianists
throughout Europe, the Far East and America. During this special concert – which was introduced by
the Turkish Honorary Consul General in Amsterdam Hans Risch and made possible by the DHB Bank in
the Netherlands - the piano duo gave a thrilling rendition of Stravinsky and works by other composers.

CLASSICAL CONCERTS
Between Istanbul This festival blended popular songs from both
cities by bringing catchy arabesque and Turk-
and Amsterdam ish tunes from Istanbul to Amsterdam, centred
around the theme of Love and Longing.
23 June 2012 A host of performers, poets and literary figures
MC Theater Westerpark, Amsterdam from both cultures as well as a small orches-
tra made up of Turkish and Dutch musicians
staged an unprecedented blend of musical
heritage and traditions from both countries.
The ‘Exchange for a Cosmopolitan Future’ was also presented during the festival. It is a bilingual,
Turkish- Dutch collection of prose, essays and poetry about the cosmopolitan culture of the cities of
Amsterdam, Istanbul and Antwerp.

67

POETRY/THEATRE
The Chronicles The Ankara State Theater (ADT) made a special, one-
off performance in the Lucent Danstheater, the largest
of Narnia dance theater in Holland, presenting their new musical
production called ‘Narnia Günlükleri’ - based on C.S.
25–26 May 2012 Lewis’ series of fantasy novels ‘The Chronicles of Nar-
nia’ - to Dutch theatergoers.
Lucent Danstheater, The Hague
The Chronicles of Narnia is a musical for children of
all ages, written by Brita Kutchmy, dramatized by Irita
Kutchmy who also composed its music, translated into Turkish by Çağman Pala and directed by Işıl
Kasapoğlu. The musical examines friendship, courage and freedom and tells the story of four siblings
opening up a new world after their discovery of a magic wardrobe in an old professor’s house.

musıcal
69
Julidans 2o12 Julidans is an annual and highly acclaimed international
contemporary dance festival, which takes place at vari-
ous locations in Amsterdam during the first two weeks
3 - 14 July 2012
of July. To promote the bilateral year, Julidans featured
Amsterdam two dance companies from Turkey: İlyas Odman, Aslı
Organised by IKSV Bostancı and Taldans.
After the successful Sek Sek performance of 2005, Juli-
dans once again brought Taldans, the choreographers duo of Mustafa Kaplan and Filiz Sızanlı, to De
Melkweg. In their new work ‘Eskiyeni’ the duo explored their own shared artistic memories, replaying,
reconstructing and reinterpreting three of their past performances.
De Mozaiek featured a double bill of Aslı Bostancı and İlyas Odman. Bostancı started with ‘In Be-
tween’, a performance based on her own inner being, using her depressive moods as a jumping off
point. Odman followed this with ‘Oggi Niente’, depicting a man mourning his lost love. ‘In Between’
and ‘Oggi Niente’ formed a beautiful whole, with subtle similarities and more than enough differences
to stay intriguing and surprising.
Aslı Bostancı said: “I really tried to find my inner voice, tried to find what is hiding inside of me, like
another creature or something else, and I tried to bring that hidden part to the outside. I found different
personalities inside of me and I play that dilemma like this. And it’s also about a transformation and
trying to find the edge, and also the voice of the inner part. It’s really a solo-solo.”
İlyas Odman said: “I try to produce a piece about death and the people who remain after the death,
and the pieces between the story and the storyteller. I also made use of symbols: for example, shoes
are something important in Turkey and when a person dies, they put one of his or her shoes in front
of the door, so the people will know there is a funeral in this house and when I think about funerals I
immediately think of this tradition.”

DANCE/THEATRE
Countdown The Istanbul Performing Arts Platform presented a se-
lection of remarkable theatre and dance performances
Perform 2o12 which premièred in Istanbul in recent years.
The co-production in the Netherlands, in co-operation
November - December 2012 with the Productiehuis Rotterdam, brought together
Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht young artists from Turkey and the Netherlands. The joint
creation ‘Countdown’ was developed through a collec-
tive creation process by four artists from Turkey and the
Netherlands.
These artists were the actress duo Kimmy Ligtvoet and Christina Flick, the theatre-maker and performer
Melih Gençboyacı and the famous dancer and choreographer İlyas Odman. The theme of the play was
Confession, asking questions about its purpose, meaning and reality, staged by having the four artists
challenge each other to confess ever deeper secrets. It was presented in Rotterdamse Schouwburg (Rot-
terdam), Frascati (Amsterdam), Stadsschouwburg Utrecht (Utrecht) and Istanbul in November-December
2012.

71
Travelogue II – Istanbul choreographer Beyhan Murphy
followed up her successful Travelogue
Modern Dance show of 10 years ago with music by
Mercan Dede.
Theatre Istanbul In Travelogue II Reload, Murphy took the
public on a multidimensional journey
20 May 2012 inspired by the spiritual expeditions of
Rotterdamse Schouwburg, Rotterdam the successful Turkish author Elif Şafak
21 May 2012 and passages from the work of Evliya
Chelebi, the well known 17th century
Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Amsterdam traveller and chronicler from Istanbul,
who is often seen as the Eastern Marco
Polo. With the dancers of the Modern
Dance Theatre Istanbul and the music of Burak Güven, bass guitarist of Mor ve Ötesi, Beyhan Murphy
provided an absolutely stunning show.

DANCE/THEATRE
Turkey Now! Turkey Now! organises cultural
projects on a regular basis that
are very popular with Dutch as
Metropole orkest with well as Turkish-Dutch audiences.
Leman, Şevval and Şehnaz In 2012 Turkey Now! started
with spectacular opening con-
Sam & special guest Giovanca certs in Amsterdam, Rotterdam
and Eindhoven performed by
February 2012 the world-famous Dutch Metro-
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven pole Orkest. This unique orches-
tra, celebrated for its versatility,
accompanied some of Turkey’s
famous singers; Leman Sam – the diva of the traditional music – and her daughters Şevval Sam en
Şehnaz Sam. All three are well-known in Turkey and abroad, not only for their traditional performances
but also for their modern interpretations of this popular musical tradition.
Dutch singer Giovanca was a special guest. Giovanca who sings pop and jazz as easily as soul sur-
prised the audience with heart-felt renditions, even in the Turkish language, of famous Turkish classics.
The popular singer lived in Istanbul for 1.5 years and feels strongly connected to the Turkish culture.

73

CONCERTS
Paradiso nltr4oo The Pera Foundation organised several con-
certs and dance nights under the name of Par-
adiso NLTR4OO, featuring both established
April – November 2012
and upcoming names from the contemporary
Paradiso, Amsterdam music and dance scene and from the youth
and popular culture of Istanbul and Amster-
dam. Işın Karaca and DJ’s Murat Meriç and Barış K, both known for their musical archives, and famous
Amsterdam-based DJ’s Lupe and San Proper’s set of Disco Tophits took the stage in Paradiso Amsterdam
on 9 June. The eclectic mix of music featured music from 70s and 80s Turkish cinema and electronic
disco with an ‘east meets west’ atmosphere, typified by lovers of 70s music as Cosmic Turkish Disco.

CONCERTS
Pera Live - Kİm Kİ o
& BedÜk
6 October 2012
Paradiso, Amsterdam 75

Continuing their successful dance nights,

Club Pera featured one of the most popular
purveyors of live disco-electro music in Tur-
key: Bedük. The pre-
programme featured
the female duo Kim
Ki O, an electronic,
new wave outfit con-
sisting of Ekin Sanaç
and Berna Göl, who
released their debut
album ‘Dans’ on the
Dutch label Enfant Ter-
rible. Just like the pre-
vious two times Serhat
Bedük performed in
the Paradiso with his
five-man band, the
venue was packed
and a wonderful night
was had by all.
Dunya Festival In 2012, the Rotterdam Dunya Festival also re-
flected on 400 years of relations between Tur-
2o12 key and the Netherlands. With over 200,000
visitors each year, and well over 250,000 this
27 May 2012 year, the Dunya Festival is one of the largest
festivals in Holland, attracting a wide variety of
Euromast, Rotterdam artists and performers from all over the world.
Organised by Audiomaze Productions There were over 50 performances on different
stages spread out over the park near the Euro-
mast in Rotterdam, providing hours of music and poetry. One of the main acts at the festival was the
Turkish band Athena, a ska punk group from Istanbul. The band is hugely popular in Turkey. Its songs
are a mix of Eastern and Western music styles. Athena won a European reputation in 2004 with its
participation in the Eurovision song festival, in which the band took fourth place.
According to the Dutch media covering the event, they were a huge hit with the crowd this year, with
thousands of Dutch visitors dancing to the music with enthusiasm and their many Turkish fans singing
along with every song. Both the Turkish and Dutch media were on hand to record the event, with both
Radio Rijnmond and TV Rijnmond providing live coverage.

CONCERTS
North Sea Jazz This year the North Sea Jazz Festival
also featured various musicians and
Festival meets bands from Turkey, showcasing
a wide-ranging selection of
Istanbul Jazz Festival contemporary Turkish music. The
participating artists were selected in
6 - 8 July 2012 cooperation with the Istanbul Jazz
Festival İKSV. Special emphasis was
Ahoy, Rotterdam
given to artists and musicians fusing
Organised by IKSV tradition with modernity.
Starting things was the clarinet virtuoso Hüsnü Şenlendirici, who started playing music at the age of
five and has since grown into a sensation. He was aided by Aytaç Doğan, who plays the remarkable
stringed instrument kanun.
Hüsnü Şenlendirici: “I think the jazz environment, whether here in Turkey or anywhere else, is more or
less the same, but in Turkey we use more ethnic music, our local music is more combined with jazz, so
when we go to a jazz festival it is not only jazz-jazz, but there are also many ethnic instruments and
ideas on-stage.”
Next on the billing was Oğuz Büyükberber, who is known for his improvisational play on the bass
clarinet, fusing modern Turkish music with jazz. For this performance Büyükberber invited three prominent
European musicians known for their own talent in improvisational music: Wolter Wierbos, Tobias Klein
and Simon Nabotov. Together, they created a impressive quartet where three brass instruments duelled
against the piano, to create a performance of abstract folk-like chamber music.
The closing act was by the acclaimed modern Turkish composer Erdem Helvacıoğlu and the Swedish
experimental musician Per Boysen, putting on a live performance of their science fiction/horror concept
album ‘Sub City 2064’. Fusing daring acoustic improvisations with scintillating electronic sound-art, the 77
performance swept the audience along in a story about a failed experiment where an ecological city
sinks to the bottom of the ocean.
Kardeş Türküler Another large music festival to feature Turkish
artists for the bilateral year was the Amsterdam
Roots Festival, a festival focussing on world mu-
8 July 2012
sic and the meeting points of various cultures
Amsterdam Roots Festival, Amsterdam and styles. Appearing at the Alliance Roots
Organised by Audiomaze Productions Open Air part of the festival was the folk-group
Kardeş Türküler – Songs of Brotherhood.
The Kardeş Türküler project exists as part of the Boğaziçi Performing Arts Ensemble, and works within
the world of music to emphasise the fraternity of nations. Performing the folk songs and dances of Ana-
tolia, Thrace and Mesopotamia in their original languages, and paying special attention to their own
cultural contexts, the group expresses the hope of living together in fraternity in a region with many
different cultures.
The Boğaziçi Performing Arts Ensemble (or BGST as they are also known) is an international sensation.
They perform for tens of thousands of people all over Europe with a group of up to 140 professionals.
Music, dance and theatre are all combined to form one spectacular and whirling show, based on a
melting pot of Turkish cultures.
“We started in the dorms of Boğaziçi (Bosphorus ed.) University in Istanbul in 1993,” explains Ülker
Uncu, one of the founding members of the group. “We started to research traditional folk songs and the
history of folk dances. Most of us started to learn how to play instruments. After two years we began
to perform in public. We were just interested in playing together and we did not want to stop after
leaving University.”
“The early 90s was a time in which different ethnic groups, Kurdish first, and then others, began to
manifest themselves. We wanted to show this cultural diversity in our performances. We were not politi-
cal, but we felt we were touching on something important. The younger generation did not know Turkey
as a multi-ethnic, multilingual and multi-cultural country, each group with its own traditions in song and
dance. People came to our performances and approached us afterwards with their songs; Arabic,
Kurdish, Assyrian, Azerbaijan, Greek, Georgian and Armenian songs. All these different folk songs are
not unrelated to one another. They are all songs that stem from the same country. A celebration of unity
in diversity. Later the musical heritage of the Laz, Circassian, Roma, Macedonian and Alevi cultures
were incorporated into our performances. People helped us in interpreting and translating them and
they explained the history behind them. We used their lyrics as the basis for little theatrical scenarios.
They knew we were genuinely interested. They trusted us with their heritage.”

CONCERTS
Amsterdam Dance The world famous Amsterdam Dance Event
2012 had more than 200.000 festival visi-
Event: Istanbul tors and 3.800 conference visitors, spread
out over 75 locations with more than 1.700
Hi-Fi Connection performing artists.
In Paradiso on 21 October, the dance-floor in
21 October 2012 the main room was in the capable hands of
Paradiso, Amsterdam Alican, Murat Uncuoğlu, Ahmet Şendil and
Organised by Audiomaze Productions other DJ´s from Turkey. Paradiso is one of the
most legendary temples of popular music in
the Netherlands and across the globe.
The aim of the Istanbul Hi-Fi Connection was to bring the best of the Istanbul electronic music scene
to Amsterdam, thereby creating a creative and cultural bridge between Amsterdam and Istanbul. The
result was a party that will be remembered for a long time to come.

79

DJ Ahmet Sendil

CONCERTS
Amsterdam On 19 September Pathé Tuschinski opened its doors
for the grand gala opening of the third edition of the
Turkish Film Amsterdam Turkish Film Festival. On the red carpet
hosts Nancy and Ipek welcomed the guests, among
Festival them the Turkish Ambassador Uğur Doğan.
The Turkish Film Festival is an annual event which
20 - 23 September presents and promotes the best examples of Turkish
Tuschinski Theater, Amsterdam cinema and art in Europe. For its 3rd edition the film
Organised by 7 Hills Foundation festival chose the Turkish Diaspora as its theme. Many
collaborative examples of Turkish Diaspora films were
shown. In addition, the Film festival welcomed many
directors and actors from the Turkish cinema world to
be able to create a meeting platform with the Dutch cinema world. This year, besides the retrospective
of director Fatih Akın, there were also many Q&A’s, high teas and examples of fine arts in the festival.
Baris Pirhasan enlightened the audience with some insights to his screenplay of ‘Kurtuluş Son Durak’.
Ümit Ünal answered questions from a new audience but also many die-hard fan questions about ‘Nar.’
Caner Alper presented his film ‘Zenne’ to a big crowd that questioned the director for an hour. Also
Kadir Balcı, director of ‘Turquaze’ and Mustafa Hadziibrahimovic and Naida Ribic of ‘Neki Drugi
Svijet’ participated in the Q&A’s.
The program was divided into three main segments. Diaspora dealt with the primary theme and showed
films by a range of directors, from ‘Turquaze’ to ‘Made in Europe’. The second segment was New Har-
vest, which showcased eight more recent Turkish movies, shuch as ‘Eylül‘ and ‘Kurtuluş Son Durak’. The
third segment was a retrospective on the oeuvre of Fatih Akın, one of Turkey’s most important directors,
focussing on the five movies in his portfolio that most strongly deal with the theme of Diaspora.

FILM
81
Turkish films at The seventh annual Leiden Film Festival
was held in October and, in celebration
Leiden Film Festival of 400 years of Dutch-Turkish relations,
three movies by notable Turkish directors
23 - 28 October 2012 were shown for the first time in Holland in
cooperation with the Honorary Consulate
Leiden General of Turkey in Leiden, the Ankara
Cinema Association and the Turkish Minis-
try of Culture and Tourism.
The three movies in question were the classic yet controversial ‘Hope’ from 1970 by directors Şerif
Gören & Yılmaz Güney, featuring Yılmaz Güney and Gülşen Alnıaçık; ‘The Loser’s Club’ from 2011 by
Tolga Örnek, featuring Nejat İşler and Yiğit Özşener; and finally the recently released ‘Toll Booth’, from
2012 by director Tolga Karaçelik, featuring Serkan Ercan, Zafer Diper and Nur Aysan.

FILM
Turkish Beat - Young Amsterdam was host not only to the
ATTF programme but also to Turkish
Turkish Film Makers Beat, an initiative by Istanbul Mod-
ern, together with the EYE Film Insti-
20 - 26 September 2012 tute, to focus on the new generation
of Turkish film-makers in a joint festi-
EYE film institute, Amsterdam val with feature films, documentaries,
Organised by İstanbul Modern short films and video art. The festival
featured recent art-house film projects
of the latest Turkish generation of film
and documentary makers, from the still relatively unknown up-and-comers such as Emin Alper, Raşit
Çelikezer and Seyfi Teoman, to more established directors such as Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Semih
Kaplanoğlu. This new generation of film makers deals with political and social issues as well as more
personal subjects.

Seyfi Teoman
83

Dutch Film Festival Amsterdam wasn’t the only Dutch city

to host a film festival. The Istanbul Film
Festival’s ‘Meetings on the Bridge’
27 September - 1 October 2012
and the Dutch Film Festival’s ‘Hol-
Utrecht land Film Meetings’ decided to join
Organised by IKSV forces. Every year, the HFM spotlights
the audiovisual industry of one of Hol-
land’s European neighbours, looking
to intensify co-production activity between Dutch producers and their counterparts from that country.
Following the successful evaluation of the Nordic industries in 2011, the HFM put the spotlight on
Turkey in 2012.

FILM
A Flower Connecting The video documentary
‘A Flower Connecting
Two Countries – Two Countries’, directed
by Remmelt Lukkien and
Documentary shot on location in both
Turkey and the Nether-
Autumn 2012 lands, tells the unknown
story of how the hyacinth
Tropentheater, Amsterdam
has connected Turkey and
Holland for many centu-
ries.
As a native flower of Anatolia the hyacinth was already featured widely in Turkish visual arts before
hyacinth bulbs came from Turkey to Holland in the 16th century.
The first Istanbul Hyacinth was officially presented to the Turkish President Abdullah Gül, when he
visited the Floriade 2012, in the company of Queen Beatrix.
The documentary was also broadcasted on Dutch national television.

DOCUMENTARY
Children’s Book One of the unique initiatives was the Children’s
Book Project, which published two bilingual
Project books for children. ‘The Journey of the Tulip’ is
for children aged 6+ years and tells the story
1 October 2012 of how tulip bulbs were sent to Europe from
the palace of the Ottoman Sultan. ‘Tulip of All
The Hague Colours’ is for children 9+ years old and is a
story of a Turkish girl staying with a present-
day Dutch family. This book also includes the
sheet music and words of the song titled ‘All Children of the World’.
A book by famous Turkish children book’s author Sevim Ak ‘Mol en de Levende Dingen’ (Mole and the
Living Things ed., translated by Hamide Doğan) was presented at the primary school ‘Onze Wereld’
(Our World ed.) in The Hague with over 500 Dutch-Turkish students. Sevim Ak especially travelled to
the Netherlands to present her popular book to her new audience.

85

PUBLICATIONS
Launch Magazine The glossy magazine ‘Gedeeld Erfgoed –
Ortak Miras [Shared Heritage ed.] was a
‘Shared Heritage’ shared initiative by the Turkish Embassy and
Europa Nostra, the voice of Cultural Heritage
22 October 2012 in Europe; a one-time special magazine
depicting the many points at which Dutch
Turkish Embassy, The Hague and Turkish history intersected throughout the
ages. It was launched at a special reception in
the Turkish Embassy which was opened by the
Turkish Ambassador Uğur Doğan. The magazine was available in two languages and was distributed
in both countries.
The introduction to the magazine was written by Plácido Domingo, President of Europa Nostra. The
preface was jointly written by Ambassador Uğur Doğan and Ambassador Jan-Paul Dirkse.
One of the most moving articles from the magazine was the result of new research (see next page).

PUBLICATIONS
 Murad Effendi is perhaps the most
famous Turkish Ambassador to the
Netherlands in the 19th century. He
was not only a diplomat, but also
a celebrated writer and playwright,
loved by his colleagues in The Hague
and across Europe.
At age 45, he was found lifeless behind 87

his desk by his servant. It was shortly after

he had been told that he had been trans-
ferred to Berlin, a post which he had long
dreamed of. Was the emotion too much for
him? We will never know.
Many inhabitants of the city of The Hague
came to pay their last respects. Representa-
tives of the Royal Family and the Minister of
Foreign Affairs were present.
But over the years the precise location of
his grave was forgotten. 130 years later,
researcher Eray Ergeç delved deep into
the archives and was able to discover the
grave’s location.
Ambassador Uğur Doğan commented
while visiting the rediscovered location of
the grave of his predecessor: “It is for me
a moment of reflection and emotion. Mu-
rad Effendi was a successful and respected
diplomat who helped the development of
Dutch-Turkish relations. It also indicates that
we as humans should show modesty in view
of eternity. I am glad he has been rescued
from oblivion and that I am now able to
show respect.”
PUBLICATIoNS oF THE
CoMMEMoRATIVE YEAR 2012
89
 Tulpen Vijfje A glass house filled with tulips in
bloom formed the colourful scene
for the ceremonial First Strike of the
CoMMEMoRATIVE CoIN ‘Tulpen Vijfje’. The Dutch Ministry of
Finance introduced this commemo-
26 March 2012 rative five Euro coin in honour of
Keukenhof, Lisse 400 years of Dutch-Turkish rela-
tions. Melek Usta, manager of Co-
lourful People, administered the first
strike, overseen by the host, Minister of Finance Jan Kees de Jager, and Mint Master Maarten Brouwer.
The ‘Tulpen Vijfje’ was designed by the artist Deniz Seyda Tunca, who chose to represent symbolically
the centuries long relation between Turkey and the Netherlands. On the front she depicted the portrait
of Queen Beatrix, with a lush blooming tulip as national Dutch symbol. On the back she placed a
closed tulip combined with the Turkish flag, representing Turkey as birthplace of the tulip. The tulips
on both sides are further depicted on half-turned coins. This image of a coin within a coin suggests a
doorway to the other side and is thus a metaphor for openness as a basis for diplomacy.

Dutch minister of Finance Jan Kees de Jager

COMMEMORATIVES
The coin, with an issue of 250,000 pieces, is a legal method of payment in the Netherlands
and can be obtained in the Dutch post-offices.
Maarten Brouwer, Mint Master at the Dutch Royal Mint, said: “The ‘Tulpen Vijfje’ is a very special
commemorative coin, filled with historical and symbolic significance. The design not only depicts the
balanced and respectful centuries long relation between Turkey and the Netherlands, it also forms the
basis of the strong ties between both countries.”

91

CoMMEMoRATIVE
STAMP
A special commemorative stamp
with the value of 1,10 TL was
produced by the Turkish PTT in
Ankara. A beautiful special First
Day Cover – postmarked 03-09-
2012 – was issued in a quantity
of 3.000 with the text ‘400th Year
of Diplomatic Relations’ in three
languages. The Turkish Embassy
in The Hague used the striking
First Day Cover as a much appre-
ciated gift.
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Other
EVENTS

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Netherlands & In the framework of events to mark the
400th year of relations between Turkey
Turkey: New Foreign and the Netherlands, this workshop
evaluated the contents of the two coun-
Policy Moves tries’ new foreign policy moves and
the current state of their mutual rela-
1 June 2012 tions. The workshop aimed to create
a platform for an informed debate on
The Clingendael Institute, The Hague
the roles of Turkey and the Netherlands
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center & in neighbouring regions in the context
Turkey Institute of changing regional dynamics in the
post – Cold War period. The question
of how the “Arab Spring” and the re-
cent situation of EU-Turkey relations shape Dutch and Turkish foreign policies was addressed during
three separate sessions gathering academic experts in the field. The workshop, which was co-organ-
ized by the Istanbul Policy Center at Sabancı University and the Turkey Institute, took place in the
Clingendael Institute in The Hague.

POLITICAL
Senator van der Linden In 2013, President Abdullah
Gül presented Senator Van
receives order of the der Linden with the Order of
the Turkish Republic during a
Turkish Republic ceremony held at the Çankaya
Presidential Palace.
14 February 2013 The President, pointing to the
Çankaya Presidential Palace, Ankara 400th anniversary of the diplo-
matic relations between Turkey
and the Netherlands, stated
that there were about 600 events of various magnitudes in a variety of fields in both countries through-
out 2012. He further referred to his state visit to the Netherlands, Turkey’s sister country and her ally,
upon the invitation of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix. In return, he remembered, Turkey was honoured to
host Queen Beatrix a short while after his visit. “As the President of the Advisory Board of the 400th
Anniversary Celebrations, René has been the greatest force and architect behind the success of these
extensive and busy 400 year celebrations. Through these activities, he has made concrete contributions
to further the political, economic and cultural cooperation between Turkey and the Netherlands.”

95

HONOURs
Re-opening of In the centre of the Amsterdam Jordaan
district lies the Westerstraat. Historical
Turkish Guest-house research brought to light that the history
of occupancy of the Westerstraat build-
3 April 2012 ings paints a very thorough picture of
successive migrations to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam
The Gasman paperhanger shop housed
a ‘Turkenpension’ [Turkish guest-house
ed.] in the 1970s. The Westerstraat buildings 218-224 and the houses right behind those were do-
nated by the Amsterdam Municipality to the Openluchtmuseum [Open air museum ed.] in 2002. In
addition to the Turkish guest house, they also rebuilt a Jordaan cafe and post-office. Short films about
migrants, made by Juul Bovenberg and Anke Teunissen, were also shown. The reopening was attended
by Queen Beatrix and the Turkish Ambassador Uğur Doğan.

OPENING
97
MULTIFESTIJN The 6th Edition of the Multifestijn was a great success
with more than 110.000 participants and visitors.
Multifestijn is the largest festival of its kind in Europe.
18 – 21 October 2012
The organisation –supported by many volunteers- is
Expo Haarlemmermeer, dedicated to fostering multi-cultural dialogue. The
Vijfhuizen festival celebrated the diversity of arts and crafts, food,
music and dance and immersed visitors in the sights and
sounds of Turkey, from water marbling and calligraphy
to performances of music, theatre, poetry and dance.
There were concerts, conferences and workshops. The festival captured the hearts, minds and taste
buds of visitors of many different cultural backgrounds.
Hundreds of stalls provided guests opportunities to taste Turkish food and to purchase Turkish handi-
crafts, jewellery and ceramics and give visitors an insight into the work of many Turkish-Dutch com-
munity organisations.

FESTIVAL
99
Floriade Queen Beatrix opened the Floriade 2012 just as
she did back in 1960, when she opened the very
Expo 2o12 – first Floriade. Back then, the Floriade was an ode to
the Dutch emissary Ogier Ghislain de Busbeq, who
Turkısh Pavilion introduced the Turkish tulip to the Netherlands. In
recognition of this historical bond between Turkey
5 April - 7 October 2012 and the Netherlands, Queen Beatrix, the Turkish
President Gül and his wife honoured the opening
Venlo
of the Floriade 2012 with their presence, during
which the President opened the Turkish Pavilion.
The Turkish Pavilion at the Floriade home and garden show combined modern materials with traditional
patterns. The main building of the garden, for instance, was designed as a ‘yalı’, a family home such
as those found on the banks of the Bosphorus. It is a typical example of traditional Turkish architecture,
but now containing solar panels. Demonstrations of Turkish crafts were presented in the pergola, which
was built in the shape of a traditional bazaar; Turkish coffee and Turkish delight were served. A total of
34 walnut trees have also been planted to compensate for CO2 emissions during construction.

OPENING
101
Commemorative On September 24, Princess Irene symboli-
cally planted the 400,000th tree of the Dutch-
Tree Planting with Turkish Corendon Foundation in the garden
of the Turkish Embassy in The Hague. The
Princess Irene foundation has planted 400,000 trees in
the provinces of Antalya and Denizli in Tur-
24 September 2012 key to compensate for CO2 emissions from
Corendon Airlines. The 400,000th tree was
Turkish Embassy, The Hague
also planted as a symbol for the 400 years
of diplomatic relations between the Nether-
lands and Turkey.
Princess Irene chose a linden tree, one of the largest deciduous trees and a symbol of peace and
friendship. She told the assembled press and the guests that she was proud and happy to be able to
contribute to the activities of Corendon Foundation and the 400 years celebrations.
The Corendon Foundation wants to plant 1,000,000 trees in Turkey within five years.

TREE PLANTING
103
opening of As part of the celebrations of 400 years of Dutch-Turk-
ish diplomatic relations, Togan Oral, Consul-General
Hortus of Turkey in Rotterdam, performed the official open-
ing of the Hortus Bulborum in Limmen on 5 April.
Bulborum Prior to the opening he also told of the long relation-
ship between both countries and the role the tulip
5 April 2012 played in this. Tulips were introduced to the Neth-
erlands from Turkey, and thousands of these blooms
Limmen
can be admired in the historical garden every year.
Among those at the opening were Mayor Toon Mans of Castricum and chairman Piet Apeldoorn of the
Hortus Bulborum. Piet Apeldoorn said of the event: “Tulips bloomed in astounding number in the sultan’s
palace gardens on the shores of Istanbul’s Golden Horn. Tulips first travelled West in the 16th century - not
as a wild plant, but as a cultivated flower from Turkey. Ever since the arrival of the tulip in Holland, it has
experienced a tremendous growth which eventually led to its worldwide export. The oldest tulip on the
Hortus Bulborum, which forms the basis of enormous success-story, is the Duc van Tol, Red and Yellow
dating from 1595.”
The Hortus Bulborum is the only garden where over 4000 kinds of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and other
historical bulbous plants grow. In this way, the garden provides a fascinating overview of the develop-
ment of these popular flowers through the centuries. Each spring hundreds of small flowerbeds bloom
in the Hortus, highlighting the enormous range of colours and tints now available.

OPENING
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SPORTS

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frıendly games The U17 national women’s basket-
ball teams from the Netherlands
between u17 national and Turkey played two friendly
games against each other on 25
women’s basketball and 26 July. The matches, in the
spirit of the celebration of 400
teams of turkey and years of relations between the
Netherlands and Turkey, were
the Netherlands played in preparation for the Euro-
pean Championships in Hungary
25 - 26 July 2012 in late August of last year.
Amsterdam Jan-Wim Stals, director of the NBB,
is pleased with the games and talks
about the importance that both countries mutually bond: “Both the Turkish and the Dutch communities
looked forward to these contests. Basketball is a sport which transcends borders and brings people of
different nationalities and ethnic origins together. Turkey and the Netherlands share not only a strong
trade relationship, but also a great passion for professional sports.”
Turkish Ambassador Uğur Doğan received a symbolic ticket for the Turkish community representing 400
free tickets for the World Cup U17 basketball for women in August in Amsterdam.
Turkish-Dutch singer Nazan Nihal graced the festivities around the celebration of the 400 years Dutch
Turkish diplomatic relationships. She sang the Turkish national anthem during the game introduction.

SPORTS
107
Save the World, On Monday 2 July, Alderman of the Amsterdam
Municipality Andree van Es, the Turkish Consul-
Ride a Bike General Togan Oral and Deputy Chief of Mission of
the Turkish Embassy Cem Utkan waved off the Turkish
2 July 2012 Sarıhan family, together with their three-year-old
son, at the start of their bike-ride from Amsterdam to
City Hall, Amsterdam Istanbul.
The Sarıhan family has been making long bike treks
over the world for years to promote bicycling. ‘Save the World, Ride a Bike’ is their motto. As this year
marked the celebration of 400 years of relations between the Netherlands and Turkey, the Sarıhans
were determined to ride from Amsterdam to Istanbul.
They left from the entrance of the Amsterdam City Hall at 3.30 pm on the 2nd of July for a two months’
trip which was followed with great interest on their website macerakolik.net.

BICYCLE RIDE
109
WOrld Cup Qualifications: On 7 September the
Dutch and Turkish na-
The Netherlands - Turkey tional football teams
played their first quali-
7 September 2012 fication match for the
World Champion-
Arena, Amsterdam ship in Brazil. It was
a hard-fought match,
which the Netherlands just barely managed to win with one goal in the opening minutes of the match
and the second one right at the very end. It was an exciting back-and-forth game with many opportuni-
ties for both teams.

SPORTS
Turkish-Dutch On 10 June, members of the Dutch and
Turkish Parliaments faced each other in
ınter-Parliamentary a friendly game of football. The match
was an initiative of Platform400years.
fOOtball match The Dutch team featured parliamentar-
ians such as Matthijs Huizing (VVD),
10 June 2012 Metin Çelik (PvdA), Coşkun Çörüz
AFC, Amsterdam (CDA), Jasper van Dijk (SP) and Hero
Brinkman (Brinkman).
The Turkish team featured: Osman Boyraz (AK Party), Harun Tüfekçi (AK Party), Hasan Hüseyin Türkoğlu
(MHP), Adem Tatlı (AK Party), Mesut Dedeoğlu (MHP), Osman Ören (AK Party), Ali Özgündüz (CHP),
Fahrettin Poyraz (AK Party), Fatih Şahin (AK Party), İsmail Kaşdemir (AK Party), Uğur Aydemir (AK
Party).
The legendary Turkish football star turned politician Hakan Şükür could not join the Turkish team due
to a last minute injury. The Dutch team didn’t know whether to be saddened or relieved that he didn’t
participate in the match. Perhaps it was a bit of both.
The match kicked off on the field of the AFC (Amsterdamsche Football Club) in Amsterdam. The exciting
match resulted in a score of 3-2 for the Dutch team. Needless to say, much fun was had by all involved.
The Turkish Consul-General Togan Oral awarded both teams a special commemorative trophy.

111
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CLOSING
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The Closing Ceremony On 11 December, the Mayor of
Rotterdam Ahmed Aboutaleb
of 4oo years of the invited many guests, among
whom were Princess Maxi-
Establishment of ma, Deputy Prime Minister of
Turkey Ali Babacan, Istanbul
Diplomatic Relations Mayor Kadir Topbaş, former
Dutch Deputy Prime Minister
between Turkey and Maxim Verhagen and many
other high ranking officials
The Netherlands and guests, as well as busi-
nessmen and representatives
11 December 2012 of the Turkish community in the
City Hall, Rotterdam Netherlands to attend the clos-
ing ceremony.
It was a perfect moment to
look back at the year and compare the expectations with the final result.
Princess Maxima: “All the hard work in both countries to make this celebration a resounding success
is most appreciated. A success both on the business and cultural side. The past year has been a great
illustration of our history of diplomatic relations, trade and friendship. From the moment the Dutch Am-
bassador Cornelis Haga set foot on Turkish soil in 1612, until now. Cultural diplomacy is a powerful
tool for understanding each other. This year, for example, the visits of the Turkish President Mr. Gül to
the Netherlands, Her Majesty the Queen’s visit to Turkey, the Dutch Prime Minister’s visit with various
enterprises. My husband and I celebrated together with Deputy Prime Minister Babacan and his wife
the end of our celebrations in Istanbul with a fantastic concert of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
We even got to cycle in Istanbul.”

CLOSING CEREMONY
“All this while the budget was limited, demanding a huge amount of creativity from all involved. Still,
more than 400 activities have taken place. An overwhelming number. A great success. This was only
possible through the determination and enthusiasm from many in both Dutch and Turkish society. Busi-
nesses, local governments, the cultural world and Turkish-Dutch associations.”
Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan: “The year 2012 was a very interesting and memorable year for
our bilateral relations. Actually, when we first started to talk about it with our Dutch counterparts, I really
didn’t expect so many visible events and so much positive perception on both sides. So I think it was
a successful event overall, which reinforced the friendship and partnership between our two countries
and our very positive history of 400 years. Now, there is a solid ground for much further and deeper
relations in the areas of politics, economy, culture and elsewhere. We have to be very hopeful about
the future of our relations and we, as the Turkish government, will do whatever is necessary for an even
better future for our two countries.”

115
Former Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Verhagen: “This has really been a year where in countless areas
- economical, cultural, inter-personal and more - many exciting activities were initiated. It showed both
the bonds as well as the appreciation between us. I also really enjoyed president Gül’s visit to the Flo-
riade, because there, even though he knows Holland well, he discovered new possibilities for coopera-
tion on an agricultural level in the future. That will provide numerous new possibilities to tackle one of
our current problems of how to feed a growing world-population.”
“I was also amazed at Istanbul’s growth as a city. It is now a major metropolis competing with many
other countries. A particular revelation was that each year, the city’s population, which needs to be
accommodated with infrastructure, provisions, schools and housing, grows by the same amount as the
total population of a city like Rotterdam. And simultaneously with creating all these modern accom-
modations, they manage to maintain the ancient historical buildings and landmarks. That impressed
me a great deal.”
Mayor Aboutaleb: “The most memorable moment for me was my last visit to Istanbul together with my
colleague and friend the Mayor of Amsterdam Van der Laan. We witnessed a very proud community,
a new generation of Turkish politicians, a new generation of Turkish artists, people working in the field
of culture, business and international trade; these people are proud of themselves and they are looking
with a big smile toward the future. I hope that we will continue to cooperate with the Turkish people and
the Turkish government to establish and reinforce ties of friendship and trust, to work together to make
our bilateral relations flourish and by that to reinforce the economy and international trade.”
Turkish Ambassador Uğur Doğan: “This year turned out to be more than we expected at the beginning,
because this whole idea of celebrating 400 years created a synergy. At the end of the year, we realised
that we had accomplished five times, or ten times, what we previously planned.”
Turkish Consul General Togan Oral: “Almost a year ago we started a journey with very high expecta-
tions, but to be honest, we were not a hundred percent sure what the effect of this year would be on
the relations between Turkey and the Netherlands. We made good preparations for the year, both
countries on both sides, but we didn’t know the end result. What was it going to be like? But, I can say,
approaching the end of this year, it was a beautiful, wonderful year.”
Atilay Uslu, Dutch-Turkish businessman and founder of Corendon Airlines: “I’ve noticed so much change
in just one year. The impression people have of Turkey has changed, they now see Turkey as a true
nation of trade to do business with. It’s a very positive development.”

CLOSING CEREMONY
Senator René van der Linden, President of the Advisory Board of the 400th anniversary of the diplomatic
relations between Turkey and the Netherlands: “When we started one year ago, we had some con-
cerns. Will it go right or not? Today, we are extremely happy, because this has been one of the most
successful collaborations between one country on the one side and the Netherlands on the other. We
had more than four hundred celebrations, activities, conventions and missions, most importantly the
visit of President Gül to the Netherlands and that of Her Majesty the Queen to Turkey along with our
Prince Willem Alexander and Princess Maxima. It was for all the people here, but also for the people
in Turkey, one of the highlights of this 400 year celebration and if I look to the medium-sized and small
companies, they had a lot of networking, a lot of contracts even. For the Netherlands it’s extremely
important that we intensify the trade and cooperation with Turkey, because Turkey is one of the real
moving countries, with strong economic development, a young people and capable of great hospitality.
In any case we cannot stop, and we will not stop. More than 2000 Dutch companies are active in
Turkey, a lot of personal connections between artists, between scientists, between universities, on both
sides started and they intend to continue. And for that reason I believe that the investment which we
have done the last year is an investment for many, many years to come.”

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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This publication would not have been possible without the strong support and contribution of many
individuals and organizations. We take this opportunity to express our appreciation and gratitude to

all those who have been instrumental in the successful completion of this project.
We would also like to extend our special thanks to:
Presidency of the Republic of Turkey
Prime Ministry of the Republic of Turkey
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey
Ambassador H.E. Uğur Doğan and Mrs. Manolya Doğan
119
Consulates-General of Turkey in Rotterdam and Deventer
Honorary Consulates-General of Turkey in Amsterdam and Leiden
Turkish Tourism Office in The Hague
Staff of the Turkish Embassy in The Hague
In particular ; Cem Utkan, Hakan Cengiz, Çağatay Yıldırım,
Elife Acar and Necla Günay

The editors

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TÜRKİYE HOLLAND 4OO

O HOLLAND
O 2012 A Year
to
Remember
O The celebrations of the 4ooth Anniversary
of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations
between Turkey and the Netherlands

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