For the 2014 Annual Convention, leading policy makers, academics, businesspersons and other expert stakeholders from the United States and the Turkic nations will gather in Washington, D.C., on April 8th and 9th to discuss issues focusing on energy, trade and regional development. Specifically, there will be 4 Forum Sessions deliberating on issues concerning the New Silk Road Initiatives, the Eura
sian Energy Corridor and energy security, the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), and U.S. The Forum Sessions are organized by the Rethink Institute. The Rethink Institute is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan research institution devoted to deepening our understanding of contemporary political and cultural challenges facing communities and societies around the world, and in realizing peace and justice, broadly defined. The Institute pursues this mission by facilitating research on public policies and civic initiatives centering on dispute resolution, peacebuilding, dialogue development and education. Towards these goals, the Institute sponsors rigorous research and analysis, supports visiting scholar programs, and organizes workshops and conferences. Recent policy reports include Turkey Brief: Corruption Scandal and Ensuing Political Crisis, Turkey Brief: The Preparatory School Debate, Two Decades of U.S.-Kyrgyz Relations, Turkey’s Foreign Policy Challenges, and Religious Radicalism in Central Asia. The Turkic American Convention is the most eminent annual gathering that is focused on strengthening political, social and economic ties between the Turkic countries and the United States. It brings together a diverse range of stakeholders, including government officials and parliamentary delegations from the Turkic countries, U.S. government officials, U.S. Senators and Members of Congress, emissaries, leaders of the Turkic Diaspora, private sector stakeholders, representatives of multinational corporations, representatives of international organizations, academics and experts. The Turkic American Convention is organized by the Turkic American Alliance, the largest national Turkic organization in the United States, representing six regional federations and over 240 community associations, cultural and dialogue centers, business chambers and education institutions. The Turkic American Alliance also functions as a powerful advocate for dialogue not only among the Turkic American and other American communities, but also among the Turkic states and The United States. TAA’s six regional federations include:
COUNCIL OF TURKIC AMERICAN ASSOCIATIONS (CTAA)
CTAA is the New York-based umbrella organization that brings together associations in the Northeast United States, representing 44 member organizations in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. MID-ATLANTIC FEDERATION OF TURKIC AMERICAN ASSOCIATIONS (MAFTAA)
Based in Washington, D.C., MAFTAA represents 31 member organizations in the U.S. Capital, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky and Delaware. TURKIC AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MIDWEST (TAFM)
Based in Chicago, TAFM maintains 40 institutions under its umbrella in the Midwest United States, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. TURKIC AMERICAN FEDERATION OF SOUTHEAST (TAFS)
Represents 22 Turkish and Turkic member organizations throughout the Southeast of the United States in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. TAFS is based in Atlanta. TURQUOISE COUNCIL OF AMERICANS AND EURASIANS (TCAE)
TCAE’s 51 member organizations are located in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. Its headquarters is in Houston. WEST AMERICA TURKIC COUNCIL (WATC)
Serves 40 member organizations in 12 states in the West, including Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, California, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and Hawaii. Its headquarters is in Los Angeles. Additionally, the Turkish American Chamber of Commerce (TACC) was recently established to offer a variety of services to American and Turkish businesses throughout the United States. Last year over 1,200 people attended our convention, among them 40 U.S. Members of Congress, 8 U.S. Senators, 20 Members of Turkic Parliaments, 15 U.S. and Turkic Ambassadors, 4 Mayors, 1 Governor, 2 Secretaries of State and representatives from the Departments of State, Defense, Energy and Commerce, USAID and the United Nations. TAA’s partner organization for the Turkic American Convention is the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON). As the most widespread non-governmental, non-profit institution representing business communities in Turkey, TUSKON is dedicated to share know-how, experience and communication networks with its businessmen and women striving to be global players in today’s world. TUSKON is an umbrella organization composed of 7 regional federations and 202 business associations with more than 52,000 business members in Turkey along with over 140,000 firms.
