Culture
Culture in Europe The Foundation Center for Studies on Turkey (TAM), celebrating its 21st anniversary, is heading towards new horizons. It aims to deal with Turkish cinema, painting, literature and tourism values, under the heading, Culture Days.
Our immigration dates back to 45 years ago but our desire to acquaint Europe with our art and culture is very new. The spread of Islamophobia has forced us to launch a cultural attack. The percentage of Germans who wish to see Turks in the EU has dropped up to 23 percent. Culture Days is saying “hello” with the exhibition of Mehmet Guler, a well-known painter in Germany. The mayor of Essen praised him because he is fully integrated. TAM Director Faruk Sen organized a comprehensive program with incredible energy. We also had the opportunity to meet several German politicians. During our visit to the North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament, we met former President Wolfram Kuschke (SPD). Kuschke, who surrendered power to the Christian Democrats and liberals after 39 long years, talked about relations he started with Turkey, how they chose the Aegean region for cooperation in regional development. Though as a state they had problems in setting up an equivalence to the central system in Turkey, that is, bureaucratic problems, Kuschke said they are making efforts for the new government to back this project as well. The ex-president said they chose Turkey’s Aegean region because it fits their culture and level of development, and mentioned a bill expected to be passed by the State Assembly. Teachers are not allowed to wear headscarves in the state. This is a case against the German Constitution because it is not forbidden to wear a kippah or cross. 119,000 out of the 150,000 teachers are women and only 10 wear headscarves! After Baviera and Baden Wurttemberg, NRW will be the third state to implement this ban. Deputy Parliament Speaker Dr. Michael Vesper who opposes this bill just like Kuschke, said people cannot be judged by their external appearances, adding, it is against adaptation. Afterwards, we had dinner with Christian Democrat Andres Milz. Immigration Commission Chairwoman Milz shocked me with her rock-punkish style dress and answered my question, “If they tolerate me, it means they can tolerate everything.” Her blue eyes in fuchsia eye shadow, her hair sprinkled with the same color, her huge necklace attached to a cordon made of feathers of the same color and her flowered knitted cloth in fuchsia and other colors — she was a really an interesting combination. After she stated that she is a Christian Democrat at heart, I understood the limits of tolerance she tested are very low for the Turks. Tabloid politics with the discourse, “While there are 17 countries in the EU, what are you doing here? Besides, you beat and kill women,” faded the fuchsias in me. “Europe’s common value is Christianity,” Milz who became a deputy while working at a post office, said abruptly. What she cannot see is the entrepreneurial spirit of 23,000 of the 360,000 Turks living in the Ruhr basin. The Russians are 2,000 in number and now in second place behind the Turks, but the representatives of entrepreneurial culture are the Turks. It is evident how Germans, who call this “ethnic economy,” have internalized immigrants! We talked to Turks from many sectors as well as from Dortmund’s Young Businessmen’s Association. These valuable people who render services in professional integration, legal consultancy and software to enterprises have rather interesting experiences. Young and educated Turks who have opened 100 new professional workplace training centers within two years are educating these places. The trend is heading towards 100,000 entrepreneurs. The service project launched by TAM two months ago is also important. The Turks, with a contribution of 50 billion euros to the German economy, are determined. As one sees these people, it is probably easy to understand the anger of Germans with the civil servant and worker mentality. Our problem is that there is no Turk in the state parliament. Turks should warm up for politics. We discussed our relations with Iran at TAM’s latest activity, “Turkey’s foreign policy agenda on its way to the EU.” It seems Iran will remain on the agenda for a long time. March 14, 2006 03.15.2006 Dear Nevval, I hope that you are doing well. Somtimes I’m reading your published comments in “Zaman”. I like them because ones are very racional and qualitative of the content. With veru best wishes, Prof.dr.mehdi hyseni USA
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