Turkish Hearths

Turkish Hearths (Turkish: Türk Ocakları) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Turkey. It was founded in 1912, during the last years of the Ottoman Empire, in a period when almost all non-Turkish elements had their own national committees, and Turkish Hearths was founded as a Turkish national committee.

History

First term

Following a meeting of the Young Turks, the Turkish nationalists, on 3 July 1911, the NGO was officially founded in İstanbul on 25 March 1912. According to the statute of Turkish Hearths, it was a non-political organization, and the activities were mostly concentrated on culture and education. During the Turkish War of Independence (1919–1922), Turkish Hearths supported the meetings held in İstanbul against the occupation of İstanbul. Some members of the organization were arrested by the Allies of World War I, and the activities of the Turkish Hearths were suspended up to 1922.

After the War of Independence, Turkish Hearths resumed its former activities with the support of the newly founded Turkish Republic. The Number of its branch offices increased to 141 by 1928.^[1] The central office was moved from İstanbul to Ankara, and a spectacular building, the current building of State Art and Sculpture Museum, for the head office was built by using non governmental funds. However, in the 1930s, the organization lost its non-political character, and on 10 April 1931 it merged into the Republican People's Party (CHP), the ruling party of Turkey at that time. Its head office was handed over to Halkevleri, a state sponsored enlightenment project.^[2]

Second term

On 10 May 1949, the organization was reestablished with non-political character. Although the Turkish Hearts was not as active as in the previous term, beginning by 1954, it increased its activities. After a compulsory pause during the military rule, it continued after 1984.

Activities

Beginning by 1988, a periodical named Türk Yurdu ("Turkish Homeland") is being published,
Each year, a congress is held in another city, alternatively one for history and one for culture,
In 1988, a foundation for education and culture was established, by which scholarships to students from Turkic countries are offered,
Since 1987, people, who contributed to the studies on Turkish culture are awarded annually.

Presidents

The following were elected as the president of the Turkish Heaths:^[3]

First term

1912: Ahmet Ferit Tek
1912: Cemil Şerif Baydur
1912: Hamdullah Suphi Tanrıöver (1st term)

Second term

1949: Hamdullah Suphi Tanrıöver (2nd term)
1959: Osman Turan (1st term)
1960: Necati Akder
1961: Hamdullah Suphi Tanrıöver (3rd term)
1966: Osman Turan (2nd term)
1973: Emin Bilgiç
1974: Orhan Düzgüneş
1994: Sadi Somuncuoğlu
1996: Nuri Gürgür
2012: Mehmet Öz (in office)

References

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