France enjoys season of Turkish culture.

France is in the midst of a series of hundreds of cultural events aimed at promoting Turkish culture in France, which got under way July 1 with spectacular shows at Paris' Trocadéro Square.

More than 400 events reflecting various aspects of Turkish culture are not only being organized in Paris but also in such cities as Lille, Marseille, Lyon, Strasbourg and Bordeaux throughout nine months, offering French citizens a chance to get to know Turks better through examples of contemporary art, architecture, photography, theater, dance, music and cinema.

The Season of Turkey presents an opportunity to introduce Turkish culture in Europe and establish cultural bridges between the two societies and of course altering the perception of Turkey in France and the overcoming of prejudices. It is important to note that the Season of Turkey and the reaction it receives are not confined to Paris. The best example for this is that France celebrated its Republic Day with artists from Turkey.

The deal to hold the Season of Turkey in France was signed during the term of office of President Jacques Chirac, and it was confirmed during the term of Nicolas Sarkozy. “The source of inspiration was the success of the French Spring series of cultural events organized in 2006 in Turkey on the occasion of a renewal of relations between the two countries,” says Görgün Taner, the general director of the İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Art.

No doubt, there's an expectation of reinforcing cultural relations between the two countries which, in fact, have been in contact for centuries, since the Ottoman period. “We can summarize the expectations of the two countries as getting to know each other better, developing and maintaining cooperation in cultural, social and economic grounds,” confirms Taner. “We believe the season is going to influence the stereotypical ideas about Turkey in a positive way, that the French will get to know modern-day Turkey better and that this interest towards Turkey will continue after the season.”

One of the most important events of the Season of Turkey in France is the bestowing of the Médaille de Vermeil de la Ville de Paris (the Grand Medal of the City of Paris) on famous Turkish personalities: legendary photographer Ara Güler, art house filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk.

What's next for the Season of Turkey in France?

Turkey is the subject of around 400 events held in France during the nine-month Season of Turkey in France, running through March 31, 2010. Not just the capital but also other cities host events as part of the Season of Turkey, which boasts a budget of around 20 to 30 million euros.

Among the most significant events in the remaining two-thirds of the Season of Turkey is an exhibition that will open early next month at Paris' Grand Palais. On Oct. 8 President Abdullah Gül and his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, will jointly inaugurate the “From Byzantium to İstanbul, One Port for Two Continents” exhibition, one of the major shows in the lineup. The chronological exhibition, illustrating the different phases in the history of the city, will feature a selection of 300 items from various Turkish, French and international collections.

Three other major thematic exhibitions are scheduled to go on display at the Louvre from Oct. 11 to Jan. 18, 2010. These are: “At the Court of the Great Turk: Kaftans from Topkapı Palace,” a look at the Ottoman court lifestyle and the sultan's regalia through kaftans, jewelry and accessories that once belonged to members of the imperial family; “From İzmir to Smyrna, Discovery of an Ancient City,” a chronological look at the Greek and Roman roots of the Aegean city with its monuments, carvings and most typical artworks; and the “Royal Tombs of Anatolia, Alaca Höyük in the Third Millennium,” which will explore the period of chiefs of tribes and clans in Anatolia in the third millennium BC.

Author Orhan Pamuk will be featured at a literary gathering called “An Exceptional Encounter with Orhan Pamuk” on Oct. 7 at the Villa Gillet, the prominent cultural institution in Lyon, just two days after he speaks at an event dedicated to him at Paris' Odéon Theater.

The season will wrap up with an exhibition by the French-based Armenian-Turkish conceptual artist Sarkis Zabunyan, a true bridge linking the two countries, who will unveil an exceptional installation at the Centre Pompidou.

Duchess of York to face extradition by Turkish authorities?

The Duchess of York could face extradition to Turkey after Turkish authorities issued a request for her to be questioned over an undercover television documentary.

The Turkish government was furious after she made a documentary into the state of the country's orphanages which claimed that children were being neglected and maltreated. The Duchess, disguised in a black wig and headscarf, was accompanied by her teenage daughter Princess Eugenie who was moved to tears by the scenes they filmed. She has been accused of breaking Turkey's strict privacy laws by carrying out the secret recording.

The Turkish authorities have now passed a formal request to the Home Office for the Duchess to be questioned, according to reports. The Turkish authorities have already spoken out against the Duchess, accusing her of trying to smear the country's image in order to prevent it joining the EU.

Nimet Cubukcu, the Turkish minister responsible for women and family, said: "It is obvious that in this incidence that she is trying to leave Turkey in the midst of a smudge campaign.''

But her spokesman Kate Waddington insisted the Duchess was not trying to be political: "The Duchess of York is apolitical; therefore she has no political motivations. This is all about the welfare of children.''

The Duchess filmed inside the Saray institution near Ankara, where more than 700 disabled children are housed.

Turkish frigate captures five pirates off Somalia: army

A Turkish frigate intercepted a skiff off Somalia and captured five pirates Tuesday on suspicion that they were preparing for attacks, the Turkish military said.

The Gaziantep, operating with NATO forces in the region, seized the skiff in the Gulf of Aden with the help of a helicopter and amphibian commandos.

The Turkish operation was launched after intelligence that the boat was moving close to two ships, sailing under the British and Marshall Islands flags, within a "safe corridor" guarded by the multi-national naval force to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels.

"A possible ship hijacking has been prevented," the statement said, adding that instruments used in piracy were found on the skiff. The Turkish force captured 12 pirates in two similar operation last month.

The world's naval powers have deployed dozens of warships to the lawless waters off Somalia over the past year to curb attacks by pirates threatening one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes. Pirates attacked more than 130 merchant ships last year, a rise of more than 200 percent over 2007, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

A Turkish bulk carrier with a 23-strong crew remains captive in the region since July 8.

Crowds enjoy Turkish festival despite rain

Sporadic downpours had little effect on this weekend’s Ottawa Turkish Festival.

Outdoor festivals tend to be pretty weather dependent, said Kerim Khan, director of the Canadian Turkish Heritage Foundation, and while 15,000 people were expected over the festival’s three-day run at Confederation Park, they got at least that many in spite of the rain. Attendees who braved the weather were treated to the food, the arts and performances that Turkey is famous for.

The 2006 Census reported 45,000 Turkish-Canadians in Canada, said Hasan Yilmaz, editor-in-chief of CanadaTurk newspaper. Yet Turkish-Canadian events are growing across Canada, taking place in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Kitchener, Edmonton and Hamilton, he said.

The Turkish culture is known for its hospitality to visitors, and the festival was trying to convey that. While the food in general was popular over the weekend, the biggest lineups were at the Turkish coffee tent and for freshly made gozleme.

While Turkish coffee is famous worldwide, people waited more than an hour for gozleme, a Turkish pastry made with a special dough and stuffed with cheese, spinach and potato.

The festival brought out members of the Turkish-Canadian community as volunteers keen to share Turkish culture with other members of the community.

Turkey is seen as ”local” for UK travellers

British holidaymakers are increasingly prepared to travel to Turkey and see it as a ”local” destination, according to one expert.

Head of FX trading at currency exchange company FairFX Rishi Patel noted that the Turkish lira has been very popular recently and Turkey is being used as an alternative to travel in Europe.

He said: “In regards to Turkey, it is still quite a local destination as it were. If you are prepared to travel to Europe, you are definitely going to be prepared to travel to Turkey.

The simplest solution for a typical holiday as an alternative to Europe would be Turkey. Turkish lira was the third most popular foreign currency after the Euro and US dollar in the M&S Money Travel Money Report for the second quarter of 2009.

Istanbul Turkey - Places to See

Istanbul is the capital of Turkey and is the only city in the world which straddles two continents, Europe and Asia. The city is split by the river Bosphorus which was formed by meltwaters at the end of the last Ice Age. It connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara.

The Bosphorus has played an important role in Turkish history as it was an important trade route in ancient times. The current is extremely fast 2 m/s and the winds are predominantly from the north, and so it was difficult to move from the south to the north. This is thought to be the reason why Byzantine developed as a town. Being on the Southern entrance sailors were able to rest in Byzantine before embarking on the row to the Black Sea.

There are now two bridges which cross the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus Bridge is 1074m long and was completed in 1973. The Fatih Sultan Mehmet (Bosphorus II) Bridge is 1090m long and was completed in 1988.