Turkish Culture in America
Traditional Turkish festivals in America offer an important opportunity to promote cultural values and bring the Turkish community together. This year, the Turkish Festival organized by Trabzon Sports Association of America was a colorful and entertaining event for Turks living in America and American guests. Organized under the leadership of Ekrem Aydın, President of the Association, the festival offered the opportunity to promote Turkish culture and to showcase the original music and dances of the Black Sea region.
Colorful Moments and High Participation
The main theme of the festival was based on Black Sea culture and music. Artists from the US and Turkey performed traditional Turkish music. The event featured horon kicking and the energetic melodies of the Black Sea region accompanied by the kemençe and tulum. This rhythmic music provided both nostalgic and entertaining moments for the festival participants. Both young and old enjoyed the traditional dances and music performed at the festival.
American guests as well as Turks living in the US had the opportunity to experience the unique flavors of Turkish cuisine. The festival featured a variety of Turkish dishes, especially specialties from the Black Sea region. Guests had the chance to get to know the richness and diversity of Turkish cuisine. Black Sea dishes with meat and vegetables, desserts and coffee treats were highly appreciated by the participants.
Messages of Cultural Unity and Solidarity
Ekrem Aydın, President of the Association, expressed his satisfaction with the success of this year’s festival and emphasized the importance of keeping Turkish culture alive in America and passing it on to future generations. Aydın stated that festivals bring the Turkish community together and reinforce cultural solidarity. Stating that such events help the Turkish community in America to be in unity and solidarity, Aydın said that they aim to make the festivals even bigger in the coming years.
Important Guests and Supportive Messages
Important names also took part in the festival. Gülay Aydemir, President of the Federation of Turkish American Associations, many association presidents and International Media Coordinator Melih Göğebakan participated in the festival and offered their support. Göğebakan thanked Ekrem Aydın, President of USA Trabzon Sports Association and emphasized the importance of activities that unite the Turkish community. Stating that such activities that unite the Turkish community living in America should increase, Göğebakan called on other association presidents to work in this direction.
The artists who took the stage at the festival gave the participants unforgettable moments with their performances. A wide range of music was presented, from traditional Turkish folk music to modern pop songs. During the concerts, Turkish flags were waved and the love and devotion to Turkish culture and traditions was once again demonstrated. Despite being far away from their homeland, Turks living in America have managed to keep their cultural values alive with such events.
Promotion and Preservation of Turkish Culture
Ekrem Aydın stated that promoting Turkish culture in America is one of the main goals of the association. Aydın said that such festivals are an important tool to introduce Turkish culture not only to the Turkish community but also to their American neighbors. Stating that many cultural values from Turkish cuisine to music, from dances to folk dances can be introduced through these festivals, Aydın said that Turkish festivals contribute to Turks living in America to preserve their identity and keep their culture alive.
The festival also enabled Americans to get more acquainted with Turkish culture. While the American participants enjoyed Turkish folk music and dances, they also learned about Turkish culture through various activities offered by the festival. The American guests tasted Turkish food and expressed their admiration for the flavors of Turkish cuisine.
An Event Bringing the Turkish Community Together
This festival, organized by the Trabzon Sports Association of the USA, stood out as an event that brought together the Turkish community living in America and strengthened cultural ties. Emphasizing the importance of cultural solidarity and unity, the festival allowed Turks in America to keep their own culture alive. The participants of the festival had the opportunity to experience every detail reflecting Turkish culture and once again showed how strong the solidarity between Turks living in America is.
