Karaoke Party Fundraiser Event for the Turkish Festival 2024

ATA-DC hosted a lively Welcome Summer and Karaoke Party, setting the tone for a season of community engagement and cultural celebration. This fundraiser, held in support of the upcoming Turkish Festival, brought together members of the Turkish-American community and friends of Türkiye for an evening filled with music, laughter, and camaraderie. The karaoke competition was a hit, with guests showcasing their vocal talents and entertaining the crowd with a mix of Turkish and international hits. Attendees enjoyed delicious food and drinks, dancing late into the evening, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the vibrant street festivals Türkiye is known for.

The silent auction was also a great success, featuring amazing items generously provided by our sponsors: Agora Restaurant, Ala Restaurant, Avrasya Market, Bistro Cacao, BorekG Cafe & Market, Hillsborough Winery, Nuvo Aesthetic and Wellness Medical Spa, Salon O Tony, Signature Theater, Smyrna Restaurant, Salon Suna, ThirstyTowels.com, and Wolftrap. Thanks to their contributions, the event raised $5,000, which was matched 100% by Saltzman and Evinch, bringing the total amount to an impressive $10,000 for the award-winning Turkish Festival. Special appreciation goes to our incredible food sponsors: Smyrna Restaurant, Chef Aynur Cooks, and Anatolian Bistro.

A heartfelt thank you to the Karaman family for graciously opening up their home to host the fundraiser; to our amazing volunteers and to Büsra Kayı Tarhan for spearheading the karaoke! Your efforts were instrumental in making the night a success. The importance of our sponsors cannot be overstated. Their support ensures that the Turkish Festival continues to thrive and grow, offering a rich cultural experience for all attendees. This year marks the 22nd Turkish Festival, which will be held on October 20th, 2024. The festival is a cherished tradition that celebrates Türkiye’s vibrant culture through music, dance, art, and food, bringing together the Turkish-American community and friends of Türkiye. As ATA-DC looks forward to the Turkish Festival, the success of the Welcome Summer and Karaoke Party is a promising indicator of the vibrant celebrations to come. Thank you to everyone who joined and supported us. We can’t wait to celebrate with you all this October!

MaNga Brought the Community Together for a night of Music and Giving    

The American Turkish Association of Washington DC (ATADC) hosted a very successful fundraiser featuring a performance by the award-winning Turkish rock band Manga at Capitol One Hall. The benefit concert will support the child amputees of Türkiye earthquakes and will provide essential long-term medical, psychological, and educational support to over 1,000 children.

On November 24, ATA-DC organized a concert for the benefit of children affected by the twin earthquakes in the southeast Turkiye. The award winning Turkish rock band Manga took the stage at the concert.

Concert goers came together for a night of music and giving.

The crowd experienced the energy at Capital One Hall on Friday, November 24 with maNga, the renowned Turkish rock band.

All proceeds from this show benefits the Children Amputees of the Turkiye Earthquakes (CATE) project, assisting over 1,000 children through the Bridge to Turkiye Fund’s Child Wellness Center.

Since 2001, maNga has blended Anatolian melodies with electronic beats, earning MTV awards and representing Turkiye at Eurovision.

Presented by ATA-DC, a 58-year legacy non-profit, this event magnified the impact together – rock the night and create a positive change!

ABDPost article about the concert

ATA-DC’s Charity Concert Raised Funds for Amputee Children   

May 21, 2023 – ATA-DC organized a special fundraiser concert bringing together more than 10 Turkish and international musicians and bands to perform in honor of those who lost their lives and for the benefit of the earthquake survivors.

All proceeds of the concert benefited children who lost a limb in the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye. Through the Bridge to Türkiye Foundation, ATA-DC donated the funds to the Children Welfare Center -Çocuk İyilik Merkezi- at Çukurova University in Adana, Türkiye, which was established recently with support from Turkish-American doctors to provide treatment and cover the expenses of prostheses for children left amputated due to the earthquakes.

ATA-DC Board of Directors gives its appreciation and gratitute to all the local artisits who participated this charity event.

List of Performers:
80 Rock Band
Hande Yaşar
Büşra Kayı Tarhan and Ocean Band
Herb Scott Band
Ahmet Kılıç and Metin Bilgiç
Jalal Kimia Percussion Academy
Asli Gültekin Özek & Grace Buck
Zekriya Sarhad

Int’l Women’s Day Event raised $15,000 for girls’ education  

March 12, 2023 – The event that took place at the Turkish Embassy Residence and presented Dilek Livaneli, the recipient of European Parliament’s one of 8 most inspiring women of the World Award, accomplished to raise US$15,000 for earthquake survivor girls’ education.

As we focused on healing our nation’s devastating wounds from the February 2023 earthquakes, we were grateful to be able to turn our grief into solidarity on the occasion of the International Women’s Day at the Turkish Embassy Residence.

At this historical venue which hosted DC’s first inter-rational jazz concerts where black and white musicians performed together during the segregation, American Turkish Association of Washington DC – ATADC brought together the members and friends of our community to raise funds to support the education of girls who are affected by the earthquake.

We were delighted and inspired by Dilek Livaneli a village school teacher who transformed the life of her students and their families for the better by empowering them through education and many creative social and ekonomik programs. She is the recipient of European Parliament’s one of 8 most inspiring women of the World Award in 2019 and ATA-DC’s IWD Leadership Award this year.

We were also humbled to have Dr. Zakira Hekmat who is another staunch advocate for education and received the US State Department’ Women of Courage Award at the White House from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Firts Lady Jill Biden. Dr. Hekmat escaped the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and received her medical degree in Turkiye.

The event raised US$15,000 for earthquake survivor girls’ education. Thank you Bridge to Turkiye Fund for sponsoring Dilek Ogretmen’s U.S. tour. As a member of the ATA-DC Board, I am thankful to be part of this unforgettable event of solidarity and inspiration in support of girls education in Turkiye.