GJC Award Ceremony and Exhibition in New York on September 13

For the first time in the history of Turkish media in the United States, the “International Media Friendship Awards Ceremony” will be held on Saturday, September 13, at the Turkish House in New York under the auspices of the Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye, organized by the Global Journalism Council (GJC).

The Global Journalism Council (GJC) will organize a series of events in the United States for the first time this year with the aim of supporting Türkiye’s public diplomacy efforts, contributing to media solidarity between countries, enhancing the visibility and reputation of Turkish media internationally, and promoting messages of friendship, peace, and cultural interaction to the world through journalism and media.

AWARD CEREMONY

The “International Media Friendship Awards Ceremony,” which will begin at 01:00 Türkiye time on September 13 at the Turkish House, will be followed with great interest by numerous local and international media outlets. At the ceremony, awards will be presented primarily in journalism and communication categories with a strong U.S. focus.

In the field of journalism: the Turkish Journalism Honor Award, International Media Friendship Award, Young Journalism Award, Turkish-American Media Cooperation Award, and Diaspora Media Award will be presented.

In diplomacy and communication categories: the Turkish-American Cultural Diplomacy Award, Communication in Intercultural Dialogue Award, Turkish-American Civil Society Cooperation Award, and Young Diaspora Cultural Ambassador Award will be granted.

In addition, for the first time this year, the Behzat Barış Honorary Award will be presented as part of a special category.

EXHIBITION OPENING

As part of the event, the exhibition “America in Türkiye: 1910–1970,” which visually reflects the historical memory of Turkish-American relations through archival materials, press clippings, and rare objects, will also open at the same venue on the same day. The private archive of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sefer Darıcı of Sivas Cumhuriyet University will be exhibited abroad for the first time. Curated by Dr. Özgenur Reyhan Güler of Istinye University, the exhibition will remain open to visitors until September 20.

WHO IS ATTENDING

The significant event and related activities in New York, coordinated by GJC’s U.S. Representative and İHA U.S. Correspondent Dilek Kaya and Consul General of Türkiye in New York Ahmet Yazal, will bring together a GJC delegation including:

Veteran journalist and author Yavuz Donat, GJC President Mehmet Ali Dim, Vice President İsmail Bayazıt, Chair of the Nationwide Media Assembly Buse Biçer Akbaş, Deputy President Nalan Yazgan, GJC Founding Member Aynur Tattersall, GJC and A Haber U.K. Representative Alparslan Düven, İHA Foreign News Director Yaprak Mutlu, as well as Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sefer Darıcı and Dr. Özgenur Reyhan Güler.

The ceremony is expected to host prominent figures from media, academia, and business communities from both Türkiye and the United States, along with representatives of civil society organizations, diplomatic missions, government officials, and members of the arts and culture scene.

DIM: CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

GJC President Mehmet Ali Dim made the following remarks about the event, which is being held entirely with the support of media sponsors and GJC members, utilizing only the Council’s own resources:

“This project, which represents a cultural diplomacy initiative reinforcing Türkiye’s soft power, not only rewards achievements in journalism but also aims to contribute to building sustainable, trust-based relations rooted in mutual understanding with international media representatives. By highlighting the power of media and communication in building friendships, the project seeks to enhance Türkiye’s visibility and influence in the international public sphere. At the same time, it emphasizes the potential of young journalists and diaspora members to represent Türkiye through media. We extend our gratitude to all individuals and institutions supporting this project, particularly our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our Embassy in Washington, our Consulate General in New York, and all U.S.-based civil initiatives.”