Turkish-American Media Friendship Night in New York
Organized by the Global Journalism Council (GJC), a historical documentary exhibition was opened for the first time in the United States, and American and Turkish journalists received awards together on the same stage.
The event, hosted by the Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye at the Turkish House in New York City, brought together American journalists who are friends of Türkiye, Turkish media professionals working there, as well as prominent representatives of the Turkish community living in the United States. Turkish Consul General in New York, Muhittin Ahmet Yazal, personally attended the reception held before the events and warmly welcomed the guests. The organization received full appreciation from the invitees.
A Unique Exhibition
Following the reception, the exhibition titled “America in Türkiye: 1910–1970” was inaugurated, shedding light on the historical development of relations between Türkiye and the United States. The exhibition featured a wide array of materials, from diplomatic documents to press clippings, from cultural activities to collective memory. Speaking at the opening, GJC President Mehmet Ali Dim emphasized that the exhibition sheds light on both the historical process and the overlooked aspects of bilateral relations.
The exhibition, based on the archival collection compiled by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sefer Darıcı and curated by Dr. Özgenur Reyhan Güler, was presented to visitors. It included never-before-seen diplomatic documents, intriguing press clippings, cultural traces, and memory pieces, and will continue to be on display until September 20. Between September 21–24, the exhibition will also be presented to art lovers at the Paterson Museum in New Jersey. Each work was personally explained by Darıcı.
Curator Dr. Özgenur Reyhan Güler expressed her pride in taking part in such a valuable event:
“It has been a beautiful experience to organize this exhibition that sheds light on Turkish-American relations, bringing together the personal archive of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sefer Darıcı with my curatorial and academic work. We first opened the America in Türkiye exhibition, and then crowned it with an award ceremony under the leadership of the Global Journalism Council. It was a wonderful organization that brought together diplomatic documents, archives, photographs, and Ottoman papers spanning 1910–1970 for the Turkish community.”
Consul General: A Difficult Task Achieved
After the exhibition, the International Media Friendship Awards, organized in line with the mission of the Global Journalism Council, were presented.
At the opening of the ceremony, Türkiye’s Consul General in New York, Muhittin Ahmet Yazal, emphasized the power of the media and its contribution to public diplomacy, stating that they were pleased to host the event. He underlined that it was a remarkable evening:
“In fact, we combined two distinct activities, each of which could have filled an entire night on its own. The exhibition was truly interesting. For my generation, it was a reminder of the slower pace of news and diplomacy when we relied on newspapers. It shows how closely developments in America were followed in Türkiye, even when news was difficult to obtain and share. It was a thought-provoking reminder of how far we’ve come. We have already begun planning similar exhibitions in the future with the organizers and scholars.”
Speaking about the award ceremony, Yazal said:
“Many of our journalists here make incredible efforts—some follow the Turkish-American community, some cover developments in the U.S., and some report on the United Nations. Covering the UN means following the entire world. Yet they still find time to support us, covering our activities. For this, I thank all of them sincerely, without exception. When KGK’s U.S. Representative Dilek Kaya first brought me this idea, I thought it was a good one, though I knew it would be difficult. Organizing so many activities, bringing people from Türkiye, setting up this exhibition—it’s not easy. But pulling it off is a major achievement.”
Dim: Aligned with Our Mission
Later, GJC President Mehmet Ali Dim took the stage and stated:
“Journalists working in the United States, whether American or Turkish, are valuable to us. Those who are friends of Türkiye are especially precious. The awardees tonight are exactly those American journalists who have shown support for Türkiye, as well as successful Turkish journalists who have represented Türkiye here for many years. The Global Journalism Council is not only a professional organization but also one that supports public diplomacy and contributes to our country’s media diplomacy. That’s why this event fits perfectly with our mission.”
And the Awards
After the speeches, the award ceremony, presented by Dilek Kaya, continued.
• Best U.S. Media Operation Award – Aytan Mammadil Rilley (İHA)
• Behzat Barış Honor Award – Yavuz Donat
• Best UN Correspondent Award – Şerife Çetin (Anadolu Agency)
• Best Diplomacy Correspondent Award – Yunus Paksoy (CNN Türk)
• Best Climate Journalism Award – Bünyamin Sürmeli
• Best Sustainable Diplomacy Award – Dr. Özgenur Reyhan Güler
• Best Journalist Award – Bryce Pease Sherwin (SABC News)
• Best Diplomacy Journalism Award – Edith Lederer (UNCA)
• Best Photojournalism Award – Mustafa Bassim (Anadolu Agency)
• Best TV Diplomacy Journalism Award – Frank Ucciardo
• Best Digital Content Award – Deniz Çelik
• Best Digital Photography Award – Hakkı Akdeniz
• Turkish-American Friendship Awards – Ali Rıza Doğan, Erhan Yıldırım, and Jane İlknur
The award plaques were presented by Türkiye’s Consul General in New York, Muhittin Ahmet Yazal.
In addition, plaques of appreciation were presented to supporting individuals and institutions on behalf of GJC by President Mehmet Ali Dim, Vice President İsmail Bayazıt, Deputy President Nalan Yazgan, Founders Yavuz Donat and Aynur Tattersell, UK Representative Alparslan Düven, and U.S. Representative Dilek Kaya.
