77 American teachers visited Turkey in June and July on the TCF Teacher Study Tours. The tour itinirary took the teachers to Istanbul, Gelibolu (Gallipoli) and Troy, Canakkale, Bursa, Kusadasi, Pamukkale, Konya and Catalhoyuk, Cappadocia and Ankara. As part of their program, the teachers met with Turkish non-governmental organizations working on education, environment and women's rights. For the first time, Turkish teachers accompanied the study tours to further enhance educational exchanges between the two countries. The teachers also visited various Turkish schools including Darussafaka, Terakki Foundation schools in Istanbul and the Atakoy Elementary School in the village of Karacasu. With the return of the three tours this summer, TCF has introduced 422 American educators to the history, culture and landmarks of Turkey since 2007. As part of the same collaborative program, nearly 3,000 teachers across the United States have attended educational workshops on Turkey held by local World Affairs Councils. The study tours are the second tier of the Spotlight on Turkey, nationwide educational program organized by TCF, the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) and local WACA chapters and is funded by a major TCF grant. To view comments by the teachers, as well as photos and tour blogs, please visit here. The TCF Teachers Study Tours were also covered by the local media in the teachers' hometowns.

Several lectures that took place at the TCF Culinary Arts Center - YESAM in Istanbul can now be viewed online at the TCF Video Gallery. These YESAM lectures are presented in Turkish.

The following lecture videos have been added this month: The Hidden Cuisine of the Black Sea: Giresun by Nedim Atilla; City of Stone, Faith and Taste: Mardin by Nedim Atilla; Tastes of Spring by Nedim Atilla; The Story of Organic Agriculture and Wine Production by Olus Molu; Bosniak Cuisine by Nedim Atilla; A Historical Perspective on Turkish Cuisine by Deniz Gursoy; Evolution of Turkish Cuisine: Ottoman Period by Nevin Halici; Evolution of Turkish Cuisine: Seljuk Period by Nevin Halici; Turkey's Regional Cuisine by Nevin Halici.

An exhibition of works by Turkish ceramic artists, titled Tolerance: Stories of Anatolian Territory, which was earlier on view in Seattle traveled to Houston and was presented on July 11-22 as part of the Houston Junior Chamber Consular Forum's showcase of Turkey. Supported by a TCF grant, the exhibition has been curated by Isik Gencoglu and Istanbul Concept.

In its fourth year, Istanbulive, a showcase of Turkish music, attracted thousands of New Yorkers.  Produced by Serdar Ilhan and Mehmet Dede and supported by a TCF grant, Istanbulive4 took place as part of the Lincoln Center Out of Doors festival on July 28. Istanbulive4 featured Selda Bagcan, Turkish folk and protest music artist, for her US debut, alongside Ilhan Ersahin's Wonderland featuring Husnu Senlendirici and The Secret Trio. The concert was dedicated to the life and memory of Ilhan Mimaroglu, a Turkish American music producer and electronic music pioneer. The free concert was broadcast live by WFMU and can be listened to here.

The TCF Natural Dyes Research and Development Laboratory - DATU continued its pro bono work for the Topkapi Palace Museum. As part of the Sultan Costumes Project, DATU provides analytical services to the Museum to determine the properties of the fabrics and dyes, and produces corresponding silk and cotton fabrics which will be used in the conservation and restoration of these historical costumes. In July, DATU completed analysis of 22 velvet and 20 silk brocade-kemha costumes in this collection. In July, DATU also provided pro bono analysis services to Ankara University Department of Archeology Science.

TCF awarded a major grant to the Institute for Historical Studies at the National Hellenic Research Foundation in Athens, Greece. The TCF grant will underwrite an introductory one-year course on Ottoman language and paleography at the Ottoman Studies Research Program, led by Dr.Evangelia Balta. Dr.Balta's program includes a project on Ottoman Epigraphy, which aims to create the corpus of Ottoman inscriptions in Greece and organize a series of seminars with a focus on Ottoman Epigraphy. She is also a recipient of TCF research fellowships in support of her studies on the Karamanli history and literature. The course will be taught by Dimitris Loupis (PhD Candidate in Ottoman History, Harvard University), who runs the project on Ottoman Epigraphy, and is also a TCF Fellow (2010-2011).