A TCF grant sponsored the publication of "Cultural Encounters in the Turkish-Speaking Communities of the Late Ottoman Empire" by ISIS Press. The book is a compilation of papers presented at the 3rd Workshop of Karamanlidika Studies held in Üçhisar, Cappadocia on November 2, 2013, led by Dr. Evangelia Balta, Director of the Program on Ottoman Studies at the National Hellenic Research Institute. Dr. Balta, a TCF fellow, edited the volume which includes additional articles by experts on the Karamanli. The volume includes a total of 22 articles on the language, literature and culture, and press of the Karamanli population, a distinct Anatolian community, mainly living in the Cappadocia region, who spoke Turkish but wrote in the Greek alphabet.

TCF has provided a major grant to underwrite the publication of seven Ottoman censuses from the district- nahiye- of Kuklia (Paphos-Cyprus), conducted during the 19^th century. The publication is the culmination of a joint research project of Greek, Turkish and Turkish Cypriot scholars, Dr. Evangelia Balta (National Hellenic Research Institute, Athens) Dr. Mustafa Oğuz (ret.,Marmara University, Istanbul) and Dr. Ali Efdal Özkul (Near Eastern University, Lefkose). The availability of pre-statistical data in the seven registers in question helped the researchers to draw a picture of the demographic and financial status of the population in an area of Cyprus in the 19^th century. According to the scholars, the book is a pilot case study which could pave the way for future studies of the historial populations of Cyprus. The book is due to be published in 2015.

13 artists were awarded the TCF Cultural Exchange Fellowship this month, bringing the number of culture professionals supported under this program since 2012 to 77. For more information on the 2015 TCF Cultural Exchange Fellows and their events, please visit the TCF website and TCF Culture Calendar.  TCF is now accepting applications for the 2nd term of the 2015 Cultural Exchange Fellowship.

The first phase of the 2015 season of the TCF-WACA Spotlight on Turkey program is in full swing. Throughout February and March, WACA councils selected as partners for this year's program organize their Teacher Workshop on Turkey, supported through a TCF grant. Teachers participating in the workshops become eligible to apply for the TCF Teacher Study Tours to Turkey this summer. Teacher Workshop dates and venues are announced on the  TCF Education Portal and on the TCF Facebook page.

On February 11, Dr. Recep Karadağ, TCF Cultural Heritage Preservation and Natural Dyes Laboratory-DATU presented a lecture on "Understanding and Conserving the Past and Recreating Natural Dyes for Today" at Istanbul Kemerburgaz University.

On February 20, the TCF Culinary Arts Center-YESAM hosted Murat Yankı, wine culture researcher and sommelier, who presented a seminar on "History of Wine in Turkey." The seminar focused on the ancient history of wine production and consumption in Anatolia, indigenous grapes of Anatolian soil and was followed by a wine tasting of various Turkish wines. Past YESAM lectures are periodically uploaded for online viewing on the TCF Video Gallery.

Meanwhile, Turkish cooking traditions are highlighted every month with the YESAM Recipe of the Month, which features a regional Turkish dessert called "tas kadayıf", a fried dough stuffed with walnuts and cinnamon and served with syrup, for March.

TCF collaborated with Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in a seminar entitled "Cultural Heritage in Danger: Japanese and Turkish Experiences," which took place at TCF-YESAM on February 13. The seminar featured seven Turkish, Japanese and Spanish scholars who presented their papers and led a discussion on cultural heritage preservation.

On February 24, Prof. Dr. Suraiya Faroqhi of Istanbul Bilgi University presented a lecture on “Artisans of Empire: Crafts and Craftspeople under the Ottomans" as part of the TCF Istanbul Lecture Series.

All TCF Istanbul lectures are recorded and may be watched online on the TCF Video Gallery. The latest video addition are the lectures on Turkey’s Culinary Heritage by Banu Özden, Project Executive at the TCF Culinary Arts Center-YESAM and by Atila Ege, founder and chairman of World Heritage Travelers, on "UNESCO World Heritage and Turkey." For more information on upcoming TCF Lecture Series in Turkish Culture and Art, visit here.

On February 2, TCF Executive Director Güler Köknar was the featured guest on the culture/art show "Zamandan Mekandan" broadcast on the television channel TRT-Türk, where she spoke with host Ceylan Özçelik about the mission and programs of TCF.

Pınar Öğrenci (TCF Cultural Exchange Fellow-2015) is participating in a residency program at R.A.T. Residencias Artisticas Por Intercambio in Mexico and will exhibit her installation work "Collapsing New Buildings" at the Biennial of the Frontiers in Tamualipas, Mexico.

Kate Clow (TCF Academic Fellow-2014) presented her paper "Turkey's Culture Routes" at the Destinations the Holiday & Travel Show in London on February 1.

Nefin Dinç (TCF Cultural Exchange Fellow-2015) screened her documentary film "The Other Town" and held a discussion on Greek and Turkish historical relations at Yale University on February 24 and at Princeton University on February 25.

Refik Anadol (TCF Cultural Exchange Fellow-2013) exhibited at Blok Art Space in Istanbul from January 15 to February 28.

Dr. Utku Dervent (TCF Cultural Exchange Fellow-2012) held an exhibition entitled "Being There" with İlker Yardımcı at Bozlu Art Project in Istanbul from January 21 to February 21.