SOCIAL NEWS IN ANKARA - TITTLE TATTLE ANKARA

The Philippine Embassy in Ankara is organizing a Diplomats’ Bowling Tournament on December 5, at “Play Planet Bowling Center” in Ankara’s Panora Shopping Mall with the participation of Four-Time World Bowling Champion, Guiness Book of World Records-holder, Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno. The event will start at 2:00pm. Participation price per person will be 40TL which includes free drinks and food.

Let’s all be there…. Lets all have fun while helping a cause. Who knows we might beat the world champion up! Those participating may also take photos with the World Champion!!!!

This special sports event forms part of the60th Anniversary of Philippines-Turkey Diplomatic Relations and it also aims to help raise funds to benefit over 2 million victims of the series of typhoons and floods that have devastated the Metropolitan Manila area and Northern Philippines recently.

Please contact: Embassy of the Philippines

Tel: 0312.446 5831

0312.447 0350

Fax: 0312.446 5733

e-mail: ankara_pe@yahoo.com

On Wednesdays baked goods (samosas, quiches, sandwiches, spring rolls, cakes, cookies, & whatever has been donated) are sold to the staff of UNHCR during their lunch break to raise Money to help refugees.

If you would like to prepare items for sale (it does not have to be every week) please let Margherita know at least by the day before so she can coordinate the items for sale.

If you can not deliver the food to UNHCR by 11.30 am on that Wednesday, please let Margherita know so she can arrange someone to collect them.

If you don't bake, but would like to help out - you can always volunteer to help serve the lunches on a particular day. Or, if your spare time is stretched already, a monetary donation is always welcome.

For further information please contact Margherita Eksi at margherita_38@yahoo.com

	Slovakian Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Rudolf Michalka’s sister Dasa Pollakova is in Turkey visiting his brother. The siblings will be spending some time in Cappadocia then Dasa will return to her country. We wish her to enjoy her visit to Turkey.
	Slovakian Ambassadorial couple has an important guest in town. Their handsome son Slavomir Jakabcin, a university student studying in Warsaw is in Ankara visiting his parents. We wish him a nice stay in Ankara.

Ambassador of Chile Luis Palma presented his letter of credentials to President of the Turkish Republic Abdullah Gul at the Presidential Palace with a ceremony.

All members of the Chilean Embassy were present at the ceremony.

We wish Ambassador Palma and his wife a happy, healthy and successful time in the Turkish capital. Ambassador Palma’s previous post was Jordan where he also served as Ambassador.

For further information please contact Margherita Eksi at margherita_38@yahoo.com

The 180th Anniversary of the Conquest of the Ağrı mountain is Coming Closer

In order to celebrate the 180th anniversary of the conquest of the Ağrı Dağı (Mt. Ararat), Estonian Embassy in Turkey is organizing series of events in October. One of the highlights is the joint climb of Estonian and Turkish mountain climbers to the Ağrı Dağı.

The climb will begin on the 5th October 2009 to reach the summit on the 9th October 2009 - exactly 180 years later after Johann Jakob Friedrich Wilhelm Parrot (1792–1841), Estonian scientist and traveller reached the top for the first time. Therefore the date of the conquest - 9 October, 1829 is considered to be the beginning of the history of Estonian alpinism. Before the climb, on the 4th October 2009, an exhibition introducing Parrot’s life and work will be opened in Ishakpasa Saray in Ağrı province, Doğubeyazıt.

The event is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ağrı Valiliği, Ağrı Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü, Estonian Ramblers´ Association and by many others. Curator of the exhibition is Erki Tammiksaar, PhD, Director of the Centre for Science Studies in Tartu.

Estonian film company Vesilind is planning to make a historical documentary about Parrot’s climb, about the opening of the exhibition and the anniversary climb of Estonian and Turkish climbers.

For further information please visit the website: http://ararat2009.wordpress.com/

Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Marcel Kurpershoek is also another head of mission who is leaving Ankara. Although his departure took part very fast and there was no opportunity bid him farewell we wish him continued success in Poland where he will be continuing his career as Head of Mission.

Ambassador of Belgium Marc Van Rysselberghe will be leaving Ankara upon termination of his assignment in Turkey. Ambassador Rysselberghe will be retiring when he goes back to Brussels. We wish him a calmer and peaceful life with great health.

Amit Zarouk, the charming Second Secretary of Israeli Embassy is celebrating his birthday today (August 15).

We wish Zarouk a long, healthy and peaceful life with his gorgeous family.

	Ambassador of Portugal Jose Lameiras, before joining the ministry studied Fine Arts for a couple of years. He can make beautiful drawings (caricatures) just in few minutes.
	Ankara is a cross point for many diplomats, and this time I had the privilege to meet a head of mission from old days. The charming Ambassador of Pakistan Tariq Azizuddin before arriving to Ankara was Chief of Protocol and actually during an official visit to Pakistan this was how I met him.
	Ambassador of Saudi Arabia after graduating from University of Beirut joined the Foreign Ministry of his country and his first posting was Manila, Philippines where he also did his Masters Degree.

It has become a tradition now for the International Interaction Society to choose mother of the year. After the nominees are determined then a jury chooses the mother of the year and this year for the first time an ambassador has been chosen. “Mother of Year 2009” is Ambassador of Macedonia Melpomeni Kornetti who actually has many talents apart from being a great mother. In the past years Athena Yennimatas, Greek ambassador’s wife was the first Mother of the Year 2007 with all the great works she has done for disabled, homeless and needy children. Mother of Year 2008 was German ambassador’s wife Ursula Cuntz, again with all the great works she has done for disabled children. We congratulate Ambassador Kornetti and wish her a long, healthy life with her daughter. 9/06/09

The former Ambassador of Egypt Omar Metwally and his wife Ghada are at their new posting as head of mission in Australia. Latest news is that at this time of the year they are freezing since they have just started the winter.

The former Defense Attaché of Pakistan Sajid Habib is now back in headquarters in Islamabad.

As his older daughter married last October and his younger daughter joined Medical University,

Sajid and Lubna couple are enjoying their second honeymoon.

Former Ambassador of Senegal Babacar Carlos Mbaye is now in Geneva, Switzerland as permanent Representative of Senegal with his wife. Although he admits that he has not yet had time to travel around, as he has a lot of activities to attend, he is enjoying his mission. We wish him a happy and successful stay.

Former Ambassador of Switzerland Walter Gyger, now ambassador to Moscow, and his wife Birsen will be spending their holidays in Bodrum, at their beautiful summer house, starting from July.

Although Ambassador Gyger will be traveling back and forth to Moscow, Birsen will be here until September.

An ambassador who has left Ankara exactly two years ago was serving as Chief of protocol in his country, has not been forgotten by the Ankarans and will be remembered for many more years. Yes, we are talking about Ambassador of Lebanon George Siam who has captured hearts from all walks of life all around Turkey . Ambassador Siam is now preparing to leave for Brazil as his last posting before his retirement. We wish him and his family all the best in Brazil . 9/06/09

Another ambassadorial couple Ankarans still remember well is the former Greek Ambassador George Yennimata and his wife Athena. While Ambassador Yennimata is enjoying his retirement and working as consultant his wife Athena has founded a foundation called SKEP (www.skep.gr) Association of Social Responsibility for Children and Youth. The Association focuses on children with special needs and disabilities, children who work on the streets, youth in correction facilities, children abandoned by their families and orphans who never gave up hope are claiming better future. Athena is also preparing a huge event in collaboration with Vorres Museum . The project is to mix children who face problems with children from schools and universities who do not face the same problems, through art. We wish her success. 9/06/09