9-person Committee of Trade Mission of Turkey-Minnesota, paying visits to several official bodies and institutions in Turkey as of March 31, visited Yunus Emre Institute on Thursday, April 5.

The Committee was informed about the activities conducted by the Institute including world-wide Turkish teaching, cultural-art and scientific activities as well as activities of Washington Yunus Emre Institute and protocols signed with American Universities.

During the visit, in which potential cooperation opportunities and possible exchange programs were negotiated, Mr. Bülent Üçpunar, Director of Strategy Development, gave information about the activity areas of the Institute, particularly Turkish SummerSchool, Global Public Diplomacy Network (GPDNet) and Turkish Academic and Scientific Cooperation Project (TABİP), and stated that they wanted to cooperate with universities in Minnesota through Washington DC Yunus Emre Institute and conduct joint scientific studies.

One of the members of the Committee, Mr. Steve Riedel, Regional Trade Director of West-Europe and Turkey of the Chamber of Commerce Minnesota, stated that he believed that with this visit, joint studies and scientific and cultural exchanges will be realized and explained that joint projects should be carried out between Minnesota and Turkey.

Mr. Faruk Cıngıllı, who is the Chairman of the Turkish American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TACCI) Minnesota, Chairman of the Turkish-Somali Friendship Association and Deputy Chairman of the World Turkish Business Council (DTİK), stated that they are proud of the activities and projects of Yunus Emre Institute and emphasized the necessity to open Turkish language courses in Minnesota and to realize the exchange programs. 

Mr. Michael Van Keulen, Member of the Management Board of the Turkish-Somali Friendship Association, mentioned the significance of the exchange programs for young people and stated that Turkish folk always stands by Somali folk and they always appreciate supports of Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of the Republic of Turkey, to Somali and people of Somali, particularly.

The members of the Committee were: Mr. Siad M. Ali, Advisor of Senator Amy Klobuchar and Director of Minneapolis Board of Education; Mr. Steve Riedel, Regional Trade Director of West-Europe and Turkey of Chamber of Commerce Minnesota; Imam Sharif Mohamed, the Imam and preacher of Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque, Chairman of the Management Board of Islamic Scholars Institution of America-Somali, and the Co-Founder of the NGO called Open Path Resources; Mr. Abdirahman Muse, the Contact Person of Somali society of Mr. Betsy Hodges, the Ex-Mayor of the Municipality of Minneapolis; Mr. Wali Dirie, Executive Director of the Islamic Civic Society of America; Mr. Michael Van Keulen, Member of the Management Board of the Turkish-Somali Friendship Association; Mr. Faruk Cıngıllı, Chairman of the Turkish American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TACCI) Minnesota, Chairman of the Turkish-Somali Friendship Association and Deputy Chairman of the World Turkish Business Council (DTİK); Ms. Nichole Archbold, Special Projects Coordinator of the Municipality of Minneapolis; and Ms. Maddy Wegner, Council Director of Engagement of National Youth Leadership.