Yunus Emre Institute has signed an agreement with Cleveland Cavaliers, one of the basketball teams of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to organize a Turkish Culture Night.

The ceremony held for the signature of the protocol, inked by and between Halid Bulut, the director of Yunus Emre Institute's Washington DC branch, and Nic Barlage, the head of Commercial Operations of Cavaliers, was attended by several club officials, Consul General of the Republic of Turkey to Chicago Ayşe Selcan Şanlı and Turkish-American Society of Northeastern Ohio (TESNO) President Engin Ateş.

Under the agreement, an event will be held to promote Turkish culture and cuisine with folk dances, handicraft workshops and Turkish dishes to be cooked by Turkish chefs during a match between Cleveland Cavaliers of Cedi Osman and Milwaukee Bucks of Ersan İlyasova on April 11.

Noting that they believed that basketball can bring people together, Barlage indicated that the agreement will play an important role in the promotion of Turkey and Turkish culture. "We have a magnificent player, Cedi Osman, and passionate and numerous fans, and this make the agreement all the more important. With it, we believe, we will make a great contribution to the cooperation for bringing American and Turkish cultures closer," he said.

Expressing his thanks for the interest shown in the NBA and especially in Cavaliers, Barlage stressed that they intend to take the agreement made with Yunus Emre Institute further by establish a sport bond between American and Turkish youth.

We will have a chance to reach out to millions of people"

Bulut pointed that the Institute seeks to be present in all platforms for the accurate promotion of Turkish culture and the agreement made with Cavaliers was the first of its kind.

"We, as Yunus Emre Institute, seek to be present in all platforms for the accurate promotion of Turkish culture," he said, adding: "In this regard, the NBA is one of the most powerful platforms. Thanks to this agreement we inked with the officials of the team, we will have a chance to reach out not only to fans of Cavaliers, but also to millions of people. On April 11, Cedi Osman and Ersan İlyasova, as two great assets of Turkey, will take to the stage and we will have the opportunity to promote our culture and sing our national anthem. Naturally, it will be an important day for the Turkish culture in the 100th anniversary of our independence."

Meaningful support to Elazığ and Malatya from Cavaliers of Cedi Osman

Cedi Osman from Cleveland Cavaliers send the following social media post: I will make 100$ to the victims of the earthquake in Elazığ for each three-pointer at Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls tonight. Go score as many as you can." With this post, he initiated a campaign for the victims of the earthquake in Elazığ.

During match between Cleveland Cavaliers of Cedi Osman and New Orleans Pelicans, the signboards read: "Elazığ, Malatya our prayers with you."