The President of Religious Affairs of the Turkish Republic, Prof. Ali Bardakoğlu, and his accompanying committee, visited the TACC in Washington, D.C. in honor of our “Blessed Birth” program organized to “Acknowledge and Understand the Life and Teaching of the Universal Prophet.” In the course of his three-day visit Prof. Bardakoğlu addressed audiences at Georgetown University, American University, and the Catholic University of America. In each appearance, organized by the Turkish Counselor of Social and Religious Affairs and the TACC, Prof. Bardakoğlu spoke of the need for all religions to find harmony and companionship with one another and, using the past experiences of Turkey as a world example, relayed a message of peace.

On the evening of Saturday April 26, 2008, Prof. Bardakoğlu honored us with his presence at our program to “Acknowledge and Understand the Life and Teaching of the Universal Prophet” at the Westin Hotel in Washington D.C. Prof. Bardakoğlu expressed great pleasure in being in Washington D.C., being able to participate in our program, and seeing the interest and involvement of the community in such multitudes. In the evening’s speech Prof. Bardakoğlu stated that one of his reasons for coming to Washington D.C. was to reveal to the public that the TACC’s Cultural Center Project has been approved and that critical steps for its completion were set to begin; Prof. Bardakoğlu delivered the news that our community has long been waiting for. In all of the meetings with the TACC it was communicated that the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs agrees that there is a need for Turkish Cultural Center in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area, and that construction should begin immediately. On behalf of the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs, Prof. Bardakoğlu commended the TACC for its efforts to this point and assured the community that the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs and the Turkish Counselor of Social and Religious Affairs would assist the TACC to continue advancing the project at a steady pace. In this partnership the TACC will be responsible for the management and maintenance of the Cultural Center, to be built on the land owned by the Turkish Foundation of Religious Affairs. The Turkish Foundation of Religious Affairs and the TACC will sign an agreement, giving the TACC full rights to build on the land and to run the Cultural Center. In the many speeches that he gave, Prof. Bardakoğlu, stating the importance and need of strong involvement from the community, stressed that without financial and spiritual assistance from the community members this project cannot be completed.

As members of the TACC family we are very pleased to hear that, after two years of working towards to this goal, our Cultural Center Project will now become a reality. As the TACC, we promise to make this project a reality by performing our duties to the best of our abilities.

Respectfully,
TACC Board of Directors