USTN and USAN CONFERENCE: "Energy Security and Diaspora in the Development of the U.S.-Azerbaijan Strategic Allied Relations", plus CONCERT "Dance and music stars from the ancient land of Azerbaijan"(October 1-2, 2008)

In October of this year, we held our high-level conference in Washington, D.C., which achieved several goals, among which it explained the crucial position of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Central Asia as the source and transit for Caspian Basin riches, promoted the U.S.-Azerbaijan and U.S.-Turkey strategic allied ties, and educated the Turkic-Americans, the U.S. policy and decision makers, and the general American public about the issues and opportunities facing our Diaspora as well as our historic homeland, and what we can all do to further our common goals. The conference was held on October 1-2, 2008, at the George Washington University (GWU). The conference was entitled: “Energy Security and Diaspora in the Development of the U.S.-Azerbaijan Strategic Allied Relations”.

Our audience included about 300 people, such as U.S. policy and decision makers, former administration and elected officials, scholars and graduate students, as well as ministers, MPs and diplomats from Azerbaijan. The conference wasl followed by a special concert at the Kennedy Center with the "Dance and music stars from the ancient land of Azerbaijan", performing traditional fast-paced jigit folk dances and music, as well as synthesizing Azerbaijani mugham with American jazz.

USTN co-sponsors annual Turkic Festival in Washington D.C.(October 5, 2008)

The 6th Annual Washington DC Turkish Festival was held on October 5, 2008 10 am to 6 pm on the Pennsylvania Ave NW between 13th and 14th Streets, right across from the White House. This was the second time USTN took part in the annual Turkic Festival in Washington DC.

Turkic-Americans display unprecedented activism in the first half of '08!(June 23, 2008)

USTN goals and objectives are being accomplished: In just twenty or so weeks, USTN members have sent out tens of thousands of faxes and emails to their elected officials and media and published six articles in regional press, setting a new record for the community. This has resulted in a greater positive activity on the Hill, with constantly growing Congressional Turkish Caucus (CTC) and the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus (CAC), increasing number of public statements by members of Congress, and regular communication between constituents and their elected officials. Turkic-Americans have also stepped up their financial contributions and generally have become more politically pro-active.
The U.S. Turkic Network (USTN) is a non-profit, non-partisan, true grassroots organization which aims to educate, engage, energize, link and unite Turkic-American voters across the political spectrum into the U.S. political process, on both Federal and State levels. USTN facilitates, eases and automates the electronic delivery of letters, petitions, action alerts and major news from Turkic-American voters to their State Legislators, Assemblymen, Congressmen and Senators, as well as the U.S. media. This is especially important for the Turkic-American community in the 2008 election year, when Presidential, U.S. House and Senate, and State and Local elections all are held at once.
The U.S. Turkic Network is making the first nation-wide attempt to bring all the Turkic-American current and potential voters together, to educate them about the need for voting and thus voter registration, engage them into the American political debate, energize them to vote and be active on important issues facing the Turkic-American community and the country at large, link and unite the Turkic-American voters to speak with one vigorous voice, to be heard in Washington D.C. and state capitals, and to be recognized as an influential voice on the issues pertaining to the Turkic-American voters, particularly energy security, religious tolerance, racism, NATO, EU and WTO politics, humanitarian aid and technical assistance to the strategic ally nations, taxation, social security and healthcare.
As a relatively new group of "swing" or "undecided" voters, the up to 1,000,000 strong Turkic-American community, concentrating particularly in the states of California, New York, New Jersey and Texas, together with other friendly communities, such as the Jewish-Americans, Balkan-Americans, Pakistani-Americans and others, presents a great opportunity as a new force in grassroots activism and voting in U.S. politics.
Through the auspices of the U.S. Turkic Network, the voice of the Turkic-Americans will be unified and strengthened. USTN is the first nationwide grassroots organization uniting Turkic-Americans, being created by the grassroots, for the grassroots!