[In a report in the British Rotary magazine 'Rotary Wheel' in August 1929, there is an account of Jim Davidson, the Special Commissioner for Rotary Extension, arriving in Istanbul, Turkey in 1928. Although some meetings were arranged and several officials expressed interest, Davidson left Turkey with the feeling that it would take perhaps years before conditions in Turkey were such that the introduction of such a movement as Rotary could be successfully accomplished. He was right. Istanbul was not chartered till 23 March 1955.]

DEVELOPMENT OF ROTARY IN TURKEY AND DISTRICT 2420
International Rotary District 2420
REE Publication ( 002/2004)
1. International Rotary
1.1 Environment and problems that prompted the establishment of Rotary :
Characteristics of the years before the birth of Rotary can be summarised as follows:
- Industrialisation in the Western countries were improving with a great speed since the second half of the 19th century (especially in the last 20 years),
- World population was increasing fast,
- Classic liberalism dominated economy,
- Lack of regulations that would take workers’ social rights under guarantee created unrests,
- Competition between countries, and even hatred and hostility grew bigger,
- Among this pessimistic picture, the world and humanity were fast approaching a collapse and what was worse was, there was no understanding of this or hearing of alarm bells,
- As a natural result of this situation, extreme flows like Nihilism and Anarchism were growing with their obvious principles and they were increasing their effects.

This general view provided people’s longing for living in peace, mutual understanding and friendship and strengthening it, formed necessary environment for this longing be supported by great masses, this institution adopted belief and philosophy and paved way for birth of individuals, institutions and establishments who would try to spread this.

One of the most successful of those organisations, probably the first of them is Rotary that has walked on the path of service to humanity since its formation.

1.2 Establishment of Rotary: (#1)
In early 20th century, a young lawyer called Paul Harris in Chicago, USA was looking for remedies for this negativities full of service to humanity that warmed inside him.

Paul Harris was not alone to feel this way. Mining engineer Gustavus Loehr, Coal Trader Silvester Schiele and Merchant Taylor Hıram Shorey shared the same goal.

Those four US citizens of German, Swedish and Irish descents were later on joined by printer Harry Rulges. They took an oath for working for the welfare and happiness of humanity and society at G. Loehr’s office located on the 7th floor of Unity Building (this building still exists), 127 North Dearborn Avenue, Evanston-Illinois on the 23rd day of February 1905 and Rotary (#2) was born. The name “ROTARY” was adopted in this first meeting.
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(#1) For broader information on the Foundation of Rotary please look at “Rotary’s History International Rotary No.334’e” and “Rotary Basic Information Volume:1-A Look at Rotary”.

(#2) Important events of 1905 can be summarised as follows:
- Albert Einstein – revealed his Relativity Theory.
- Marconi – Invented horizontal directional aerial.
- Portland Manufacturing Co. – Invented plywood.
- Robert Koch – Won Nobel Prize for Medicines.
- Jean Paul Sartre and Greta Garbo – they were born.
- Jules Verne – died.
In fact, Rotary is the idea pioneer for many national and international association and institutions. Some of the most significant ones of them are:
- KIWANIS – 1915
- LIONS – 1917
- OPTIMIST – 1919
- ZONTA – 1919 (For Females Only)
- UNESCO – 1942

In the list of First Rotary Club members there were the names of 30 members and S. Schiele was elected as the president of the first Rotary Club (Chicago Rotary Club).

The goal was very simple. “Establishing friendship, promoting fellowship and professional communication”. This ideal acclaimed great interest and Rotary grew larger with the new joiners. Rotary ideal improved in time and took its current shape:

“Service Above Self”.

In 1907 Rotary fulfilled first Social Service.

Second and Thirds Rotary clubs were founded in San Francisco and Oakland in 1908 and 1909, respectively.

The first Rotary Convention was held in Chicago on 15-16 August 1910 (This convention was attended by 60 members). There were 16 clubs and 1500 members at the time. During this convention, “Union of National Rotary Clubs” was founded and Paul Harris was elected president.

Rotary gained an international identity with the foundation of Winnipeg – Canada Rotary Club in 1910.

The slogan adopted in this convention was “He profits most who serves his fellows best”. This slogan became “Service, Not Self” in 1911 and “Service Above Self” in 1940.

Rotary reached Europe in 1911 after the foundation of London, Dublin and Belfast Rotary clubs.

First Rotary Magazine “The National Rotary” was published in 1911 and later on it took the name “The Rotarian”.

During the Third Convention held in 1912, standards of the Rotary emblem and Rotary Magazine were determined.(#3) Rotary Ideals were changed into current basics.(#4)

The number of clubs was 100 in July 1914 but in July 1918 (during the World War I), this number went up to 530.

First non-English speaking Rotary Club was founded in Havana, Cuba in 1916. ( This club was barred in 1979.)

E. Leslie Pidgeon, the first International Rotary Club President who is not a US citizen, was from Canada – Winnipeg Club and he was elected in 1917 convention. 6th President Arch C. Klumph founded Rotary Foundation in 1917.

Rotary reached South America in 1918 and Asia through India in 1920. Japan joined this chain in 1921.

1000th Rotary Club, York Rotary Club, was founded in 1921 and 1500th Rotary Club was founded in England – Bexhill in 1923.

When the Edinburgh convention gathered in 1921 there were 758 Rotary clubs around the world and 56,800 Rotarians. Rotary approved the “International Service” as the fourth service field during the same convention and Rotarians adopted the duties of representing mutual, good will and peace and developing them by establishing friendly relationships across the globe.
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(#3) Rotary’s first emblem Barrow Wheel was replaced by Wheel during this convention.

(#4) Rtn. Chesley R. Perry is the leading name in contributing into the development of the International Rotary. This valuable Rotarian, whom Paul Harris called “the Architect of Rotary” was Secretary General of International Rotary for 32 years between the years 1908 and 1942, until he retired.


“Barrow wheel”, the first Rotary emblem adopted in 1905 was replaced by the present emblem in 1923. Colours of Rotary Flag (Dark blue and golden yellow) and the emblem were adopted in 1929 Convention.

Number of clubs in 1927 was 3000.

Following motto was adopted in 1940 Havana Convention: “Rotary can not flourish and Rotary ideals can not improve where there is no freedom, justice, loyalty and respect to human rights.”


Following this declaration, Rotary left Spain when fascist Franco regime took over and then Cuba with Castro’s rule. It returned to Spain 40 years later, with the death of Franco. It is still absent in Cuba.

The first Rotary Club was founded in Ankara in 1954. Turkey became the 85th country in Rotary society.

International Rotary Management Board at a meeting held in 1988, decided to open Soviet Union and socialist countries by taking the changes in those countries into consideration, only with the following conditions:
- Rotarians should gather freely,
- Rotary should be able to carry out activities in all service fields,
- They should freely cooperate the other Rotary clubs in the country or the ones in other countries,
- They should regularly fulfill their financial duties to International Rotary.

Budapest Rotary Club founded in 1925/26 Rotary period but could not be active due to World War II and communist regimes was revived after 50 years on 26 June 1974. Warsaw followed it on 30 June 1989.

Today, more than 8000 Rotarians in more than 200 clubs in more than 20 former Eastern Block countries such as Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Baltic countries, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Mongolia and Kazakhstan provide services to societies they live within, some of them for the first time. It should be happily stated that Almati (Kazakhstan) Rotary Club (District 2430) was founded by Turkey.

As of 30 June of 2003;

1.227.545 Rotarians from 31.561 clubs in 166 countries and 529 Districts provide services to their environment, nations and humanity in line with their aims.

There are 7.555 Rotaract Clubs with 173.765 members in 156 countries and 9.256 Interact Clubs with 212.888 members in 114 countries, all which are linked to those clubs as of 30 June 2003.

As of 30 June 2003, 5.298 Rotary Society Unions keep working in 72 countries. There are 184.000 Paul Harris Friends and 61.038 Benefactors.

2. Rotary in Turkey
2.1 Formation of Circumstances :

How was the situation in Turkey during the 40th foundation anniversary of International Rotary (1945s) ?

Turkey, who founded the Republic in 1923 and aimed for a pro-western development age with social revolutions, experienced the hard days of the World War II, even before finding an opportunity to fix its resources that were almost completely exhausted in World War I and Independence war; and it was in an effort to overcome those hardships with great sacrifices.

Efforts to establish democratic order, settling it down and starting a multi-party system had just started.

New initiatives were flourishing in Turkish society and economic field. A new Turkish generation was growing up and this generation was not contended with becoming a soldier or a public servant, as it was the case in the imperial period, but targeting necessary areas and required service fields for country’s development such as trade and industry.

Small number of those who received foreign education and could speak foreign languages was a serious block within this period of initiation, in terms of working with outside world in trade and industry.

Capital savings were very flimsy. Foreign world was hesitant due to limited economic opportunities of the Young Republic.

Despite all those negative conditions, there was a development and aim for a more suitable direction, although it was slow.

In 1945, among Ankara businessmen, a non-organic formation of grouping called “Sıra” (Turn) was forming. Ankara’s leading businessmen such as Vehbi Koç, İbrahim Atlas, Halil Naci Mıhçıoğlu, Emin Halim Ergun, Mehmet Raşit Çavuşoğlu, Mehmet Ali Sofuoğlu, Burhan Çakır, Ahmet Kaymak, İbrahim Oran, Şevki Taşpınar, Ali Yüsbirçeşit were attending those meeting held amongst ten to twelve businessmen from various professions in every fortnight in a house and discussing issues like developments in business life and coordination with government authorities.

Despite the obvious similarity between the words “Rotary” and “Turn” and the aims, no link between this group and Rotary can be established. In fact, “Sıra” was not an organized institution. However, it proves the existence of a foundation and willingness formed among Turkish businessmen and the support of the foundation of Turkish Rotary. It is utmost valuable because it was a sign of the need in this respect.

2.2 Birth and Settlement of Rotary in Turkey:

Multi-party democracy started in 1945.

Some developments started in Turkey especially in economic field following 1950. Basic view was establishing closer cooperation with the outer world and getting rid of the worries of capitulations.

Turkey joins NATO in 1952.

As a result of all those developments, numerous of foreign companies started to open representations in Ankara. An everyday growing group of foreign businessmen emerged in Ankara.

High numbers – as high as it could not be compared with the previous periods - of military and civil personnel was sent to Europe and especially to America for educational and other reasons. Turkey’s willingness and requirement to open up to foreign countries got bigger. Ankara was on the focus of this.

International Rotary, after taking into consideration that the right conditions were formed in Ankara for Rotary, foresaw the establishment of a Rotary Club in Ankara between 1950 and 1952, and asked then-leading names such as Journalist-Author Fatih Rıfkı Atay, Journalist-Author Ahmet Emin Yalman, History Professor Ahmet Şükrü Esmer and Ankara Faculty of Law Academician Doctor Münci Kapani to look for opportunities for realizing this aim. These initiatives did not produce any results under the circumstances of the time and failed to become an application.

During the same days, an application for the foundation of a “Lions Club” by businessman Şefik Ziya and 15 other founders was rejected for psychological and legal reasons under the circumstances of the time.

Six months after this attempt, Turkish and American businessmen took up the issue once more during a dinner at Karpiç Restaurant and discussed the reasons of Lions application’s rejection and how this hindrance could be overcome. At this stage, Augustin J.Catoni, International Rotary’s District 245 in Lebanon was dealing with the situation as the regional envoy. Due to this interest, Oğuzhan Koraltan, manager of one of the companies related to him (American Export Lines – Ankara Branch) was at present during these works.

With the joining of Oğuzhan Koraltan – son of then Turkish Grand National Assembly Speaker Refik Koraltan – who got acquainted with International Rotary during his education in the US, efforts to found Ankara Rotary Club found strength and especially contacts and works with official authorities shifted into a positive way. President Celal Bayar’s acquaintance with Rotary during an official visit to the United States of America in 1954 and his visit to some Rotary clubs were also effective in development of Rotary understanding in Turkey.

In the end, a three member Ankara Rotary Club Founding Committee was formed.

- Economist Oğuzhan Koraltan
- Merchant Nail Avunduk
- Law Assistant Prof Dr. Mukbil Özyörük

The Club postponed the application to be made to Interior ministry for a while for preparation of Internal and main Regulations and for translation of International Rotary’s regulations into Turkish for this purpose. Adaptation between International Rotary and Turkish regulations was established.

Works that started in summer of 1953 were completed successfully early 1954 and the first Turkish Rotary Club, Ankara Rotary Club held it first meeting at Ankara Palas on 24 March 1954. (#5)

The Council of Ministers decision number 4/4445 of 11 February 1955 (Appendix-1) was published on issue 8870 of the Official Gazette on 1 April 1955. Ankara Rotary Club became a member of International Rotary with the Chart dated 23 March 1955(#6)



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(#5) The followings are who were agreed upon as the First Members of Ankara Rotary Club:

- T.P.A.O. General Director Şahap Birgi (First President)
- Osmanlı Bank Regional Manager Cevat Girin
- High Machinery Engineer Orhan Koraltan
- Koç Trade Manager Bernar Nahum
- Madenci Construction High Machinery Engineer Kemal Seler
- Tetico Manager Enis Tokcan
- Pan American general Director Walter Pedersen
- Jokeys Club Chairman Sait Atcı
- Journalist Zeyyat Ebüzziya
- Koç Group Engineer Bülent Büktaş
- Architect Tuğrul Devres
- Construction Engineer Vedat Urul
- Journalist Vedat Abut
- Engineer Ahmet Tokuş (Member of Parliament)
- Engineer Hüseyin Sermet
- Construction Engineer Vecdi Diker
- Construction Engineer Galip Kardam
- Banker Bahattin Bursalı
- Prof. Dr. İhsan Doğramacı
- Law Prof. Hikmet Belbez

Making a full list of first members (half of the total number of club members) has not been possible.

(#6) Ankara Rotary Club’s International Rotary Charter Members :

Rtn. Cevdat Girin Rtn. Tuğrul Devres
Rtn. Nail Avunduk Rtn. Enis Tokcan
Rtn. Vedat Abut Rtn. Ahmet Tokuş
Rtn. Walter Pedersen Rtn. İhsan Doğramacı
Rtn. Bernar Nahum Rtn. Hikmet Belbez
Rtn. Vedat Urul Rtn. Bülent Büktaş

The Charter was given to Ankara Rotary Club member Cevat Girin on 7 April 1955 by International Rotary Term President Herbert Taylor at a special ceremony where District 245 in Lebanon Governor A.J.Catoni was at present too.

On the date Turkey joined Rotary, Rotary was providing service in 84 countries.

In the months that followed the foundation, Ankara Rotary Club made itself felt in Ankara’s business and industry circles. Ankara Rotary Club members and especially Rtn. Vecdi Diker had great contributions in the construction of the first Tractor Factory, Minneapolis Moline.

Rotary spearheaded the introduction of US Pennsylvania University Rector to high level Turkish officials, regarding the foundation of Middle East Technical University (METU). This and similar positive works played a huge role for Turkish businessmen understand the significance and weight of Rotary.


2.2 Development of Rotary in Turkey and Phases:

The first two years that followed the foundation of Ankara Rotary Club passed with the works of introduction of Rotary, translations of documents related to Rotary and works to adapt them to regulations. During this period, Second Term Club President Rtn. Cevat Girin’ and then Prime Ministry Undersecretary Ahmet Salih Korur were beneficial.

In the beginning, Ankara Rotary Club was under District 245 that covers Lebanon, Egypt, Cyprus, Sudan and Kuwait. After a short while, International Rotary included Turkey in the Management Consultancy where Iran, Israel and Greece were in.

Number of Ankara Rotary Club members was around 40 in the first years and almost half of them were with foreign citizenship. Member selection was made with strict rules. Since the foreigners had the majority among guests, since its foundation, Ankara Rotary Club held meetings bilingually (Turkish and English). It is one of the very rare Rotary clubs, as a “Bilingual Rotary Club”.

In 1956 Oğuzhan Koraltan transferred his business to Istanbul. A pre-agreement was reached with International Rotary for foundation of a second Rotary club in Istanbul. Istanbul Rotary Club was founded with the valuable works of the founders Oğuzhan Koraltan, Rıfat Bereket, İsmail Hakkı Kutbay, Kazım Taşkent, Eli Rosental, and Hilmi Naili Barlo, under the auspices of Ankara Rotary Club on 8 February 1956.

Istanbul Rotary Club received an official status with a decision of Council of Ministers (dated 28 February 1957 and number 4/8754) and held its first meeting at Istanbul Hilton Hotel. Istanbul Rotary Club was given a Charter dated 24 July 1957 by International Rotary Club Vice President Agustin Catoni on 23 December 1957. (#7)

Turkey’s third Rotary club, Izmir Rotary Club was founded with the valuable works of Nejat Eczacıbaşı and John Caouki who were employed to found it by İstanbul Rotary Club. Izmir Rotary Club held its first meeting at Kültür Park Ada Gazinosu on 9 January 1961 with the founders Sadi Aral, Cemil Atalay, Muvahhit Atamer, Semih Süreyya Birsel, Macit Birsel, Mücahit Büktaş, Süreyya Çolak, Şevket Filibeli, Hasan İkbal, Can Kıraç, Raşit Özsaruhan, Remzi Reyent, Ümit Sanver, Enver Selay, Yusuf Tanık, Fikret Taner, Hakkı Türegün, Alp Türksoy, Mehmet Uster and Kenan Yalter.

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(#7) İstanbul Rotary Club International Rotary Charter Members:

Rtn. Oğuzhan Koraltan Rtn. William Land
Rtn. Osman Aytuğ Rtn. Sedat Atıkkan
Rtn. Bahattin Müftüoğlu Rtn. Ferruh Verdi
Rtn. Eli Rozental Rtn. Nejat Verdi
Rtn. İsmail Hakkı Kutbay Rtn. Avni Şasa
Rtn. Şükrü Yemenicioğlu Rtn. Nihat Hamamcıoğlu
Rtn. Ahmet Rıfat Bereket Rtn. Ekrem Evren
Rtn. Paul Ziegler Rtn. Andre Mattlinger
Rtn. Hugn Beard Rtn. J. Jansen
Rtn. John A. Caouki Rtn. İlhan Özdemiroğlu
Rtn. Hasan Akev Rtn. Ferit Sporel
Rtn. Moiz Galimidi Rtn. Fasih Saylan
Rtn. Ümit Kırdar Rtn. Nimetullah Mahruki
Rtn. Fritz S. Levi Rtn. Muammer Talgar
Rtn. Erol Kayalıoğlu Rtn. Walter Pfister
Rtn. Ernst Buchmann Rtn. Necmettin Gökçe
Rtn. Arsen Gesar

With the Council of Minister decision number 6/339 taken on 2 April 1962 Izmir Rotary Club received official status. The club was given a Charter dated 2April 1962 by International Rotary Club on 3 December 1963.(#8)

The first attempt to found Izmir Rotary Club was made with newspaper advertisements on 4 September 1959, in line with the Club’s main regulations, under the auspices of Istanbul Rotary Club by John Caouki and founders Alp Türksoy, Faruk Tunca, Hakkı Türegün, Nevres Gökçe, Osman Kibar, Süreyya Çolak and Şevki Filibeli. However, the foundation of club was delayed for one and a half year because of My 27 Military Coup.

An 8 November 1962 reply by International Rotary Secretariat ’to an application of Ankara Rotary Club in 1962 made to International Rotary’s Zurich Bureau, approved the foundation of Rotary clubs in İzmit, Adana, Samsun, Eskişehir, Bursa and Trabzon, and sent required forms to Ankara Rotary Club. Those clubs were founded later on.

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(#8) İzmir Rotary Club International Rotary Charter Members :

Rtn. Sadi Aral Rtn. Raşit Özsaruhan
Rtn. Cemil Atalay Rtn Remzi Reyent.
Rtn. Muvahhit Atamer Rtn. Ümit Sanver
Rtn. Semih Süreyya Birsel Rtn. Enver Selay
Rtn. Macit Birsel Rtn. Yusuf Tanık
Rtn. Mücahit Büktaş Rtn. Fikret Taner
Rtn. Süreyya Çolak Rtn. Hakkı Türegün
Rtn. Şevket Filibeli Rtn. Alp Türksoy
Rtn. Hasan İkbal Rtn. Mehmet Uster
Rtn. Can Kıraç Rtn. Kenan Yalter

The fourth club is “Bursa Rotary Club”. With the efforts of Rtn. Zübeyir Seyhan, employed by Istanbul Rotary Club, it held the first meeting at Çelik Palas Hotel on 12 June 1963. Founders are Fahri Batıca, Burhanettin Ersöz, Sait Ete, Memduh Gökçen, Reşat Oyal and Selim Süter. It joined International Rotary society with a Council of Ministers decision number 6/3690 dated 25 September 1964 and after receiving International Rotary charter issued on 18 October 1965.(#9)

The number of Rotary clubs in Turkey was 4 in 1964 and 6 in 1966.

“Turkey Rotary Clubs Management Consultancy” was established in 1968. The growth rate was less than 1 club per year within the 14 years until the foundation of Management Consultancy.

(#9) Bursa Rotary Club International Rotary Charter Members:

Rtn. Selim Süter
Rtn. Reşat Oyal Rtn. Şahap Terzi
Rtn. Yakup Kefeli
Rtn. Memduh Gökçen Rtn. Gönen Çakmakçı
Rtn. Fahri Batıca Rtn. Turgut Yılmazipek
Rtn. Burhanettin Ersöz Rtn. Semih Odman
Rtn. Sait Efe Rtn. Abdurrahman Şenipek
Rtn. Sabahattin Talay Rtn. İhsan Bakkalbaşıoğlu
Rtn. Ragıp Kulelioğlu Rtn. Doğan Yılmazipek
Rtn. Haluk Aksa Rtn. Kemal Türkün
Rtn. M.Ali Dinçsoy Rtn. Talat Diniz
Rtn. Orhan Efe Rtn. Ünal Duraner
Rtn. Atıf Etyemez Rtn. Nezih Tunçsiper
Rtn. Zihni Düvenli Rtn. Turhan Tayan
Rtn. Aydoğan Erkan Rtn. Hayri Terzioğlu
Rtn. Ergün Kağıtçıbaşı
Rtn. Üstün Balıca

With the foundation of Management Consultancy, growth of Rotary in Turkey accelerated. Number of clubs was;
• 8 in 1968,
• 11 in1970 ,
• 14 in 1972 ,
• 16 in1974 ,
• 21 in1975 ,
• 22 in 1976 ,
• 27 in 1977 ,
• 30 in 1978 .
During the 10 year long Management Consultancy period, the growth rate was 2.4 clubs per year (24 clubs in total).

“District 243” of International Rotary was formed in Turkey in 1980.

Number of clubs during the period of District 243 was as follows, as of the year ends:
• 31 in 1980,
• 32 in 1981 ,
• 39 in 1982,
• 50 in 1983 ,
• 57 in 1984 ,
• 60 in 1985 ,
• 69 in 1986 ,
• 79 in 1987 .

Growth rate within this period of 7 years was 7 clubs per year (49 clubs in total).

As a result of this development, as of the start of 1988-1989 Rotary term, International Rotary accepted the division of Turkey into two districts, District 242 with 40 clubs and District 243 with 42 clubs. Growth got bigger with the foundation of two districts, and District numbers were changed as 2420 and 2430 in 1993-1994 term but then in the end, three districts were formed with the numbers 2420, 2430 and 2440, in 1994-1995 term.

Works in Social, Professional and International fields fulfilled by Turkish Rotary within the 50 years passed since it was first founded are published at www.rotary2420.org .

The “Polio-Plus” Project that aims to end fatal child diseases such as polio by vaccinating hundreds of thousands of children in Turkey is a great work of Rotary on its own.

Thousands of projects such as construction of permanent ones like schools, rehabilitation centers and hostels, project of transformation of Nemrut Mountain into a National Park, Istanbul Tuzla Kindergarten and Primary Schools for Hearing-Impaired Children, Istanbul Tepebaşı Istanbul Governorship Children Home Building, Society Union works for development in villages and non-returned university scholarships… The full inventory of services is so wide that even those clubs who gave these services can not remember them.

Alongside those works, significant services in promoting Turkey in science, culture, arts and sports are accepted and attached great value by official authorities as much as by Turkish public.

Turkish Rotary provides Turkish youth;
• opportunity of attending short term camps in abroad, attending a school for every educational year and studying with voluntary academicians, and
• it organizes forums within the country, gives leadership training, holds camps in various fields, and creates opportunity to know the country by exchanging students between cities.
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Please see APPENDIX-2 for Management Consultants and Governors who serve Turkish Rotary and International Rotary District 2420. Please see diagram provided in APPENDIX-3 to follow the development and foundations of clubs in International Rotary District 2420. Family tree of clubs in the district is provided in APPENDIX-4.

The first Rotaract group in Turkey formed by the 18-30 age group was founded under the leadership of Ankara Çankaya Rotary Club. Ankara Çankaya Rotaract Club held its first meeting on 11 June 1982 with an official permission with the same date.

Second Turkish Rotaract Club was founded on 27 July 1983 by Izmir Rotary Club, third Rotaract Club by Eminönü Rotary Club on 4 November 1983, and fourth Rotaract Club by Kocatepe Rotary Club on 25 May 1984. As of 30 June 2007, there are 119 Rotaract clubs in our country.

51 Interact clubs for 14-18 age group continue their activities in Turkey as of 30 June 2007.

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Appendix-2

MANAGING CONSULTANTS AND GOVERNORS WHO SERVED TURKISH ROTARY SINCE IT WAS FOUNDED AND DISTRICT 2420


Period Management Consultants
1968 – 1969 Galip Kardam
1969 – 1970 Galip Kardam
1970 – 1971 Melih Çalıkkocaoğlu
1971 – 1972 Melih Çalıkkocaoğlu
1972 – 1973 Emin Seyrek
1973 – 1974 Emin Seyrek
1974 – 1975 Serbülent Bingöl
1975 – 1976 Serbülent Bingöl
1976 – 1977 Serbülent Bingöl
1977 – 1978 Fahir Armaoğlu
1978 – 1979 Çetin Gökçeatam
1979 – 1980 Çetin Gökçeatam

Period Governors of District 243 Single District
1980 – 1981 Çetin Gökçeatam
1981 – 1982 Selçuk Somer
1982 – 1983 Ünver Eğrikavuk
1983 – 1984 Serbülent Bingöl
1984 – 1985 Uğur Yüce
1985 – 1986 Rafet Tanyıldız
1986 – 1987 Ünal Ural
1987 – 1988 Örsçelik Balkan

Period Governors of District 242 (Two Districts)
1988 – 1989 Şahap Özer
1989 – 1990 Ali Müderrisoğlu
1990 – 1991 Şahap M. Tarzi
1991 – 1992 Ayhan Ünler
1992 – 1993 Ferit Biren
Period Governor of District 2420 (Two Districts)
1993 – 1994 Ergün Türker

Period Governors of District 2420(Three Districts)
1994 – 1995 Fikret Evliyagil
1995 – 1996 Turgut Gökyiğit
1996 – 1997 Orhan Karul
1997 – 1998 Selahattin Ş.Utku
1998 – 1999 Erdoğan Kotan
1999 – 2000 Güneş Cire
2000 – 2001 Hatice Şarizi
2001 – 2002 Enver Aytaç
2002 – 2003 Çetinkaya Apatay
2003 – 2004 Hitay Güner
2004 – 2005 Atilla Gönenli
2005 – 2006 Sedat Altunay
2006 – 2007 Murat Çelik
2007 – 2008 H.Tahsin Tuğrul

Dönem GlD Governors of District 2420
2008 – 2009 Ömer Kuran
2009 – 2010 Nuri Özgür

EK-3

THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ROTARY DISTRICT 2420 WITHIN TURKISH Rotary Global History

Period Event Club Number District

1954-55 *First Turkish Rotary Club, “Ankara 1 2451 Rotary Club” was founded.
*International Rotary awarded the first Turkish club with Rotary Club Charter.
*Herbert Taylor visited Turkey as the first International Rotary President to do so.

1956-57 *Ankara Rotary Club founded 2 245 Istanbul Rotary Club.
*First meeting with couples was held at Ankara Rotary Club.

Provided 14 July 2008 by RGHF member Barkin Altinok, Turkey

Also see Rotary Global History Day - Istanbul 9 October 2009