About ATA Alliance

LAND OF NEW BEGINNINGS

Australia is the land of new beginnings. Almost everyone living on this continent has an immigrant background. The migrants sailed away from class differences, economical difficulties, conflicts and pains of the past and aimed to live a life free from those obstacles. Although we all have come from many different cultural and religious backgrounds, we know that our society has to put aside the individual differences in the interests of living together as neighbours.

The friendship of Australia and Turkey today is the textbook example of reconciliation after a World War. This was achieved by a visionary man, the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who made “Peace at home, peace in the world” Turkey’s principle foreign policy.

First Turkish Migrants

The first Turkish migrants came to Australia in early 19th century from Ottoman Empire. But the exodus to Australia started when the Makarios government’s and Greek Junta’s cruel suppression and assimilation policies against Turkish Cypriots escalated during 1960s.

In 1967 Australia and Turkey has signed an recruitment agreement allowing Turkish citizens to immigrate to Australia to work. Today there are more than 200,000 Turkish Australians living all across Australia, mainly in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide.

The Turkish migrants have since provided a very important skilled work force for Australia’s economic development. They are known for being hardworking and tolerant; besides they are also famous for their hospitality and the legendary Turkish cuisine.

Smear Campaigns and Assassinations

Unfortunately recently Turkish Australians we have experienced a series of smear campaigns and insults by some who distort and aim to rewrite the history for the sake of damaging the friendship between Turkey and Australia and extensively harming our the multicultural society.

We lived through this campaign before all over the world and even in Australia which caused the assassination of Turkish Consul-General Mr Sarik Ariyak in Sydney in 1980 and the car bombing attack to Turkey’s Melbourne Consulate in 1986. Armenian terrorist group JCAG, assassinated 42 Turkish Diplomats all around the world until 1986.

Although they are few, there are still those amongst us who live with the hatred they brought to Australia from far away , and survive on this hatred, pass it through their generations and define their ethnic identity with it.

There are still those who brought up single mindedly without the notions of tolerance, free speech and respect for others.

There are still those who celebrates those assassinations against the Turkish Diplomats and praise the terrorists involved in those attacks.

We believe that people like these still have the potential of destroying our peaceful multi-cultural / multi-faith / multi-ethnic society.

Therefore the Turkish Community has united to tackle hatred, and formed the Australian Turkish Advocacy Alliance.

ATA-A’s Mission

ATA-A represents its members in matters involving the Australian Turkish community.

Our purpose is the advance and represent the interests of the Australian Turkish community within Australia and abroad and to encourage, improve, support and empower the Australian Turkish community.

ATA-A’s Vision is

To be an effective and innovative national organisation that represents the Australian Turkish community in politics and within the wider Australian community by encouraging members to participate in ATA-A’s activities through the facilitation of Meetings and the flow of relevant and timely information.

We are committed to working with members to initiate new programs that advance the interests of members and the Australian Turkish community.

ATA-A’s Values

ATA-A is a not-for-profit corporation managed on principles of honesty, respect and fairness.

Each member is of equal importance and ATA-A deals with issues arising between members in an even handed, objective and confidential manner.

ATA-A is committed to the highest standards of ethical behaviour in its interaction with members, government, public and other professional organisations.

Objectives and Purpose of ATA Alliance

1. To advance and represent the interests of the Australian Turkish community within Australia and abroad.
2. To encourage, improve, support and empower the Australian Turkish community.
3.   To promote, develop, encourage, assist and improve;
   • harmony amongst Australian Turkish associations;
   • harmony amongst member associations and other associations that exist within Australia; and
   • awareness, social and commercial relationships, communication of the Australian Turkish community with local, state and national governments and with other Australian government institutions.
4. To increase awareness in Australia and Turkey of ATA Alliance and the ATA Alliance’s role within the Australian Turkish community.
5.   To disseminate accurate and reliable information to the Australian Turkish community with the view of improving the knowledge base of the Australian Turkish community on relevant social/political matters.
6. To facilitate and become a medium for disseminating information from local, state and national governments and other Australian institutions to the Australian Turkish community and vice versa.
7. To promote and support the ANZAC and Turkish legacy in Australia and abroad.
8. To support remembrance and commemoration events of interest for the Australian Turkish community.
9. To represent the collective Australian Turkish community views on relevant matters of public policy.
10. To conduct and arrange seminars, workshops etc. to raise public awareness of the value of the Australian Turkish friendship and contributions of Australian Turkish community to the various aspects of life in Australia.
11. To support Australian Turkish community against racism, discrimination, extremism, anti-multicultural behaviour and any form of bullying.
12. To provide confidence to the youth of the Australian Turkish community by assisting member organisations with their education, cultural and sporting programs.
13. To coordinate and promote the organisation of various educational, cultural and sporting events by memberassociations.
14. To encourage and sponsor senior media representatives, politicians, political advisers, senior public servants and student leaders to visit Turkey in order to enable them to obtain firsthand information on issues of interest and which have a benefit for Australia.
15. To furnish the Australian media and Turkish language media information on matters of common interest to the Australian Turkish community.
16. To raise public awareness on legal rights and where necessary assist the Australian Turkish community in obtaining legal guidance and assistance on matters of concern.
17. To support intellectuals (e.g. historians, scholars, academics etc.) and individuals who are prepared to counter misleading and false claims made against the Australian Turkish community.
18. To support student, youth and elderly citizens outreach programs throughout Australia for the Australian Turkish community.
19. To perform and carry out all activities and to do all such lawful acts necessary, proper, or incident to accomplish the aforementioned Objectives and Purpose, or which shall be recognised as proper and lawful acts in pursuit of these objectives.

Leadership Group

Mr Hakan Evecek – NSW

Mr Malik Taskin – NSW

Directors

Mr Hakan Evecek

Mr Malik Taskin

Mr Levent Ozgurler

Executive Officers

Mr Baris Atayman