Who Are We?

YUCEL CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

A YOUTH MOVEMENT GLORIFYING CULTURE AND ART!

Since its foundation in 1969, Yücel Cultural Foundation aims to make a difference in the lives of youth with the activities and projects it organizes. As a cultural foundation serving to youth, Yücel Cultural Foundation welcomes all young people who want to develop him or herself in culture, art, peace and who expect to receive support because of the unfavorable material or social circumstances. 

In believing that art and culture has transformative and reformative effects, specifically on young people, it dedicates its existence to develop and glorify culture and art. In adopting such a foundational philosophy of "glorifying" art, culture and peace, it acquires its name GLORIFY, from such an effort.

Yücel Cultural Foundation concretizes youth's projects from within a bottom-up manner by encouraging their active participation to the process. Its efforts aim to contribute raising a civilized, well-equipped, responsible young people contributing to their country through the capacity of critical reflection. Moreover, the foundation has a decisive non-discrimination policy in terms of language, religion, ethnic origin, gender or any other irrelevant identity aspects of young people. Our foundation is genuinely happy to make part of a togetherness, which has been growing for the last 46 years by the participation of young people who are aiming to start today to transform their future.

By engaging in the international youth exchanges, our foundation both offers the different European exchange possibilities to youth and encourages their personal-development by organizing national courses, projects and seminars. Moreover, it provides different scholarships and grant schemes in order to support the youth in need of economic means. In being one of the foundations accredited by the European Commission in Turkey, the YKV both hosts and sends young people for the projects in the Framework of the European Voluntary Service. It makes partnerships and initiates applications for the youth projects. 

HISTORY OF OUR FOUNDATION

The Yücel Cultural Foundation was established according with Civil Code Utd. 9. District No. 969/230.

A large number of the first founders of the American School of Language and Commerce, including 21 teachers, 19 businessmen, 26 doctors, lawyers, and tradesman came together to establish our Foundation.
 
The Foundation offices were temporarily held at Caferağa Sok. No: 6 in Eminönü - Istanbul, Turkey. Two years later operations were moved to Alemdar Cad. No: 3 Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey, and to the Abud Efendi Mansion. The name of Yücel Cultural Foundation was registered.
 
In the following years the Yücel School continued in the areas of education, including language, business, secretarial, and accounting courses, helping young people in there with career choices. 
Summer camps were conduced at Tuzla, Gümüşyaka, Uludağ, Ağaçlı, Kilyos, and Caddebostan as youth activities through Foundation's history.
 
Our Foundation continued youth activities within the framework of youth exchanges and make lots of young people meet ranging international seminars to youth camps as it is now...
 
The Foundation cooperated with other Foundations to assist disabled and orphaned children. The building in Sultanahmet was the home to drop-in sports activities for young boys, and a Brother's Club was formed to bring volunteers together to assist these boys. Films, and other cultural activities, including village outreach programs continued. 
 
The proliferation of language courses in Turkey, and the many tourism services in Sultanahmet, and the abandonment of typewriters in favor of computers in the workplace, led to the discontinuation of these services. 
 
Our Foundation's support for young people continues with scholarships, various cultural and artistic activities, expanding programs in international exchange by taking into consideration the needs of today's youth and takes firm steps forward to reach more young people.

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