A CULTURAL JOURNEY TO FIVE CITIES IN TURKEY
and Cappadocia & Sivas

* Please note that this project has postponed to September 2006:
The Tour price is Subject to Change for September 2006.

Departure date: September 3, 2005 (JFK, New York) Return date: September 16, 2005 (Ataturk Airport, Istanbul) -- Itinerary -- How to register or sumbit for the "Creative Writing" contest? --Terms & Conditions?

Following the footprints of AHMET HAMDI TANPINAR'S "BES SEHIR" (FIVE CITIES)

AIM AND CONCEPT OF THE TOUR:

We are very excited and enthusiastic to announce our new project, A TOUR TO FIVE CITIES IN TURKEY in September 2005 which is inspired by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar's book Bes Sehir (Five Cities). Based on Tanpinar's book, we will be visiting the five cities; Erzurum, Ankara, Konya, Bursa & Istanbul and additionally Cappadocia and Sivas, following Tanpinar's footprints.

This tour aims to bring to light our impressions and ideas in order to record them from our own perspective to be e-published or to be turned into several new projects based on this trip. This will be a way of making connections between our viewpoint and Tanpinar's on these sites, as well as transforming our ideas and thoughts into another medium in writing, photography, poetry, film, etc.

We also plan to read Tanpinar's BES SEHIR during our bus trips between the cities and it will be briefly summarized in English for non-Turkish speakers of the tour.

A CULTURAL JOURNEY TO FIVE CITIES IN TURKEY will be a unique journney which will encourage you to record your impressions in writing, photography, video-recording or in any medium you wish, and following the tour, to transform your recordings into another medium to share them with a global audience either in English or Turkish. Light Millennium is willing to present these works in Light Millennium's multi-platforms if the participant of the tour wishes.

For this very purpose, we set up our trip on encouraging writing and creativity. Thus, we are very pleased to announce that there will be 2 awards for 2 submissions (1 for in English, 1 for in Turkish) by the Light Millennium organization. These will be the works which are inspired by Ahmet Hamdi TANPINAR's book BES SEHIR or are based on the participant's experiences and interest areas from a city in Turkey or the work might be a combination or comparison of more than one cities. (With minimum total 15 attendees, 2 awards will be presented  one for in English, one for in Turkish-- if the attendees have reached to total 40, then there will be a partial award for the land part of the tour for the 3^rd one.)

This will be an exciting journey and adventure beyond a touristic one, and such what we will experienced, and how to transformed those impressions and expressions into another medium! This reason, please get ready your note-books-pen or photo camera (digital or manual) or video camera or  an audio recording or any type of recording you may think of for this upcoming journey!!!

This will be an unforgettable journey which will lead and inspire us to be productive and creative as well as will be a channel to share our impressions with a global interested audience. Come & Join us...

* * * * *

2 FREE ROUND TRIP AWARDS 
For creative writings on cities in Turkey:
A Journey to Five Cities in Turkey

Winners must agree on the "terms and conditions" of ALP TRAVEL; based on that, they will be granted a free round trip (air-fair, buses + land), and each will be worth $2345.- (from New York to Istanbul - Erzurum - Istanbul to New York from September 3 to September 16, 2005.)
Languages: English & Turkish

Writing stye/format: Essay, article, story, research, interview, memoir, epic poem, photo essay (a combination with introductory or poetic text, between 8 to 10 photographs.)

Format for the contest: Between 8 to 10 pages, double spaced, 12 font (Arial or Times), e-format (to be sent by e-mail to> contact@lightmillennium.org) and its hard copy with a brief biography of the author, his/her connection with Turkey or the city/cities (between 300 - 400 hundred words), a portrait photography (in print and in JPG format with 300 resolution to be sent to > The Light Millennium, Inc.,
87-82 115^th Street, Richmond Hill, NY, 11418, USA.

Jury: A jury of two members will be formed for this project both for English & Turkish submissions. Prior to that, when we receive all the submissions, they will be published on the Light Millennium's web site under the A TOUR TO FIVE CITIES IN TURKEY link (will be created), and a related announcement will be sent out every other week.
 The submissions will be evaluated in two steps:

1)The best 10 pieces for both languages will be selected by Light Millennium's representatives and readers.

2 Two jury members, consisting of prominent writers and academicians, for both languages will select the most original & creative submissions to be awarded.

Application fee for the award: $35.-
(for processing..)

Registration & Deposit deadline for the trip May 31, 2005: $250.-
(Will be deducted from the actual tour price when it's fully paid by credit card or via check.)

For full payment to ALP TRAVEL, deadline by July 1, 2005.
ONLY If the Tour has to be cancelled by the organizers, then registration fee or full payment will fully refunded.

Please go to "How to Register or submit for the "Writing Contest?">>>

 
Pre-requisites to participate in the writing contest:
1) Must submit original works that has never been published or that's written for this project.
2) Must agree for the work to be Light Millennium's property, once it is e-published on the organization's web site.
2) Core of the Light Millennium, and the participants of the FIVE CITY/BES SEHIR Reading sessions which were held during October 18 - December 13, 2004 at the Turkish House are not eligible to participate in the contest.

Check for the award submissions must be written to: The Light Millennium, Inc.
Please write and send your check payable to the LIGHT MILLENNIUM, INC.;  for submitting to "creative writing" contest or  to register for the trip by May 31, 2005:
Mailing address to submit for the "creative writing" awards or for the tour registration :
>>>87-82 115^th Street, Richmond Hill, NY, 11418, USA

 Incollabration with

Project by: Bircan Ünver
Organized by: Light Millennium, Inc., A Charitable - Public Benefit Organization in based in New York since 1999.