Open World Welcomes Inaugural Delegation From Turkey

Press Release

Open World Welcomes Inaugural Delegation From Turkey

For Immediate Release

Contact:Maura SheldenOpen World Leadership Center Tel. 202-707-6197mshelden@openworld.gov@OWprogram

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Open World Leadership Center welcomes 24 judges and prosecutors from Turkey June 20, the first of two Turkish travel dates in 2013. The Turkish rule of law professionals were nominated by the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) of Turkey and vetted by the U.S. Embassy in Ankara. Programming will be conducted under the terms of a memorandum of understanding between the Open World Leadership Center and HSYK.

The Turkish delegation will have an intensive orientation in Washington on Friday covering topics such as the selection of judges, their education and training, and the functions of the Federal Judicial Center. They will tour the Supreme Court, and will participate in a video conference with the chairman of the U.S. International Judicial Relations Committee, Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. A number of the delegations’ host judges will be participating in the orientation. The four hosting communities and their hosts are:

Boston, MA, hosted by Federal District Judge Mark Wolf, Federal District Judge Richard Stearns, and Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice Robert J. Cordy, supported by the International Rule of Law Consortium.

Chicago, IL, hosted by the Circuit Executive for the Federal Courts of the Seventh Circuit Collins Fitzpatrick, and supported by the Council of International Programs, Chicago.

Oklahoma City, OK, hosted by Chief Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, supported by the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City.

Peoria, IL, hosted by U.S. Chief Judge James Shadid, U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, supported by the Peoria Area World Affairs Council.

After the orientation concludes the delegation will attend a reception hosted on their behalf by Turkey’s ambassador to the U.S. The Honorable Namik Tan.

Open World supports Congressional outreach to Eurasia and other countries. It conducts exchanges that establish lasting professional relationships between the up-and-coming leaders of Open World countries and Americans dedicated to showcasing U.S. values and democratic institutions. Open World has introduced more than 19,000 current and future decision makers from Russia, other countries of Eurasia, Egypt, and now Turkey to American political and civic life, and to their American counterparts. The U.S. Congress established Open World in 1999. ###