The Turkish leg of the “Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World” program, organized by Junior Chamber International (JCI), one of the world’s largest civil society organizations, took place at the Gala Ceremony of the 29th TOYP Turkey awards on December 12th at the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall. The event, held in collaboration with Otokoç Otomotiv, highlighted the contributions of young leaders and entrepreneurs to social development.

TOYP Turkey, organized voluntarily for 29 years by JCI Istanbul, aims to make our country’s extraordinary and impactful youth visible, encouraging them to become responsible leaders and active citizens.

Highlights of the Gala Ceremony

The 29th TOYP Turkey Gala Night and Award Ceremony, held on December 12th at the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall in collaboration with Otokoç Otomotiv, was presented by Ece Vahapoğlu, the 2001 TOYP Turkey Personal Achievement Category First Prize winner, host, and writer. Special guests of the night included young pianist Can Saraç, musician and choir conductor Masis Aram Gözbek, conductor and writer Dilek Aslıhan Koruyan Sabancı, fashion designer Arzu Kaprol, 2023 TOYP World First Prize winner Selçuk Yusuf Arslan, and clinical psychologist and writer Burcu Babaç.

Categories and Winners

Hundreds of applications in 10 different categories were evaluated by a ‘jury panel’ consisting of impartial experts and academics. Here are the winners of the 2023 TOYP Turkey Categories:

Electrolux Environmental Conservation and Moral Leadership Category: Mert Karslıoğlu

PHX Media Service to Humanity and Volunteer Organizations Category: Zeliş Kurt

Paladin Informatics Science and Technical Development: Şükrü Furkan Öztürk

Politics, Law, and Public Administration: Nevzat Taşcı

Tibet Machinery Cultural Achievement: Nuri Dağdelen

Business, Economy, and/or Entrepreneurship: Alper Aydın

Dekon Group Scientific Leadership: Pınar Acar

Outstanding Patent Medical Innovations and Inventions: Aydın Sinan Apaydın

RK Academy Personal Achievement: Zülal Tannur

TM Event Contribution to Human Rights, Children, and World Peace: Aysel Ösüz

In addition, the JCI Turkey Senate Special Award was presented to Can Saraç.

Representation of National Achievements on the International Stage

The 29th TOYP Turkey winners will have the opportunity to represent Turkey and showcase their achievements on the international stage at the ‘TOYP World Finals’ in 2024. This special night aims to encourage the success of Turkish youth on the global stage.

Statements from JCI Turkey Presidents

In his speech, JCI Turkey President Fatih Katipoğlu said, “TOYP Turkey is a unique opportunity to show how young leaders sustain and carry forward the legacy of our Republic. In the centenary of our Republic, reading the stories of these young leaders, you will once again see that the future of Turkey is bright. Their determination, dedication, and achievements strengthen our hope for the future.”

JCI Turkey President for 2024, Şahin İpek, stated, “Producing 22 World First Prize winners in 29 years is an incredible success. With the TOYP Program, we inspire young people in 110 countries around the world. Being an inspiration is very valuable to us. Every TOYP Turkey gala night becomes an evening where we look at the future of our country with even more hope.”

Sponsors and Supporters

Plaques and certificates were also presented to sponsor institutions and jury members supporting the TOYP program. The following sponsors were present at the event:

Main Sponsor: Otokoç Otomotiv

Category Sponsors: Electrolux, Paladin Informatics, RK Academy, Dekon Group, PHX Media, TM Event, Outstanding Patent, Tibet Machinery

Service Sponsors: RE/MAX, Boco Cosmetic, Glories Chocolate, Branding Turkey, Investment in Montenegro, Hattena Design House, Mavia Real Estate

For detailed information, visit www.jciturkiye.org, www.toyp.org.tr, www.jci.cc.

About TOYP

TOYP Turkey is one of the oldest social responsibility and community awareness projects in its field. It aims to make visible the stories and contributions of successful young people in Turkey who strive for a better tomorrow, contributing to social development, and to enhance their visibility on the national and international stage.

Anyone between the ages of 18-40, a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, with a project that has been implemented beyond the design phase in ten different categories, and who believes that their story is meaningful and inspiring in achieving success, can participate in TOYP Turkey. In previous years, figures such as John F. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Elvis Presley, Jackie Chan, and Canan Dağdeviren have been included in the list, and in 2023, Selçuk Yusuf Arslan (Environmental Conservation and Moral Leadership) and Uğur Tanrıverdi (Medical Innovations and Inventions) became world champions.

About Junior Chamber International (JCI)

Junior Chamber International (JCI) is one of the world’s leading civil society organizations, with over 160,000 members in 100 countries. JCI embraces universality in the globalizing world and supports world peace. It aims to help its members contribute positively to positive change in their communities by developing their leadership qualities. Collaborating with associations such as ICC, UNICEF, and AIESEC, JCI also hosts many important figures, including Jacques Chirac (Former President of France), Valerie Giscard Destaing (Former President of France), Willy de Clerk (Former President of the EU Commission), Gerald Ford (Former President of the United States), and Paul Schulter (Former President of Denmark) as members.