The Turkish Cultural Center’s annual dialogue dinners are becoming a tradition for intercultural and interfaith dialogue in Tampa Bay. The 2nd Annual Dialogue and Friendship Dinner was held on October 29, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Tampa downtown.

The theme of the dinner was “Who is my neighbor?” and around 150 people reprensenting many churches, mosques, synagogues, university departments, cultural centers and bi-national chambers of commerce participated at the complimentary dinner.

Among the guests were leaders of Chinese, Korean, Indian, Filipino, Peruvian, Caribbean, Bosnian, Albanian, French, Canadian, Hispanic, African-American communities and Honorable Antonios Sgouropoulos, Consul General of Greece.

The MC for the night was Ms. Chris Field, FOX13 TV Sports anchor, and Mr. Omer Ozbek, Executive Director of Turkish Cultural Center of Tampa Bay, gave a welcome speech. The keynote speaker Dr. María de los Angeles Crummett, USF Dean of International Affairs shared her thoughts of the theme with the participants.

At the night, impressions of one of TCC’s recent dialogue trip to Turkey was shared by Bishop Charles Leigh, President of Florida Council of Churches. The participants also enjoyed live classical Turkish music and warm friendship around dinner tables. The event was a celebration of the 86th anniversary of the declaration of  Turkish Republic.