The Aydın Doğan Foundation was established on April 15, 1996 to assist in the development of the nation and society in every aspect. The Foundation is engaged in a wide range of social assistance activities and makes significant contributions to education, health, scientific research, culture, the arts and sports.

Since its establishment, the Foundation has distributed various awards by organizing national and international competitions. It has built sports and educational facilities and has been providing support for the attainment of high quality education at these facilities. The priorities of the Foundation are to have a strong administrative and financial structure, continue activities oriented toward its present target and to reinforce its international relations.

Aydın Doğan International Cartoon Competition
Aydın Doğan International Cartoon Competition is open to professional and amateur cartoonists from all countries; it is a traditional competition well- known in the international arena. In 2009, the 26th edition of this competition was organized without subject limitations and 1,116 artists from 85 countries participated with 3,127 cartoon submissions. The Selection Committee brought together Turkish and foreign authorities to award first prize to the Italian artist Alessandro Gatto, the second prize to Kürşat Zaman from Turkey and the third prize to Pol Leurs from Luxembourg, Cetin Cerchez-Abdula from Romania and Yuriy Kosobukin from the Russian Federation.

Exhibitions
The entries that are sent to the Aydın Doğan International Cartoon Competition are considered worthy of exhibition and are annually presented to the general public and university students. In 2009, various exhibitions were organized in many provinces in Turkey and the award winning cartoons were put on display.

Young Communicators Competition
Aydın Doğan Foundation annually organizes Young Communicators Competition to contribute to the education of qualified media employees and to support continuous development of the communications sector. The award ceremony of the 21st Young Communicators Competition was held on December 8, 2009 and a total of 796 students from 23 universities participated in the event with 738 projects.

Aydın Doğan Awards
In 2009, theater was the subject of the 13th edition of the Aydın Doğan Awards. The Aydın Doğan Award is given to individuals who make a crucial contribution to both their profession and Turkey with their work. In 2009, the Selection Committee granted the Aydın Doğan Award to Genco Erkal, who never compromised his style as an actor, director, dramatist and adapter of plays over the past 50 years. Erkal has maintained the Dostlar Theater with a consistency of 40 years and aside from his numerous achievements, he has been an active witness to his epoch.

Educational projects
Since its establishment, the Aydın Doğan Foundation has launched many projects in order to transform Turkey into a modern and highly respected society. Educational buildings constructed by the Foundation so far are as follows:

• Sema Işıl Doğan Elementary School / Gümüşhane
• Atatürk University Aydın Doğan Private Elementary School / Erzurum
• Aydın Doğan Elementary School / Göztepe-Istanbul
• Yaşar ve İrfani Doğan Industrial Vocational High School / Kelkit-Gümüşhane
• Milliyet Anatolian Teachers High School / Erzincan
• Hürriyet Anatolian Vocational High School for Hotel Management / Erzincan
• Aydın Doğan Vocational High School for Commerce / Istanbul
• Gümüşhane University Kelkit Aydın Doğan Vocational School / Gümüşhane
• Galatasaray University Aydın Doğan Auditorium / Istanbul
• TEGV Sema and Aydın Doğan Education Park / Istanbul
• Sema Doğan Park / Kelkit-Gümüşhane
• Aydın Doğan Center for Science and the Arts / Afyon

Kelkit Aydın Doğan Vocational School
The foundations of the Kelkit Aydın Doğan Vocational School were laid on July 27, 2002. Classes started on September 28, 2003 with an enrollment of 90 students. The Vocational School, under the umbrella of Gümüşhane University, had 526 students in the academic year 2008-2009. In addition to its regular curriculum, the School also successfully delivers intensive English courses with the support of the Foundation. The Aydın Doğan Vocational School includes an Organic Agriculture Program to which many students are enrolled and which is crucial to the permanence and sustainability of agriculture in the region.

Aydın Doğan Vocational Trade High School
Established by the Aydın Doğan Foundation in 1998 and donated to the Ministry of Culture, the name of the Aydın Doğan Anatolian Communications Vocational High School was changed to Aydın Doğan Vocational Trade High School with a resolution by the Ministry of Culture. The school continues to deliver education centered around the field of communications.

Dormitories for girls
The following girls’ dormitories were constructed by the Aydın Doğan Foundation within the scope of “Dad, Send Me to School” Campaign and donated to the Ministry of Culture: Nene Hatun High School Aydın Doğan Dormitory for Girls (Erzurum), Aydın Doğan Dormitory for Girls (Erzincan), Hacı Hüsrev Doğan Dormitory for Girls (Kelkit), Aydın Doğan Dormitory for Girls (Kürtün), Aydın Doğan Dormitory for Girls (Köse) and Aydın Doğan Dormitory for Girls (Şiran). The dormitories continue to operate with intense support from the Aydın Doğan Foundation.

TEGV Sema and Aydın Doğan Education Park
All educational areas of the Fındıkzade Sema and Aydın Doğan Education Park, established in 1996 by the Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey, were renovated with contributions from the Aydın Doğan Foundation and the annual expenses for the park were also covered by the Foundation. Since its inauguration, Sema and Aydın Doğan Education Park have offered educational support to nearly 36,000 children. The Park has five buildings - an administrative building, an education building, a guest house, a volunteer academy, as well as a gymnasium-, all equipped with ramp accessories and scattered over an open area of 27,000 square meters.

Sema Doğan Park in Gümüşhane
Established to contribute to cultural and social life in Gümüşhane, the Sema Doğan Park was inaugurated on July 24, 2008. The covered areas inside the Park feature a multipurpose hall that can accommodate culture and entertainment activities such as wedding ceremonies, concerts and conferences. The covered area also includes workshops where the locals, especially women, can hone their craftsmanship and can put their labor in use, as well as a restaurant to support and develop local cuisine. The open area features an amphitheater, located on the slope of the mountain as in ancient times that can host films, theater plays, concerts, traditional dances and conferences, as well as areas for sporting events, picnics or children’s games.

London School of Economics
Contemporary Turkish Studies Chair at the European Institute of the London School of Economics (LSE), one of the most prestigious education institutions in the world, will provide great support for the recognition of modern Turkey across the world. Aydın Doğan Foundation figures among the sponsors and it assumed presidency of the Chair for the year 2009

Education Reform Initiative (ERG)
Aydın Doğan Foundation pursues the goal of “quality education for all” in Turkey. Together with other prominent foundations in Turkey, Aydın Doğan Foundation supports educational reforms that will boost the social and economic development of the country, as well as research, defense and monitoring studies. In this regard, the Foundation serves as an active member on the Board of the Education Reform Initiative.