“Hope Never Fades: The 2021 & 2023 J.U.C. Awards” titled book launched at the 40th TÜYAP İstanbul Book Fair on November 3, 2023.
Summary of the Book Launching Event: HOPE NEVER FADES | 
Delivered at the 40th TÜYAP İstanbul Book Fair on November 3, 2023 | 
Organized and presented by IşıkBinyılı.Org, in collaboration with, LMGlobal.Org |
The rundown of the Book Launching Event (pdf) |
“Hope Never Fades” book is available through BUYayinevi.Com
Page: 200 in print. Published by IşıkBinyılı.Org (October 2023)

#HopeNeverFades book launched at the 40th TÜYAP İstanbul Book Fair on November 3, 2023.

[LMGlobal.Org] “Hope Never Fades” titled book is based on the 2021 & 2023 J.U.C. Awards, which were presented in five categories Media, Research, Writing, Türkiye100, and Water Action. In particular, the #Türkiye100 category is dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye, and the book is dedicated to it as well. On June 17, 2023, at the virtual Award Ceremony, the Türkiye100 Category received 5 awards. In this line, the Overall Excellence and the Special Award recipients came out from this category. Both students were present in person at the “Hope Never Fades” book launching event at TÜYAP International İstanbul Book Fair on November 3, 2023. Each participating student presented a brief speech based on each of their award-winning essays, which was included in the contents of the book. The concept and compiled by Bircan Ünver. 

Işık Binyılı Association (based in İstanbul) is a sister Organization of The Light Millennium, Charitable Human Advancement Organization | LMGlobal.Org. This year is the second time participated in the TÜYAP International İstanbul Book Fair from October 28 to November 5, 2023. Along with this, it also jointly organized and presented this book launching event for the “Hope Never Fades“, within the scope of the Book Fair, in collaboration with, LMGlobal.Org“. The book came out on October 25, 2023, published by IşıkBinyılı.Org. The book launching event was successfully delivered at the Marmara Room along with the participating students and honorary speakers at TÜYAP on  Friday, November 3, 2023, from 12:00 to 1:30 PM. 
The 2023 J.U.C. Awards, along with the “Hope Never Fades” book launching event dedicated to the: 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye

The preface of the book is written by Ambassador Rodrigo A. Carazo of Costa Rica to the United Nations (2018-2022), who is also chair of the 2023 Evaluation Committee of the 2023 J.U.C. Awards, who delivered an Opening Remark via pre-recorded video at the book launching.

In correlation with the 2021 & 2023 J.U.C. Awards, along with the “Hope Never Fades” book, the event highlighted, in particular, the award-winning students as the majority from the Darüşşafaka High School, along with the recipient of the 2023 Overall Excellence Award and 2023 First Place Winner in Research category from Ankara. 

The below-listed names of the students who received awards during the 2021 and & 2023 J.U.C. Media, Research, Writing, Türkiye100, and Water Action Awards, each delivered a brief speech along with the three Honorary Speakers.

(2023) Overall Excellence | Submission Category#Türkiye100 
Muhammed Ali Turan, Şehit Velit Bekdaş Anatolian High School, Ankara 

(2021) Sevinç Orman, (Research/First Place), Darüşşafaka High School, İstanbul
(2023) Simay Yüksel, Research/First Place, TED College Ankara  
(2021) Zeynep Bayraktar  (Research/Third Place), Darüşşafaka High School, İstanbul

(2023) Eren Koruyan (Writing General/First Place), Darüşşafaka High School, İstanbul  
(2023) Emine Karaman (Water Action/First Place), Darüşşafaka High School, İstanbul

(2023) Elif Yılmaz (#Turkiye100/Special Award), Darüşşafaka High School, İstanbul
(2023) Hamide Begüm Yıldız (#Türkiye100/Third Place), Darüşşafaka High School, İstanbul                      

(2021) Begüm Serttaş (Writing General/Second Place), Darüşşafaka High School, İstanbul
(2021) Esma Nur Sarı (Writing General/Third Place), Darüşşafaka High School, İstanbul
(2023) Zeynep Özdemir (Writing General/Third Place), Darüşşafaka High School, İstanbul

In particular, Darüşşafaka High School students applied both in 2021 and 2023 and received a total of 13 awards, and 9 award-winning students were present at the book launching event in person.

The book, “Hope Never Fades” mentions all the award-received students including the First, Second, and Third Place, Encouragement, Overall Excellence and Special Awards, and the introduction of the media projects, along with both names of the members of the 2021 and 2023 Evaluation Committees and the contributing organizations including the international student coordinators.

The book “Hope Never Fades”s concept and context is based on the 2021 & 2023 J.U.C. Awards in the following categories: #Media, #Research, #Writing, #Türkiye100 (2023) and #WaterAction (2023) 
This book was published by IşıkBinyılı.Org, İstanbul in October 2023, which is available through BUYayinevi.Com. All the proceedings of the book will be allocated toward the 2025 J.U.C. Awards.

Honorary Speakers of the book launching event:

Opening Remarks (via pre-recorded video) by Mr. Rodrigo A. Carazo, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations in New York (2018 – 2022); currently a member of the UN Human Rights Committee (Geneva), 2022 President of UNICEF’s Executive Board, and Chair of the 2023 J.U.C. Awards Evaluation Committee
In his Opening Remarks, Ambassador Carazo made a powerful connection between Costa Rica’s becoming a non-weaponry country in 1948, and the Visions and Founding Principles of the Republic of Türkiye by Atatürk in connection with the 100th Anniversary.
Further, Ambassador Carazo expressed his ideas about the concept of the book as follows: “Hope never fails, and that is a maxim for all of us in life. Let’s hope. Let’s believe. Let’s strive and we’ll have an answer to our quests. No doubt. This book is an example of, such an endeavor.”
Ambassador Carazo continued by saying, “This book, having been at the creation of the award, the program was born out of sorrow.”
Ambassador Carazo transmitted his experiences and observations based in Geneva while attending the UN Human Rights Committee there prior to Nov. 3, 2023. Video

Dr. Serdar Savaş, President, Turkish Society of Public Health Genomics and Personalized Medicine;  Co-Director, European Center for Public Health Genomics, Maastricht University (2010 – 2015) (Maastricht Area, Netherlands); Health 2020 Committee Member European Regional Office of the World Health Organization, European Regional Office of the World Health Organization (2010 – 2011), delivered a speech, which titled, “100 Years of Health Care System in Turkey: Successes and Challenges”. As indicated in its titles, Dr. Savaş presented “Health Care System in Turkey” from a wide spectrum, starting with the formation of the Republic of Turkiye, and onward to the present time. 

Dr. Serpil Tunçer, Ph.D., Board Member and Head of the History and Culture Commission at Darüşşafaka Foundation, presented slides about the Darüşşafaka Educational Institutions’ over 160 years of history as the first Non-Governmental Education Institution in the country, along with its vision and motto, “Equal Opportunity on Education”. Darüşşafaka Educational Institutions are well recognized and respected nationwide and internationally. It sets out an outstanding educational model serving its core mission and vision by providing equal opportunity to orphan and disadvantaged children “Quality Education” over 160 years. Dr. Tunçer eloquently linked the concept and vision of the Darüşşafaka with the title of the book, “Hope Never Fades“.

Burcu Tuncel, English Department Team Leader at Darüşşafaka High School
Ms. Tuncel summarized the process and involvement of the students with the J.U.C. Awards starting in early 2021, and onward. In particular, Ms. Tuncel expressed that during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, this project came as a spark of light to the students and they were eager to apply to it. Eventually, 7 students received awards from the J.U.C. Awards at Darüşşafaka in 2021. Further, she underlined the importance of writing, and encouraged students to continue writing by saying, “Keep on Writing“. 
For the full speech

Bircan Ünver, Author, Moderator/Organizer, Founder-President of IşıkBinyılı.Org & LMGlobal.Org. 
The concept of the 2023 J.U.C. Awards is briefly touched on and symbolized through the following proverb: “While one hope dies, thousands may be reborn“.
As the closing section of the book launching event, Ünver introduced the Preliminary Guidelines of the 2025 J.U.C. Awards, which is also presented in the last section of the book with the “What Is Next?” titled piece. She stated that the 2025 J.U.C. Awards and its all categories are dedicated to the Water Action Decade (2018-2028). The full guideline will be announced in March 2024, and will be available through the LMGlobal.Org site, she concluded. 

The below 25 names are the Contributors of the book: 
Ambassador Rodrigo A. Carazo (#Preface);
Sevinç Orman, Nazlı Eren, Simay Yüksel, Jyoti Kumari (#Research); 
Sude Çapaoğlu, Begüm Serttaş, Eren Koruyan, Raneesha Jayarathane, Zeynep Özdemir (#Writing General); 
Muhammet Ali Turan, Duru Büyükbaşaran, Baturalp Aslan, Elif Yılmaz (Türkiye100);
Prof. Olcay Ünver, Emine Karaman, Fatime Abakar Ousmane (#WaterAction); 
Zainab Bie, Korkmaz Can Sağlam, Deepak Kumar, Ahmet Yasir Destebaşı, Kavisha Amandi Jayarathne, R.A. Rukshana (#Media);
Prof. Gary Grossman (Closing);
John Unver Culkin (by him/In Memory) 

The book also contains the full summary of the 2021 and 2023 Award Ceremonies.

Through this event, “Hope Never Fades“ book launched with the contributed student-authors of the book who had the opportunity to present his/her award-winning pieces in person. Ultimately, the event achieved its goal, each of the above-listed students delivered brief speeches based on each of their initially submitted award-winning pieces that brought the students to the front line and inspired their peers further toward participating in similar projects for the 2025 J.U.C. Awards. 

To sum it up, the 2021 J.U.C. Awards were delivered the announced a total of 13 awards on June 4, 2021, and follow by. And, the 2023 J.U.C. Awards delivered a total of 16 monetary awards during the last summer, along with the certificates to all award-winning students for both referred years as a bi-annual international project for high-school students. The book project has been a part of the both 2021 and 2023 Guidelines of the J.U.C. Awards. 

In conclusion, the book launching event of “Hope Never Fades” was successfully delivered. It particularly focused on the contents of the book, along with introducing the Preliminary Guidelines for the 2025 J.U.C. Awards, which dedicated to the #WaterActionDecade through seven grouped #WaterAction-related concepts that also is included in the book.

Following the event, the students and the honorary speakers paused with the “Hope Never Fades” book, which marked the launching of the book.
Further, Dr. Serpil Tunçer also presented her book to the organizer, honorary guests, and students, titled, “Yaşayan Mazimiz Darüşşafaka“, which also marks the 160 Anniversary of Darüşşafaka Education Institutions.

“Tribute to Beethoven & Atatürk” by Can Korkmaz Sağlam (2021 J.U.C. Media Award) and “See The Human” (Animation) by Kavisha Amandi Amandi Jayarathne (2023 J.U.C. Media Award) also mentioned.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE HONORARY SPEAKERS: 

Mr. Rodrigo A. Carazo, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations in New York (2018 – 2022); Chair, The 2023 J.U.C. Awards Evaluation Committee
Mr. Carazo’s professional development in the public sector includes: the first Ombudsman of the Republic of Costa Rica (1993-1997) and being a member of the Legislative Assembly (2002-2006). Professional development in the private sector includes: being a liberal professional since 1971 in the fields of Economy, Law, and International Relations. He has also served as a consultant for International Organizations (Government, Intergovernmental, Non-Governmental) as well as private entities. He has 48 years of experience as a businessman in the commercial, industrial, tourist, agricultural, and service sectors.
Academic background includes: serving as a university professor in Costa Rica and the United States and a member of the Board of the Public Distance University in Costa Rica; he holds a Law Degree from the University of Costa Rica and a similar degree in Economic and Social Sciences from the University of Costa Rica, a PhD in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Geneva- Switzerland, and has completed further studies in History and International Law. He speaks Spanish, English and French. Ambassador Carazo is 75 years old, married, father of 4 daughters, and grandfather of 11 grandchildren.

Dr. Serdar Savaş is one of the first physicians and scientists who have applied genome-based information to personalized preventive medicine in the world and is one of the pioneers of this field. After serving as Deputy Undersecretary of the Turkish Ministry of Health and as Director of Programme Management at World Health Organisation (WHO) Europe, Dr. Savas established the GENAR Institute for Public Health and Genomics Research at Hacettepe University Science Park in Ankara, with researchers and scientists from Hacettepe University. Under his leadership, the GENAR Institute developed Gentest as a personalized healthcare model. In 2004, Dr. Savas founded Gentest Institute to work on public health genomics and personalized medicine, which has been developing innovative solutions for prevention of the major chronic diseases and their complications. Gentest is based on the ‘7K Medicine’ concept, developed by Dr. Savas, which refers to personalized, predictive, preventive, comprehensive, precise, evidence-based, and participatory medicine (words that all begin with ‘K’ in Turkish). In Turkey and around the globe, Dr. Savas has been working on the vision of integrating 7K Medicine in health care services in Turkey and around the globe.

Dr. Serpil Tunçer, Ph.D., Following her graduation from the Political Sciences Faculty, Public Relations Department of İstanbul University, Serpil Tunçer got a Master’s degree from the American Culture and Literature Department, Institute of Social Sciences at İstanbul University. Her MA Thesis was titled, “Feminine Gothic in Joyce Carol Oates’ Short Fiction”. She got her doctoral degree based on her work, titled, “PostmodernEthics: The Ethical Problematic of the Individual in Don DeLillo’s Work”. After attending the American Gothic Literature, Postmodern American Literature, and Translation classes at the Department of American Culture and Literature, İstanbul University, She lectured at the Linguistics Department of İstanbul University, having recommended for the first time, the “Ecolinguistic” classes which have provided a wide world view for students relating the vital ecological problems of the planet.
Her research fields are Sociolinguistics, Ecolinguistics, and Cultural Ecology.
Besides various articles in scientific magazines, she translated, “The European Myths of Orient” by Rana Kabbani, “The Fall of the Public Man”, by Richard Sennett, and “Matmazel Paradies”, by Brian O’Doherty, into Turkish.
She is the author of the book, “Yaşayan Mazimiz: Darüşşafaka” (Our Lively Past: Darüşşafaka).
She retired in September 2022. She is a board member at Darussafaka Society and is studying an ecolinguistic introductory book for Turkish students.

Burcu Tuncel is an experienced educator who has been serving as the Head of the Foreign Languages Department at Darüşşafaka High School. She initially began her teaching career after earning her Bachelor’s Degree in English Language Teaching from Marmara University in 2000, specializing in English as a Second Language (ESL). With a passion for language education, Burcu dedicated 9 years to the department, demonstrating her commitment to fostering a dynamic and effective learning environment for students. For the past 4 years, she has contributed her expertise to her latest institution, further enriching her career in education.

Bircan Ünver, M.A., is an independent TV Producer (developed/produced and cablecast over 220 television programs including 36 Water Action Commitments), Originator, Founder-President, and Head Representative of The Light Millennium, a Charitable Global Human Advancement Organization (2001, NY, LMGlobal. Org) to the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UNDGC_CSO); and Executive Producer of #LightMillenniumTV since January 2000; Content Provider at QPTV since 1992; Co-founder of the Turkish Library & Museum’s vision & Ambassador of Peace and Goodwill for Anuvrat (Anuvibha) Global Organization (since 2014, India); and Member of the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace (GMCoP, an NGO platform at the U.N. since 2012). Bircan has undertaken LMGlobal’s e-publications, public programs, and Light Millennium TV Series and Specials’ in all aspects since January 2000; also all UN-related activity and programs since 2005. Also, she is the founder-president of the IsikBinyili.Org Association (Turkish counterpart of the LMGlobal.Org) based in İstan- bul, Türkiye (01/2010).
Author of: “En Kutsalı Yaratmak” (1995, 2022), “Sanatın Labirentlerinde” (2016), “Işık Yollarında” (poetry, 2017) and “Bin Yıl Daha” (2020) in Turkish. Including the 2021-2023 J.U.C. Awards and “Hope Never Fades” concept, Bircan is also the author of numerous implemented public events and UN-related programs over the two decades, along with the #LightMillenniumTV Series since 2000.
Holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree from the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (İstanbul, 1988) and a Master of Arts Degree (M.A.) from Media Studies of the New School University (New York City, 1999).
She is the mother of Barış Ünver and John Unver Culkin, (1997-~), and has two granddaughters.

This event was organized and presented based on the “Hope Never Fades” book (October 2023), in collaboration with, IşıkBinyılı.Org and the Light Millennium Global (2001, New York). www.isikbinyili.org | www.lmglobal.org

Distributor of the “Hope Never Fades” book: BUYayınevi.Com
All the proceedings of the book will be allocated toward the 2025 J.U.C. Awards.
Publisher: IşıkBinyılı.Org, in collaboration with, LMGlobal.Org

RUNDOWN of the Book Launching Event (pdf)

Media Release:
NEW BOOK: HOPE NEVER FADES, A COMPILATION BASED ON THE 2021 & 2023 J.U.C. AWARDS

DARÜŞŞAFAKA ÖĞRENCİLERİ “J.U.C. AWARDS” dan 13 ÖDÜL ALDI
#ÖkkeşBölükbaşı, #medyagunebakis.com

2023 PROGRAM with Bios – Booklet

2023 Summary of the Award Ceremony (virtual)
OUTCOME OF THE 2023 J.U.C. AWARDS: “THE BIGGEST BATTLE IS THE BATTLE AGAINST IGNORANCE”

2021 Summary of the Award Ceremony (virtual)
THE WINNERS ARE… THE 2021 J.U.C. AWARDS PRESENTED…

2021 PROGRAM with Bios – Booklet

Dr. Serpil Tunçer – Presentation: Pursuing Hope – Darüşşafaka Educational Institution

More photos from the Book Launching Event at TÜYAP İstanbul Book Fair (3 November 2023):

Photos by: Ökkeş Bölükbaşı, Yunus Turan, Bengü Ağcabay & Burcu Tuncel

Hashtags #HopeNeverFades | #JUCAwrds | #JUCMRWA | #Turkiye100 | #WaterAction
#isikbinyili #lmglobalorg