Representatives of the Office of Religious Affairs of the Turkish Embassy in Washington, DC, visited Hartford Seminary on January 23 to finalize and sign a memorandum of understanding.

The agreement, in effect for at least four years, calls for the Presidency of Religious Affairs (PRA) of the Republic of Turkey to recommend and financially support up to 10 Turkish students per  year for Master of Arts study at Hartford Seminary.  The PRA recognizes Hartford Seminary to be the ideal institution to provide young Turkish students with training for effective religious leadership in a variety of disciplines, especially for those who will lead Turkish communities here in America.

Among other items, the agreement also calls for PRA and the Seminary to partner on conferences, seminars and workshops on interfaith dialogue, chaplaincy, and leadership training, both in Turkey and U.S.  It is anticipated that the first students to come to Hartford under this agreement will begin their studies in September of 2014.

Dr. Yasar Colak, Social and Religious Affairs counselor for the embassy, signed the agreement for the PRA, with President Heidi Hadsell signing for the Seminary.  Enver O. Kaan, a current Seminary student and imam and religious counselor with PRA, was also present for the writing of the agreement, as was Director of Institutional Advancement Jonathan Lee.