Dear Honorees of Tonight, Their Loved Ones and Valued Guests, Consul Generals, Commanders, Agents,  Community and Faith Leaders, Educators, Professors, Dignitaries, Guests, and

Ladies and Gentlemen

On behalf of Niagara Foundation I want to welcome you to Niagara Peace & Dialogue Awards 2007. 
We have come a very long way through the rocky paths. We have worked days and nights, weekdays and weekends in patience and determination. Because, we have believed and decided to make tonight unforgettable and a life time experience for the Honorees.

Our purpose is simple and worthy: Honoring and recognizing those individuals whose untiring efforts in working toward peace, community service, education, tolerance, dialog and understanding exemplify the true meaning of the word, “Hero”. We have gathered to applaud these Heroes of love and award them, for they aspire to be of service to Chicago Community.

They neither seek nor expect recognition or praise in their lives. Yet, it is their example and work that is steadily laying the groundwork for peace on earth in the foreseeable future. They stand for the highest ideals, bearing burdens, and bringing hope to us all in Chicago.

Having this opportunity, I would love to congratulate those who are being honored, those who have taken their time to nominate them, and those who have taken their time to come here to celebrate their achievements and to highlight our future role models.

Having this opportunity, I want to thank my staff, and event planning committee,
Mr. Koseli for his great multimedia work (that we will enjoy his work as the program goes by),
Ms. Yasemin Uslu for her great invitation design (unfortunately she is not together with us at the moment,  she has just landed at O’Hare from Turkey)
Mr. Cinar, my associate director for his tough work,
Interns and volunteers of Niagara Foundation…

I want to thank Laura Rodriguez from Exelon, Michelle Engstrom from CPD, Tia Borders from CPS, Joy Hearn from CSU, Phyliss Steward from DePaul, and Deborah Brown from NBC5 for their great cooperation  to make this event come true.

I want to thank Allison Rosati to agree to become tonight’s Master of Ceremonies.

I want to thank Matt Guzeldere, President of Chicago Turkish American Chamber of Commerce to become the co-chair .

I want to thank our patron, Exelon Corporation for their full sponsorship and McHenry County-FCC, Harold Washington College, and Chicago Turkish American Chamber of Commerce for their supporting our Awards.

Finally I want to thank Governor Blagojevich, Mayor Daley, Lt Governor Quin, Conressman Emanuel, Congresswoman Sachakowsky, Congresswoman Bean, Congeressman Roskam and Congressman Johnson for their sending a letter of Proclamation commending Niagara Foundation’s works and paying tribute to tonight’s honorees.

Thank You and Enjoy the Night!

Kemal Oksuz
Executive Director, Niagara Foundation