Melvin Jones, the founder of Lions International clubs, established a Special Friendship Prize to be awarded to persons chosen on the basis of very selective criteria in recognition of their distinguished services. The recipient of this award presented on 8 March ’08 was the mayor of Turgutreis, Ali Server Yazgan, who was thus given public recognition for his unstinting assistance to the Turgutreis Lions Club chapter from the first day after he was elected to office. Mayor Yazgan is known on the peninsula for his willing assistance to worthy projects and causes.

The list of Bodrum women’s associations that attended and signed the common declaration of demands is too long to include here, as is the list of their demands – those interested can obtain these easily from any local women’s organization. What we recognize here is the firm stand on critical issues taken by a very large number of women. Their main motto, in rough translation, was: “Women working together can move the world”, while their other positions attested to a determination to keep Turkey secular. Among their demands were an end to all discrimination between the sexes and an end to mothers’ tears brought on by the loss of their children to terror.

There are several exhibitions still on that should not be missed, and among these a joint exhibition of works by ten painters resident in Bodrum being staged in the Kempinsky Hotel Bodrum which winds up on March 15. Buses from in front of the Bodrum Municipality will depart at 14:00 hrs on both 14 and 15 March to take interested parties to the exhibit. #Another exhibition to see is at the NT Art Center & Gallery; the show on the theme “Woman-Man” is open till 24 March. ## Two separate exhibits of photographs also call your attention, one in the Bodrum Municipality Council Hall (works by 19 women photographers from Izmir); plus Aysegul Kaygun’s photos shown at the Jazz Now gallery. ### Of interest to kids: children’s play on Sunday, 16 March ’08 at 13:00 hrs. in the auditorium in Oasis. For adults the play “Kanli Nigar” will be on Saturday, 15 March, same place. Both performed by the Avni Dilligil Theater.