Nilüfer Yalçın
"One should always strive to be better and reach for the highest level of excellence."
Date of Birth: 01/12/1923 1923
Place of Birth: Filibe, Bulgaria
Date of Death: 14/06/2011 2011
Place of Death: Izmir, Özdere
Burial Site: Zincirlikuyu Cemetery, Istanbul
Field of Activity
Press
"You think you want to go into the field of literature and literary writing, but leave it aside, that is not your strength. You perceive things so keenly and engage so deeply, this talent can best be realized in journalistic writing. Focus all your energy on journalism. You will become the best female reporter in Turkey. Of that I am sure."
(Advice of Mina Urgan, who was Nilüfer Yalçın's professor when she was a student of English Language and Literature at the University of Istanbul, as quoted by Nilüfer Yalçın)
Nilüfer Yalçın started her journalism career in London at the BBC's Turkish broadcasting. She moved from broadcasting to the printed press through her works at the Dünya, Öncü and Akşam newspapers. In 1963 she began working at Milliyet Newspaper and in 1969 assumed the post of diplomatic and parliamentary correspondent for Milliyet, thus inaugurating a new field in journalism in Turkey.
Nilüfer Yalçın was at the same time the first female general secretary of the Press Council.
Nilüfer Yalçın as Publisher
- 1954 - 2000 Founder, owner and publisher of Forum Magazine together with Aydın Yalçın.
Awards
Society of Journalists, Ankara: Award for Highest Achievement in Journalism in the last decade
Society of Journalists, Ankara: Holder of Honorary Press Card
Memberships
- Union of Journalists of Turkey
- Parliamentary Reporters Association of Turkey
- Soroptimists Society, Ankara
- Press Institute Guild
- Press Council of Turkey
Education
- American College for Girls, Arnavutköy, Istanbul, 1942 graduate
- English Language and Literature, University of Istanbul, Istanbul
- University of London, London
Contributions to Society
- Member of the founding group of the Helikon Art Society (Helikon Sanat Derneği), 1950-1955
- First general secretary of the Turkish Press Council (1988)
- Founding member of the Press Institute Guild
Family and Friends
- Mother:Nüzhet Hanım
- Father:Ferid Recep Bey
- Daughter: Prof. Dr. Lale Yalçın.Heckmann (social anthropologist)
- Son:Ali İhsan Yalçın (MBA mechanical engineer, business administrator)
- Husband: Prof. Dr. Aydın Yalçın (historian of economic sciences, university lecturer, member of parliament)
- Friends: Bülent Ecevit (politician), Sami Kohen (journalist), Selma Arel (woman painter), Fikret Şeneş (woman song writer), Coşkun Kırca (politician, diplomat), Esin Talu (journalist), Nur Batur (journalist), Abdi İpekçi (journalist), Orhan Duru (journalist), Oktay Ekşi (journalist), Hıncal Uluç (journalist), Oktay İşçen (diplomat), Turgut Tülümen (diplomat), Zeynep Göğüş (woman journalist, Authoress), Ferai Tınç (Authoress, university lecturer), Füsün Özbilgen (Authoress, university lecturer), Atilla Girgin (writer, university lecturer)
Commemorative Projects
Further Reading
- Azer Bortaçina, "Yalçın Bir Gazeteci", Bianet, 18 Haziran 2011, http://bianet.org/biamag/diger/130844-yalcin-bir-gazeteci (Access 04.12.2011).
- Derya Sazak, "Nilüfer Yalçın", Milliyet, 17 Haziran 2011, http://siyaset.milliyet.com.tr/nilufer-yalcin/siyaset/siyasetyazardetay/18.06.2011/1403827/default.html (Access 4 Aralık 2011).
- Firuze, "Dinozorun tavsiyesi ile gazeteci olmak", Gazetem Ege, 17 Haziran 011, http://www.gazetemege.com/yazar/383/DINOZOR_TAVSIYESI_ILE_GAZETECI_OLMAK.html (Access 04.12.2011).
- Güngör Uras, IMF mektubu nasıl çalındı?, ekonomi.milliyet.com.tr18 Haziran 2011, http://ekonomi.milliyet.com.tr/imf-mektubu-nasil-calindi-/ekonomi/ekonomiyazardetay/18.06.2011/1403891/default.html (Access 04. 12.2011).
- Nur Batur, Üstad Nilüfer Yalçın'a veda, zh-tw.facebook.com20.Haziran 2011, http://zh-tw.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150209981550949 (Access 04.12.2011).
- Aydın Hasan, "Basın'ın solmaz Nilüfer'i", Milliyet, 20 Haziran 2011 http://gundem.milliyet.com.tr/basinin-solmaz-nilufer-i/gundem/gundemdetay/20.06.2011/1404436/default.html.
- Sedat Ergin "Nilüfer Yalçın'a veda ederken", Hürriyet, 25 Haziran 2011, http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/18106707_p.asp.
Sources
Quoted sources
- Correspondence with Lale Yalçın Heckmann
- See the "Further Reading" section
Source for visual images
- Private Archives of Lale Yalçın Heckmann (Nuremberg) and Ali Yalçın, Istanbul
Acknowledgments
The Women's Museum Istanbul is grateful to Lale Yalçın Heckmann and Ali Yalçın for their support in producing the Nilüfer Yalçın introductory pages.
Translation into English: Çetin Alanya, Istanbul, Turkey Editing: Judith Cederblom, Seattle, Washington, USA ©2012 Meral Akkent