Canadian and Turkish Women’s Association of Ottawa

Canadian and Turkish Women’s Association of Ottawa

"Bridging Cultures"

The principal object of CATWAO is to provide a platform for Canadian and Turkish women to promote a better understanding and appreciation of their respective cultures, thus fostering goodwill and working towards better integration in the multicultural community.

 

This objective will be achieved through a variety of activities in the fields of art, culture, literature, women’s issues, and other complementary events.

 

2022 / 2023

Ottawa Run & Walk

We are running to support children who have lost limbs due to the earthquake in Türkiye. Check our bio to register to Ottawa run&walk 

On May 6th (the 3-month anniversary of the earthquake), our international run will "follow the sun" from Sydney to Vancouver, passing through numerous cities worldwide, to raise awareness and gather support.

We invite all volunteer groups and individuals to step up for empowering these children to run again.

Kindly visit www.turkishvolunteers.org to register in this goodness run.

We will turn the run into a fundraising event and support the Children Amputees of Türkive (CATE) project by leveraging @bridge2turkiye donation channel.difference.

  • Dear Supporters and Contributors,

    We are thrilled to announce the outstanding success of our fundraising event on April 23, 2023, where Turkish Canadian women of Ottawa activity group with the support of Catwao raised an incredible $20,000 CAD to support the children affected by the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye.

    This incredible feat would not have been possible without the unwavering support and generosity of individuals like you, who joined hands with us in this noble cause. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you.

    The Turkish Canadian Women of Ottawa activity group spearheaded this initiative and, through your collective efforts, we are pleased to share that the raised funds have been promptly sent to the following organizations:

    $10,000 CAD to "Cagdas Yasami Destekleme Dernegi": This organization is at the forefront of providing essential support to the earthquake-affected children, ensuring they have access to education, healthcare, and other critical resources.

    $10,000 CAD to "Ihtiyac Haritasi": This vital initiative focuses on mapping the specific needs of communities affected by natural disasters. By identifying areas of greatest need, they can channel resources effectively, ensuring that help reaches those who need it the most.

    We want to emphasize that this achievement is a testament to the collective power of community and compassion. Together, we've made a lasting impact on the lives of these children, giving them hope and a chance for a brighter future.

    Once again, thank you for your invaluable contribution. We look forward to keeping you updated on the progress and outcomes of these initiatives. Your support continues to make a world of difference.

    Warm regards,

  • Needs Map

  • Association for Supporting Contemporary Life

The Canadian and Turkish Women’s Association of Ottawa – CATWAO cordially invites you to our Season Opener:

Movie Screening of “The Play”

&

A live Q&A with the Award-Winning Director, Ms. Pelin Esmer

Sunday, November 27, 2022

2:00 – 4:00 PM

University of Ottawa, STEM Building, Room 117

150 Louis-Pasteur Private, Ottawa, ON K1N 9A7

 

Free for CATWAO members / $7.5 for non-members

We will have a mini reception with delicious Turkish appetizers,

courtesy of the Embassy of Türkiye in Ottawa!

 

The director of "The Play," Ms. Pelin Esmer, will join us live via Zoom.

  Space is limited! Get your tickets now: theplay.eventbrite.ca

About “The Play”:

What happens if nine peasant women living in a mountain village in Southern Türkiye one day decide to write and perform their own play? This documentary movie tells the story of Ummuye, Behiye, Ummu, Fatma K., Cennet, Saniye, Fatma F., Zeynep and Nesime, who spend their days working hard in the fields, on the construction site and at home, and their journey of transformation through art. During their epic journey, aspects of their personalities emerge that they never knew existed. This documentary film observes the creative stages leading up to the production of the play and shows us how nine subtly, but significantly different women emerge after its staging.

“The Play” has been screened over 50 festivals around the world and won several awards and recognitions, including The Best New Documentary Filmmaker Award from Tribeca Film Festival (USA), The Best Documentary Film Award from Trieste Film Festival (Italy) and The Best Documentary Film Award from Créteil Women Film Festival (France) among others.

About the award-winning director, Ms. Pelin Esmer:

Ms. Pelin Esmer, writer & director of both fiction and documentary films, started her career in filmmaking after studying sociology in Istanbul. She established her film company Sinefilm, and since 2001 she has made her independent films: The Collector, The Play, 10 to 11, Watchtower, Something Useful and Queen Lear. In 2020 MUBI Turkey and MUBI International presented all of Esmer’s films in Türkiye and abroad with the retrospective titled “Journey to the Heart with Pelin Esmer”. The same year, Istanbul Modern Museum Cinema launched a retrospective of Esmer’s films as part of their “Meeting with the Directors” series. Esmer was invited by the Camargo Foundation to the artist’s residence in Cassis-France in the fall of 2019, where she started to write the script for her new fiction film. Currently, she is working on the development of her new project.