Turks in Brisbane are getting ready for the first Brisbane Turkish festival. Turkish communities in Brisbane and Queensland aread have been participating in community festivals where they have showcased glimpses of Turkish culture for their fellow Australian countrymen.

But they never had a chance to showcase a bigger display of the culture unlike the other ethnic communities have. There are lots of reasons and ecxcuses for this and most important one is perhaps the small size of the Turkish community in Queensland.

But the same small community have been doing wonders. They have opened schools, organized concerts, bayram festivals, and impressed everyone with their Shehrazade day participation in Brisbane Festival.

Last week of May 2009, Brisbane Turks will trial their first Turkish Festival.

Organizations invluding Queensland Education and Cultural Foundation, Queensland Turkish Islamic Centre, Active & Young Merchants Association and youth group GENC QLD have come together to offer their community members, friends and friends of the Turkish culture a feast day where Kids will have rides all day free, youngsters will have a soccer tournament, people will be able to watch Turkish movies (with subtitles), wander around food stalls to discover Turkish food from different regions. Tavla enthusiasts will have the chance to showcase their backgammon skills in Tavla tournament.

The event will be a celebration in honour of Ataturk and the date of his landing at Samsun on May 19, 1919 where he started the Turkish resistance campaign to defeat invading countries(UK,France,Greece,Italy,Russia,Armenia) from Turkey which resulted in Turkish Victory. Also the anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul from Romans which ended the great Roman empire by Ottoman King, Mehmed II also known as 'Fatih' in 1453.

The event will be held at 428 Algester Rd, Algester QLD at 10.00 AM, 31 May 2009.