Charter

1- By this deed of trust, a foundation has been established under the name İSTANBUL İLİM VE KÜLTÜR VAKFI (Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture).

SEAT OF THE FOUNDATION:

2- The seat of the Foundation is Istanbul. Branches may be opened in the necessary places when the need arises.

PURPOSE:

3- To promote the spread of knowledge and scholarly work while remaining faithful to national, moral, religious and historical principles, and to ensure that individuals are raised and develop their character in accordance with these principles.

ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT TO ACHIEVE THE PURPOSE

In order to realise the purpose clause;

• a) To open printing houses, libraries, training halls and complexes, and to organise vocational and technical training courses.
• b) To carry out and commission theoretical and applied research in every branch of knowledge and to encourage such work; to support work already done and to organise competitions in this field.
• c) To publish scholarly, literary and religious works in the form of journals, books, brochures and the like.
• d) To provide material and moral assistance to persons and institutions working in line with the purpose of the Foundation; to provide the necessary material and moral support to those pursuing secondary and higher education, undergraduate, graduate, master's, doctoral and similar specialised studies at home and abroad; to grant scholarships without obligation of repayment; to open dormitories and to provide accommodation.
• e) Within the conditions required by law, to open schools at primary, secondary and university level; to open private teaching institutions and organise courses; to establish private hospitals, clinics and dispensaries; and to open day-care centres and kindergartens as well as charitable homes such as boarding houses and soup kitchens for children in need of care and without family.
• f) To establish relations with domestic and foreign scholars and institutions in line with the purpose of the Foundation; to organise conferences and seminars and to take part in those organised by others; to provide every kind of assistance to scholars who wish to participate.
• g) To engage in economic, commercial and industrial activities aimed at making the Foundation's assets productive and increasing them, together with the import and export operations these activities require.
• h) To manage the income of the movable and immovable property donated to the Foundation; to purchase every kind of vehicle for use in the Foundation's affairs; and to import the tools and machinery required for use in the facilities it opens.
• i) To accept and administer conditional transfers and allocations under the terms the Board of Trustees deems appropriate.

ASSETS AND INCOME OF THE FOUNDATION:

4- The assets of the Foundation: As immovable property;

Fatih 2nd district, Hobyar, Kasabbaşı, block: 1132, parcel: 114; sheet: 228, basement floor, flat no. 1; and

Fatih, Karagümrük, Keçeci Karabaş neighbourhood, block: 1607, parcel: 3, sheet: 330, flat no. 2. Together with donations of TL 20,000 from each member of the Board of Trustees, a total of TL 220,000.

5- The income of the Foundation consists of the income to be derived from the productive use of its assets, together with every kind of movable and immovable property, rights with monetary value, shares, bonds and participation certificates of domestic and foreign companies, instruments representing claims on securities, and coupons accepted by the Foundation, as well as the monthly or annual cash donations pledged by those who have become honorary members of the Foundation.

ORGAN OF THE FOUNDATION:

6- The organ of the Foundation is the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees consists of 11 members.

They are:

• Said Yüce : Chairman of the Board of Trustees
• İlyas Karademir : Deputy Chairman
• Av. Orhan Gülgün : Accountant
• Orhan Canpolat : Secretary
• Ferhat Bakgör : Treasurer
• Veysel Bakgör : Member
• İbrahim Kurt : Member
• Zubakir Fetih Birgeoğlu : Member
• Ömer Güzeldemirci : Member
• Bayram Özer : Member
• Rüstem Ülker : Member

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FILLING A VACANCY ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES:

7- In the event of a vacancy arising in any manner in the membership of the Board of Trustees, the members of the Board are obliged to elect a new member within three months following the vacancy. This election is made by a two-thirds majority of the existing Board of Trustees. Following the election, the matter is notified to the relevant authorities. Members who fail to attend three consecutive meetings of the Board of Trustees without a valid excuse are deemed to have resigned.

DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES:

8 – The Board of Trustees is authorised to take and implement every kind of decision for the realisation of the purpose of the Foundation and to make the necessary dispositions to this end.

9 – The Board of Trustees is obliged to meet once every two months. At these meetings the work carried out and the decisions taken for the realisation of the purpose of the Foundation are reviewed. In addition, the assets of the Foundation are assessed and new decisions are taken.

The quorum for meetings is a majority. The quorum for decisions is a majority of those attending the meeting.

Apart from the ordinary meeting, the Board also convenes when necessary upon the written request of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees or of two members of the Board.

10 – The Board of Trustees may employ staff to implement its decisions and to conduct the affairs of the Foundation.
The duties and responsibilities, working arrangements and remuneration of the staff employed are designated and determined by decision of the Board of Trustees.

11 – The Board of Trustees is authorised, for the purpose of the Foundation, to acquire and sell immovable property; to accept the establishment of mortgages in favour of or against the Foundation and to release them; to establish and transfer rights in rem such as usufruct and rights of residence; to convert joint ownership into co-ownership; to accept donations in kind and in cash without limit of value outside the statutory restrictions; and to accept gifts of immovable property. It is further authorised to decide on settlement, release and waiver in lawsuits and to accept waivers.

PREPARATION OF THE BUDGET:

12 – At the beginning of each financial year the Board of Trustees prepares a balance sheet showing the financial position, and also draws up an annual budget showing the amount to be spent on each item in the new year and the estimated income. “It is essential that 80% of the gross income obtained during the year be spent on the purposes of the Foundation.”

13 – The Board of Trustees may, where necessary, refer the activities it carries out for the realisation of the purpose of the Foundation to specialists. It obtains their opinions and, where necessary, establishes executive committees.

14 – No payment is made to the members of the Board of Trustees for their work relating to the Foundation. However, the necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties are met by the Foundation. An appropriate payment is made, in return for their labour, to the persons it employs temporarily or permanently or whose opinion it seeks, and to the members of the executive committees it establishes.

DIVISION OF DUTIES:

15 – The Board of Trustees divides the duties among its members every year.

These duties are;

• a – Chairmanship,
• b – Deputy Chairmanship,
• c – Secretariat,
• d – Accountancy,
• e – Treasury.

DUTIES OF THE CHAIRMAN AND REPRESENTATION OF THE FOUNDATION:

16 – The Chairman presides over the Board of Trustees. He represents the Foundation before official and private authorities in judicial, administrative, financial and other matters. He conducts lawsuits and proceedings for and against the Foundation in person or through a representative he appoints.

17 – The Deputy Chairman; presides over the meetings of the Board of Trustees in the absence of the Chairman and performs the Chairman's other duties.

18 – The Secretary: Manages correspondence. Prepares, classifies and files the necessary documents.

19 – The Accountant: Conducts the accounting affairs of the Foundation. Where necessary, has the accounting work carried out permanently or temporarily by specialists.

20 – The Treasurer: Makes the payments required by the budget or by decisions of the Board of Trustees, and safeguards the income and valuable documents. The Treasurer is authorised to collect and receive monies due to the Foundation from the relevant sources. By decision of the Board of Trustees this authority may be given to another member of the Board or to a person from outside.

21 – In matters that place the Foundation under financial obligation, the Foundation is represented by two signatures and the seal of the Foundation is used. The double signature is used as Chairman – Deputy Chairman, or Chairman – Accountant, or Chairman – Treasurer.

AMENDMENT OF THE DEED OF TRUST

22 – The Board of Trustees decides on amendments to the deed of trust. Deliberation and decision on amendments are made by a majority of the Board of Trustees.

23 – If the realisation of the purpose of the Foundation becomes impossible, the Board of Trustees convenes by majority and decides on the termination of the Foundation by a two-thirds majority. Together with this decision it also decides to whom the remaining assets of the Foundation are to be transferred.

If the Foundation comes to an end otherwise than by the will of the Board of Trustees, its assets are transferred to another foundation whose purpose is closest to its own.