The Vehbi Koç Foundation ( tr, Vehbi Koç Vakfı) is one of the biggest
non-governmental charitable organizations in
Turkey. It was established on January 17, 1969 by the Turkish
entrepreneur and
philanthropist
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...
Vehbi Koç
Ahmet Vehbi Koç (20 July 1901 – 25 February 1996) was a Turkish entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Koç Holding, Koç Group, one of Turkey’s largest groups of companies. During his lifetime he came to be one of Turkey's wea ...
(1901-1996). The foundation is active in the fields of education, healthcare and culture.
The board of directors is currently chaired by Semahat Arsel, the eldest daughter of Vehbi Koç. Executive committee's president is Suna Koç, another daughter. Erdal Yıldırım is the managing director of the foundation. The headquarters of the foundation is located at Nakkaştepe in
Kuzguncuk,
Istanbul.
Education
The Vehbi Koç Foundation established
Koç University,
Koç School
The Koç School ( tr, Koç Okulu) is a private coeducational school in Turkey founded by Vehbi Koç, one of Turkey's wealthiest businessmen. The school comprises a high school that pioneered the IB program in Turkey and an elementary school. Pr ...
and many Koç elementary schools across the country, and a number of hospitals as well.
Culture
The Vehbi Koç Foundation already runs various museums across Istanbul, including
Arter, a contemporary art exhibition space, which opened in 2010. This four-storey space housed in an historic building on
İstiklal Avenue is owned by Ömer Koç, the vice chairman of Koç Holding. The
Sadberk Hanım Museum
The Sadberk Hanım Museum ( tr, Sadberk Hanım Müzesi) is a private museum on the shores of the Bosphorus in the Büyükdere neighbourhood of Sarıyer district in Istanbul, Turkey. It was established by the Vehbi Koç Foundation in memory of ...
, based at the Azaryan Mansion in Istanbul’s northern Sariyer district, houses the private collection of Sadberk Koç, the wife of Vehbi Koç. The most recent major cultural project of the Vehbi Koç Foundation is the establishment of a contemporary art museum scheduled to be opened at the end of 2017 in Istanbul’s Dolapdere district, close to the city center.
See also
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American Hospital, Istanbul
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Koç University
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Vehbi Koç
Ahmet Vehbi Koç (20 July 1901 – 25 February 1996) was a Turkish entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Koç Holding, Koç Group, one of Turkey’s largest groups of companies. During his lifetime he came to be one of Turkey's wea ...
*
Koç School
The Koç School ( tr, Koç Okulu) is a private coeducational school in Turkey founded by Vehbi Koç, one of Turkey's wealthiest businessmen. The school comprises a high school that pioneered the IB program in Turkey and an elementary school. Pr ...
References
Koç family
Foundations based in Turkey
1969 establishments in Turkey
Organizations based in Istanbul
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