2.13. Social Responsibility Activities, Donations and Financial Support

In addition to performing the duties and responsibilities entrusted to it by the Central Bank Law, the CBRT also engages in social responsibility activities and contributes to academic studies and various fields of interest through providing donations and financial support. In 2012, the Bank continued to provide support for academic and/or policy-making conferences held at home and abroad in the fields of economics and finance as well as for other academic and policy-making studies via the "Financial Support Program for the Academic Studies" that it has been following since 2006. The Bank provided support for 37 universities and non‑governmental organizations that asked for financial support.

Furthermore, the CBRT organized "The 3rd Contest for Academic Studies" in 2012, to support academic studies in the field of the Turkish economy or central banking and make these studies accessible to a larger audience. At the end of the evaluation process, three applicants were granted an academic encouragement award.

The CBRT also lent support for papers by university students. The CBRT copyrighted two successful papers from the "15th International Students' Conference on Economics" held on 25-27 April 2012 in İzmir by the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences of Ege University, and published these papers on its website.

In accordance with the related circular of the Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency and the official letter of the Disaster and Emergency Presidency of the Governorship of İzmir, the Bank provided support to earthquake victims. After earthquakes hit Van on 18 October and 9 November 2011, the CBRT hosted 287 victims in its Özdere Naim Talu Training, Seminar and Recreation Facility between 18 November 2011 and 31 July 2012. During this period, the Facility was reserved exclusively for the victims, and the CBRT provided them with accommodation, food and other needs.

Furthermore, the CBRT donated printers, computers and peripherals to the Directorate of Computing (Computer Center) of Dumlupınar University and the Directorate of Computing (Computer Center) of Sinop University. In a similar fashion, to update the information source collection of the CBRT's Library, 83 pieces of information source from the collection were set aside for donation. These pieces were sent to the libraries of Koç University and Arel University upon their requests.

In May 2012, at the 11th graduation ceremony of the Central Bank Derince Anatolian High School, which was founded by the contributions of the CBRT in collaboration with the Bank of Greece in Derince, İzmit and started education in 2001-2002, the first three students graduating with the highest degree were awarded with plaques, money prize and various presents. Moreover, new books and publications were bought in order to enrich the sources in the school library so as to support the educational program. The number of students, who, based on certain criteria, have received scholarship from the CBRT for their university education upon graduating from Derince Anatolian High School since the 2002-2003 educational year, reached 32 in 2012.

To support the cause of promoting afforestation, trees were planted in the "CBRT Memorial Forestation" site in the "Atatürk Forest Farm (AOÇ)-Çakırlar Farm Site", Ankara, in cooperation with the Ministry of Forestry and Water Works of the Republic of Turkey. Additionally, to support institutions and establishments that carry out social activities, the CBRT made donations to the Foundation for the Training and Protection of Mentally Handicapped Children for its projects on money recognition, monthly budget preparation and the rules of spending intended for mentally handicapped individuals.