Turkish coffee truck arrives in Belgium

BRUSSELS

The Turkish Coffee Truck is a volunteer initiative to promote Turkish coffee.

The Turkish Coffee Truck, the world’s first Turkish coffee cultural tour, has arrived in the Belgian capital of Brussels as part of a route that includes the Netherlands and France. Turkish Coffee Truck Ladies and other volunteers will give out free Turkish coffee to Belgians and present the rich and remarkable history of Turkish coffee culture, until May 30.

The Turkish Coffee Truck is an all-volunteer initiative to promote Turkish coffee culture and to engage people in “coffee conversations.” The project began in 2012 when a group of volunteers traveled to five major U.S. cities to offer free Turkish coffee to the American people.

The tour visited world-class universities including to directly engage future world leaders. The project received domestic and international media coverage as well as official recognition from the Turkish Consulates in Washington D.C. and New York and from the United States’ House of Representatives.

“The project also aims to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Turkish migration to Belgium. We aim to use this tour to further strengthen the friendship between nations,” said Gizem Salcıgil-White, founder of the Turkish Coffee Truck.

In cooperation with Turkish Connections Platform, Professor Ercüment Ackman of Georgetown University will give a presentation about the role and history of Turkish coffee at the Permanent Delegation of Turkey to the European Union on May 30. The coffee truck’s final stop will be Paris between May 31 and June 1.