The semi-finals for the 14th CEFTUS Community Achievement Awards are now open!
This is your chance to recognise and celebrate the exceptional contributions of individuals and organisations from the Turkish, Kurdish, and Turkish Cypriot communities in the UK. You can vote in each of the 17 award categories, selecting up to 5 semi-finalists per category – but you’re not required to vote in them all. Every vote helps shine a spotlight on those making a real difference in our communities, so take part today and have your say before voting closes on 1st September 2025.
CEFTUS was established in London in 2011 with the aim of strengthening ties between Türkiye and the United Kingdom. Founded by renowned entrepreneur İbrahim Doğuş with the support of former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, CEFTUS seeks to enhance social, cultural, and economic interactions between the two countries. Through academic research, panel discussions, seminars, and gala dinners, the organisation provides a vital platform for the Turkish, Kurdish, and Turkish Cypriot communities in the UK.
CEFTUS works with the mission of deepening UK–Türkiye relations, building bridges between communities, and representing the social and economic contributions of Turkish, Kurdish, and Turkish Cypriot communities in Britain. In this context, CEFTUS facilitates dialogue on a range of issues while promoting the social, cultural, and economic advancement of these communities.
Each year, CEFTUS hosts its traditional Gala Dinner, celebrating community achievements and bringing together leading politicians, media representatives, public institutions, and key figures from the public and private sectors in both Türkiye and the UK. This year, CEFTUS will host its 14th Annual Gala Dinner on Monday, 3 November 2025, at Sheraton Grand London Park Lane.
As part of the evening, the 2025 Community Achievement Awards will also take place. These awards aim to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work of Turkish, Kurdish, and Turkish Cypriot individuals and organisations who have made a significant impact across various sectors in Britain.
By honouring the achievements of individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds, CEFTUS seeks to strengthen community solidarity and foster unity among the communities it serves.
The semi-finalists and categories are as follows:
CEFTUS Honorary Award
Feryal Clark MP, Baroness Meral Ece, Shany Gupta, Yaşar İsmailoğlu, Sadiq Khan, Önder Şahan, Mustafa Topkaya
Community Service Award
Cllr Peray Ahmet, Kısmet Alagöz, Dr İsmail Bulut, Dr Ali Doğan, Nural Ezel, Nesin Fehmi, Cllr Suna Hurman, Şule Kangüleç, Kazim Kılıç, Mahir Kılıç, Filiz Koç, Figen Murray, Ali Gül Özbek, Murat Özçelik, Dr Ziya Radman
Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Çetin Ağcagül, Muhammed Akdere, Mehmet Akış, Ercan Aksu, Ersin Bedir, Fırat Bozyel, Mazlum Demir, Halil Erdoğan, Ali Gürgür, Savaş Hurman, Hasan İçöz, Ahmet Kabayel, Mehmet Nezir Korkut, Reyhan Mörekli, Mehmet Nayir, Dr Ezgi Özcan, İsmail Özkan, Selin Özkan, Dr Arya Temo, Can Topcu, İbrahim Umut, Alev Yaman
Businessperson of the Year
Suat Akgül, Serkan Arslan, Ersin Asutay, Mustafa Çakır, Mustafa Erdem, Asim Ertürk, Nural Ezel, Kemal Has, Kemal Kaya, Brusk Kıvılcım Korkmaz, Ahmet Boran Narman, Mehmet Nayir, Emre Özcan, Gökhan Özdemir, Yılmaz Özyiğit, Ali Sancak, Mehmet Şar, Mustafa Şirin
Culture and Arts Award
Suna Alan, Çiğdem Aslan, Olcay Bayır, Özcan Çelik, Kenan Cruz Çilli, Melisa Çilli Haywood, Sibel Demir, Sümer Erek, Fatih Gürbüz, Kaya Mar, Esra Vesu Özçelik
Community Engagement Award
Suat Binkaya, Cllr Alev Cazimoğlu, Bülent Ekinci, İbrahim Has, Cllr Suna Hurman, Kazim Kılıç, Ali Kösele, Dr Mohammad Moustafa, Cllr Deniz Oğuzkanlı, Fidan Osoy, Vatan Öz, Cllr Sabri Özaydın, Yılmaz Özyiğit, Burçak Sönmez, Riza Yelden, Mehmet Kemal Yenilmez, Erdal Yetimova
Academic Excellence Award
Dr Tunç Aybak, Dr Emre Çalışkan, Prof Dr Yaprak Gürsoy, Dr Zeynep Kaya, Dr Janroj Keleş, Prof Dr Özlem Onaran, Dr Burcu Özçelik, Dr Ahmet Erdi Öztürk, Dr Latif Taş
Entrepreneurship Award
Mehmet Akış, Sinan Aktaş, Süleyman Çağın, Özgür Demirci, İrem Deniz, Mustafa Durmaz, Hüseyin Güntaş, Kemal Has, Beyhan Kaya, Ali Keskinbıçak, İnan Kıral, Mehmet Nezir Korkut, Özkan Özkan, Metin Pekin, Fariz Taşdan, Can Uçar, Hande Yaşargil, İsmail Yoğurtçu
Advocacy and Social Justice Award
Hüseyin Akyol, Ozan Aşkın, Hasan Dikme, Mehmet Keskinbıçak, Filiz Kılıç, Fidan Osoy, Işıl Sevin, Hakan Topkaya,Haydar Ulus, Sefaret Yaman, Özcan Yoruk
Lifetime Achievement Award
İbrahim Ahmet, Ergün Binbay, Osman Çinik, Erdal Doğangüzel, Mustafa Erdem, İbrahim İbrahim, Kemal Kaya, Altan Kemal, Mustafa Kiamil, Tuncel Nalbantoğlu, Ali Sancak, Osman Tango, Münir Tatar, Mustafa Topkaya, Dr Esin Türkbeyler, Hüseyin Uçar, Muttalip Ünlüer, Kerim Yıldız
Media Excellence Award
Londra Aktüel, Turkish British Magazine, Ayşegül Ekinci, Londra Gazete, Avrupa Gazete, Olay Gazete , BY TV, TV Londra
Legal Excellence Award
Yasmin Armağan, Ozan Aşkın, Erkan Coşkun, Yaşar Doğan, Serpil Ersan, Ali Osman Halil, Filiz Kılıç, Fidan Osoy, Işıl Sevin, Sefaret Yaman
Community Organisation of the Year
Turkish and Kurdish Community Centre, Aziziye Camii, Süleymaniye Camii, Turkish Cypriot Community Association, Alxas Kom, Roj Women’s Association, Halkevi, CEMEVI, UID
CEFTUS SPECIAL AWARD
Marina Ahmad AM, Cllr Peray Ahmet, Nesil Çalışkan MP, Feryal Clark MP, Mete Çoban, Unmesh Desai AM, Cllr Ergin Erbil, Joanne McCartney AM
Restauranteur of the Year
Ahmet Akdoğan, Suat Akgül, Metin Aksoy, Kemal Aslan, Sabri Baraçkılıç, Fırat Bozyel, Mehmet Dari, Mazlum Demir, Fırat Güven, Ender Güvenç, Mehmet Köksal, Adem Kutluktemur, Nihat Özdal, İbrahim Uzun, Hasan Yaşasın, Murat Yazgan
Female Businessperson of the Year
Yasmin Armağan, Sadiye Arslan, Sevim Aslan, Seda Atlı, Emel Bostancı, Melisa Çetin, Semira Dilgil, Jasmin Gökmen, Şadan Gürses, Helin Özçelik, Işıl Sevin, Yasemin Sönmez, Zeynep Türüdi, Saniye Ünal, Esra Vesu Özçelik, Hande Yaşargil, Cemile Yıldırım
Finance, Mortgage, Accountancy and Banking Award
İhsan Asan, Ersin Asutay, Ersin Bedir, Alp Ceylan, Yılmaz Güccük, Ufuk Güngör, Altan Kemal, Pınar Koygun, Kutan Kudret, İnan Sevindik