This document provides summaries of important pioneering women in Turkish history. It describes women from various fields who achieved firsts and helped advance their respective areas. Some of the women mentioned include the first female combat pilot Sabiha Gökçen, the first female teacher Refet Angın, the novelist and political leader Halide Edip Adıvar, and the opera singer Leyla Gencer, among many others. The document highlights the accomplishments and pioneering roles these women played in Turkish society.

1. S/HE`S EQUAL IN EUROPE
Project no: 2015-1-ES01-KA219-015783_7

2. They blazed a trial in art, music, politics, sports, science,
literature and so on and took our country forward with their
great careers and success.
Here are some Pioneer Women of Turkish Republic;

3. Halide Edip Adıvar( 1885-1964) was a Turkish novelist,
nationalist, and political leader for women's rights. She was
best known for her novels criticizing the low social status of
Turkish women and what she saw as the lack of interest of
most women in changing their situation.She was the heroin
who lit the independence fire on the Turkish Independence
War in 1919.

4. Refet Angın(1915-2010) was one of the first female
teachers of Turkey.She learned to write and read from her
mother and always wanted to be a teacher in her
childhood.She was so sure that she would be a teacher
when she grew up that she said to M.Kemal Aatürk the
same thing in their first meting one day. She was awarded
as the Theacher of the Year at the first Teacher’s Day
Celebration in 1981.

5. She was the first Turkish
female combat pilot, aged 23.
According to some sources,
including Guinness World
Records, she was also the
world's first female fighter pilot,
being enrolled in the Military
Aviation Academy in Eskisehir in
1936.She did nearly 8000 hour
flight.She also gave her own
surname to her husband when
she got married in 1940.Now,her
name goes on living at the
second big airport of İstanbul as
‘’Sabiha Gökçen International
Airport’’.

6. She was the co-founder and a leading member of TurkishHistorical Society.She
was a Turkish teacher and historian and sociology professor. She was one the
adoptive children of M.KemalAtatürk.After finishing Teachers’ Training School,she
went to Europe for university ,language leraning and Master Degree. During her
studies she realised in the books that there was numerous wrong information about
Turkish Culture and History. So,she did lots of studies to prevent the wrong
information and to introduce Turkish people and history correctly.She also introduced
«Piri Reis» to the world in a conference in Cenevre.She published several books about
«woman rights» in several languages.

7. She was a Turkish classical
music performer, known as
the "Diva of the Republic".
She had a unique voice.
Atatürk was listening to her
on the scene. She made
albums in the time of
gramophone record,
cassettes and CDs.

8. She is the first woman Islam preacher of the Republic. With her secular and
democratic personality, she is one of the Pioneer academician who works the
hardest on religious education inTurkey. She was awarded many times both
inside or outside the country with her viewpoint to woman rights and
headscarf.
BEYZA BİLGİN
THEOLOGY PROFESSOR AND PEDAGOGUE

9. SAMİHA AYVERDİ
A PIONEER WOMAN FOR THE WORLD
OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY.
She gave works at different fields,
from novel to poem or history to
Sufism.But,the main source that
she is engaged to sincerely was
Sufism-Islamic Mysticism forming
the Turk-Islam Civilization.She was
also an opponent of the political
idea that only support the western
style.In her works, she compared
the Western and Oriental
Civilizations at the same time on
different fields from music to
architecture.

10. The meaning of her name is : ‘The first Turkish Muslim actress. She
is heroin of a story full of passion , courage and stubbornnness. In
1920s autumn , she acted on the stage in ‘Yamalar’ at Apollon
theatre , although the prohibition about Muslim women on
stage.Afife was 18 years old.She didn’t give up.In 1923,the women
got the rights and they could act on stage.She died in 1941 when
she was 39.

11. She was the first woman director and and actress. Cahide
Sonku was born on 27th December, 1919 in Yemen. She was the
first woman actress in Turkey. She set up her film company in
1950. She acted in many films and also directed some films.

12. SABİHA RIFAT GÜRAYMAN
The first woman construction engineer and volleyballer called as
«The Flying Fingers»
One day,Fenerbahçe Men Volleyball Team is lack of a player and they need one. And the
president of the club who knows her talent includes her to the team since there is no rule
preventing this situation.So,Sabiha becomes the first sportswoman who plays for a men’s
team in Turkey. She was also the captain of this team,which was the champion in 1929.She
was exercising three times more than men to be strong like them, but she succeeded it. She
was such a great and talented volleybller that she was given the nick name “Flying
Finger”.But that is not all of her. She worked for a long time as the first woman engineer of
Turkey and she had been the head engineer in the construction of Anıtkabir,the Mouselum
of Great leader Atatürk for ten years.
Sabiha Rıfat (1910-2003), is a Pioneer
women who succeeds the first in
Turkey. She was the first girl who
attended İstanbul Tecnical University
accepting female students for the
first time in . She was also accepted
to Fenerbahçe Women’s Volleyball
Team in 1928 by the help of her
talent. But the story that makes her
Pioneer is more intersting.

13. She was born on 28th June, 1945 in Istanbul. She is a Turkish
actress , script writer and director.She is known as ‘Sultan’ in
Turkish film industry.She began acting in 1960s and got her first
best actress award in 1964 with ‘Acı Hayat’ film in Antalya Golden
Orange Film Festival.She has appeared in 222 films so far.

14. Aunt Adile has acted more than 80 films in her 57-year life. In
‘Hababam Sınıfı’ she was ‘Mother Hafize’ with the school bell in
her hand running on the corridors, and also she was Aunt Adile
in ‘Before Sleeping’ programme for children that they enjoyed
her fairy tales very much. She was the smiling face of all country.

15. She was a young actress when she acted in ‘Susuz Yaz’ by
Metin Erksan. With this film Turkish film industry took the first
important success in Berlin Film Festival. After that she has
acted in a lot of Yeşilçam ( Center of Turkish Film Industry)
films and she is famous for with her ‘innocense’ face. She is
one of the most beloved actress in our country.

16. Bahriye Üçok was a professor at Ankara University Faculty of Theology.
She read the Koran from beginning to the end when she was 6 years
old.She has got important researches for Turkish policy . She interpreted
Koran in a realistic , modern and tolerant way.During her career she was
often threatened because of her modern and secular attitude towards Islam.
Unfortunately, she was murdered by the radical groups.

17. Türkan Saylan (December 13, 1935
– May 18, 2009) was a Turkish
medical doctor in dermatology ,
academician , writer , teacher and
social activist. She was famous
for fighting leprosy , and for
founding a charitable foundation
called "Association for the
Support of Contemporary Living"
(Çağdaş Yaşamı Destekleme
Derneği, ÇYDD). She always
supported the students, especially
the girls who cannot afford for
education and supplied them
scholarship and jobs.
TÜRKAN SAYLAN

18. Sezen Aksu (born in 1954) is a Turkish pop
music singer, songwriter and producer who
has sold over 40 million albums worldwide.
Her nickname includes the "Queen of
Turkish Pop''.But, She is known as ‘’Minik
Serçe’’ (Petite Sparrow) because of her
physical appearance and lovely character.
Aksu's influence on Turkish pop and
world music has continued since her debut
in 1975, and has been reinforced by her
patronage of and collaboration with many
other musicians, including Sertab Erener,
Şebnem Ferah, Aşkın Nur Yengi, Hande
Yener, and Levent Yüksel.[4] Her work with
Tarkan resulted in continental hits like
"Şımarık" and "Şıkıdım" and her
collaboration with Goran Bregovic widened
her international audience.

19. KERİMAN HALİS
‘’Was always a Quenn’’
Keriman Halis Ece,(February 16,
1913 – January 28, 2012) was
a Turkish beauty pageant
titleholder, pianist , and fashion
model who won the Miss
Turkey 1932 title. She was also
crowned Miss Universe 1932 in
Belgium and thus became
Turkey's first Miss Universe and
showed the beauty and
modernism of Turkish women to
the World.

20.  Suna Kan (born October 21, 1936 in Adana,
Turkey)is a Turkish violinist. She started playing
the violin at the age of five and gave her first
public concerts when she was only nine years
old, performing Mozart's A major and Viotti's A
minor violin concertos with the Presidential
Symphony Orchestra.

In 1949 she was sent to France on scholarship, under a special law
passed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly. She studied
with Gabriel Bouillon at the Paris Conservatory and graduated in
1952, winning the first prize.
Suna Kan's extensive concert tours have so far covered most parts of
the world, including England, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland,
Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Russia, China,
Japan, South American countries, Canada and the United States. She
has performed with many international orchestras such as
the London Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Bamberg
Symphony, etc.
In 1971, she received the title "State Artist" from the Turkish
government.

21.  İdil Biret (born 21 November 1941 in Ankara, Turkey) is a Turkish
concert pianist, renowned for her interpretations of the Romantic
repertoire.
 When she was seven, the Turkish parliament enacted a special law
which enabled her to study abroad, studying at the Paris
Conservatory in France under the tutelage of Nadia Boulanger.
 She has been a jury member at several piano competitions: Van
Cliburn (USA), Queen Elisabeth (Belgium), Montreal (Canada),
Liszt (Weimar, Germany) and Busoni (Italy).
Biret has been a State Artist since 1971, an honorary title issued
to artists by the government of Turkey for their contributions into
the Turkish culture.
Biret also received the following awards: the Lili Boulanger
Memorial Prize in Boston (U.S.), the Harriet Cohen/Dinu
Lipatti Gold Medal in London (UK) the Polish Prize for Artistic
Merits, the National Knight Merit Order of France, the Adelaide
Ristori Prize, Italy.

22.  Samiye Cahid Morkaya (1899-1972)
Turkey's first female car racer and
champion.
 In 1932, she completed the car race as
the winner , which took place on the
10-km course, The day after the race all
the newspapers have allocated their
first pages to her.
A woman who won a
tough race by swallowing
dust at male drivers.

23.  Nesrin olgun was born in 1957 in Adana.
 She is a swimmer and a P.E teacher.
 She started swimming at the age of seven.
 August 28, 1979 she swam through the English
Channel in 15 hours 47 minutes.
 She is the first female Turkish swimmer to pass
through the Channel.

24.  Sertab Erener (was born 4
December 1964) is
a Turkish pop music singer
and also a cross-
over soprano .
 She is one of the most
successful female Turkish
pop singers and is
considered one of the
divas of Turkish pop music.
 .
• In 1995, she sang a
Turkish pop version of
Colors of the Wind for
the Turkish dub of
Pocahontas.
• A year later, she became
the official speaking and
singing voice of
Esmeralda in the Turkish
dub of The Hunchback of
Notre Dame.
In Europe, she is best known for winning
the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with
her hit song "Every Way That I Can",
although she has had many other
achievements outside TurkeyThe song
went on to top charts in countries all
over Europe,
including Sweden and Greece

25.  (10 October 1928 – 10 May 2008) was
a Turkish operatic soprano.
 Leyla Gencer was born in Polonezköy (near Istanbul)
to a Turkish father and a Polish mother. Her father
died when she was very young..
 Throughout her career, Gencer was particularly well
known for her Donizetti, including Belisario
, Poliuto, Anna Bolena, Lucrezia Borgia, Maria
Stuarda and Caterina Cornaro.
 Her most acclaimed and best-known performance,
though, was the Roberto Devereux she sang in Naples
in 1964.
 She appeared in many rarely performed operas,
including Smareglia's La Falena, Rossini's Elisabetta,
regina d'Inghilterra, Spontini's Agnese di
Hohenstaufen, Pacini's Saffo and Gluck's Alceste.

26. Güler Sabancı (born 1955) is
a third-generation female
member of the Sabancı
family , and currently the
chairperson of the family-
controlled Sabancı Holding,
the second-biggest
industrial and financial
conglomerate of Turkey. As
of 2014 , she is listed as the
60th most powerful woman
in the world by Forbes.
GÜLER SABANCI

27. SUNA KIRAÇ
Suna Kıraç (born Suna Koç on June
3, 1941) is a Turkish bussiness woman
and a billionaire.
Suna Koç was born to Vehbi Koç (1901-
1996), the wealthiest businessman of
Turkey, and his wife Sadberk (1908–
1973) on June 3, 1941. She is the vice
president of the Koç Holding. She
married to İnan Kıraç, then a high-
level executive of the Koç Holding. As
they were unable to have a baby, they
adopted a four-month old baby girl
named İpek in their 15th marriage
year. She was caring of the
education of young brains. So, she
founded TEGV ( Education Volunteers
Charity of Turkey) with her friends and
supported children and teenagers lack
of education opportunities.

28. ARZUHAN DOĞAN YALÇINDAĞ
Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ, (born
1965) is a Turkish businesswoman
and chairwoman of the Doğan
Holding industrial conglomerate.
She is the daughter of the
Turkish media proprietor Aydın
Doğan, who was chairmain of
Dogan Holding before she took
over 1 January 2010.Between 2007
and 2010, she served as the first
female chairperson of the Turkish
Industrialists' and Businessmen's
Association (TÜSİAD) , the top
association of business people
in Turkey.

29. REMZİYE HİSAR
The only Turkish Student of Madame Curie
Remziye Hisar (1902-1992) was
a Turkish academician and
chemist. As the first Turkish
woman with a degree
from Sorbonne University, she
occupied academic positions
at various Turkish universities
during her career and
published numerous articles,
mostly
on metaphosphates and
Turkish herbs. She is
considered to be one of the of
Turkey.

30. PROF. ENGİN ARIK
«in the search of Higgs Boson»
Engin Arık (October 4, 1948 – November 30, 2007 ) was a renowned Turkish
particle physicist.She was a professor and head of the Experimental High
Energy Physics group at the Boğaziçi University. She was a member of
the ATLAS and CAST collaborations at CERN in Switzerland.She died in a plane
crash with a group of Scientists in a plane crash, unfortunately.

31. Inspiration for millions of women.Duygu Asena was as same as Afife
Jale after 1980s.She wrote her famous book ‘Kadının Adı Yok’( Woman
Got no Name) and with this book she became the point of terrible
attacks and she was known as ‘the enemy of men ‘. But she never gave
up . She gave courage and inspiration to millions of women with her
ideas. She was a woman working ,writing and thinking for future
generations.

32. LALE ORTA
OUR FIRST WOMAN FOOTBALL REFEREE
Lale Orta (born in 1960,İstanbul) was the goalkeeper and the captain of
Dostluk Spor,the first woman football club of Turkey.After stop playing
football, she became the first woman football trainer by getting her
licence.But,that is not all.Because she became popular and known by
everyone as the first football referee of the country.She ruled in every grade
of the proffessional league as a European FIFA referee.

33. Neslihan (born in 1983,Eskişehir) is one of the most successful (maybe the
first ) volleyball player of Turkey,recently.She is at the top of her career as a
sportswoman and the captain of the National team that is called the Sultans
of The Net all over the country. She is inspiring the young volleyballers who
will bring the Olimpic Championship Madals to Turkey in the future.
NESLİHAN DEMİR
The captain of ‘’Sultans Of The Net’’

34. ŞAHİKA ERCÜMEN
Underwater Diving Record Holder National Athlete
Before learning to swim, Şahika ( born in 1985, Çanakkale) learned to dive, and
she recovered from her asthma thanks to her passion for sea. Şahika, born in 1985
was just 16 when she was selected for the national team in 2001. She has lots of
diving records in Turkey. Beisdes,she got her first World Diving Record in 2011
under a glacial lake in Australia. On October 22, 2016, Şahika Ercümen broke the 110
meter world diving record in the "variable weighted palette" branch in Antalya for
the first time.

35. Işıl Alben(born in 1986,İstanbul) the
beloved captain of Galatasaray and
Turkish National Basketball Team sets
a great example for all sportswomen
and young generation with her
combative, ambitious and ethical
character. She has proved that several
times since 2007 in her club.
She wore the National uniform 116 times and
was the captain of the team that became the
runner up 2011 FIBA Women European
Championship in Poland and came the 3rd
place 2013 FIBA Women European
Championship in France.At the end,she
crowned her great success with the
Euroleague Championship with her club
Galatasaray in 2016.

36. She started playing basketball in 1992 in İstanbul University Basketball Team and got
her first championship at the World High School Basketball Championship as a part of
Bogaziçi High School in 1997 and she transferred to Galatasaray SK.Then she played in
big famous teams in Israel,Italy,Greece and WNBA in the USA .Then she started to play
for Fenerbahçe SK in Turkey in 2005 and got 7 League Championship Cup, 4 Turkish
Baketball Federation Cup and 4 Turkey Presidency Cup.She ended her great career full
of success in 2016 and is working to grow up young woman basketballers now.
Nevriye Yılmaz (born in
1980, Plovdiv Bulgaria)
immigrated to Turkey by
getting fe up with the
pressure of the Bulgarian
government against Turks
and settled in Bursa city
with her family and then to
İstanbul.
NEVRİYE YILMAZ – The big captain

37. İPEK SOYLU
National tennis player
İpek Soylu (born in 1996,
Adana) is the woman who
makes Turkish people,
especially women love tennis.
She is the first sportswoman
who becomes the winner
with her Swiss partner Jil
Belen Teichmann in twin girls
category of 2014 USA Open
Grand Slam Tennis
Tournament and opened a
new page of the tennis
history of Turkey who doesn’t
have a brilliant registry. She is
just 21 now and a long and
succesfull career waits for
her. Because her motto is
“never give up”.