On Thursday, February 3rd, the Inaugural Ceremony for the Young Social Entrepreneur Awards @ Bilgi was held at the Pera Museum in downtown Istanbul.

Launched in 2008, this program is a collaborative partnership between the Sylvan/Laureate Foundation, the International Youth Foundation, and Istanbul Bilgi University.

According to Istem Duygu Akalp (second to left in photo), the Young Social Entrepreneurs Award @ Bilgi program helped her connect with peers and become more aware of resources available to social entrepreneurs in Turkey. Istem Akalp is the co-founder of "I Am the Leader of My Life," Turkey's first youth-led, peer coaching project. The project introduces Turkish youth, ages 15 to 24, to personal growth and leadership, enabling them to define success and happiness for themselves.