Edelman Says If Ataturk Had Lived Today, He Would Have Encouraged Girls To Go To Schools

ANKARA - U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman said on Monday he believed that if Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern and secular Republic of Turkey, had lived today, he would have encouraged girls to go to schools.
An agreement on a 9 million U.S. dollars of grant given by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to Turkey was signed as a support to a project that envisages mitigation of social risk in Turkey.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Edelman said that the grant would be given directly to poor families.
Noting that the agreement, which was signed today, was a result of the friendly relations and close cooperation between Turkey and the United States, Edelman recalled that the American Hospital in southeastern city of Gaziantep had played a significant role in providing medical training in eastern cities of Turkey since the beginning of the 20th century.
Referring to words of Ataturk about education and especially education of girls, Edelman added he believed that if Ataturk had lived today, he would have encouraged girls to go to schools.