Turkcell's 'Snowdrops' Project Receives United Nations Recognition

ISTANBUL, March 1, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Turkcell (NYSE: TKC, ISE: TCELL), the leading communications and technology company in Turkey, announces that 'Snowdrops', its education project for Turkish girls, is to feature prominently at the United Nations Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action sessions which are taking place in New York on 1 March 2010.

'Snowdrops' ('Kardelenler' in Turkish) is the girls' education project set up 10 years ago by Turkcell and is being recognised as part of the United Nations Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action program which runs from 1 -12 March 2010 in New York.

Snowdrops is a social responsibility project that has provided scholarships for about 20,000 female students in Turkey. Some 8,666 students have graduated from high school due to Snowdrops and of those 2,707 students have entered universities, producing 755 graduates to date.

During the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women session, a special panel will discuss "Snowdrops: Turkey's Success Story." The panel includes the UN Assistant Secretary-General, Rachel N. Mayanja, Turkey's Minister of State Responsible for Women and Families, Selma Aliye Kavaf, Turkey's United Nations Permanent Representative, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, Turkcell Deputy CEO, Koray Ozturkler, and a 'Kardelen' who is currently studying at one of the leading universities in Turkey.

Commenting, Turkcell's Deputy CEO, Koray Ozturkler, said: "Being featured at the UN is a great honor for Turkcell. For the past 10 years our Snowdrops project has been driven by our desire to create equal opportunities in education for girls in Turkey. Under the umbrella of the UN, we hope that Snowdrops will inspire the world. Our wish is that Snowdrops will be the start of many more successful, similar programs in Turkey and all over the world."

Since 2000, Snowdrops has won 4 international awards and 12 local awards and has become one of Turkey's most high profile social projects. The National Geographic Channel photographer, Tino Soriano, has showcased Snowdrops at the publication's photo exhibitions in New York and Turkey. This work was also featured as a documentary on the National Geographic television channel.

The United Nations Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was created 15 years ago at the Fourth World Conference on Women (held in Beijing in September 1995). Its objective is to foster gender equality and it has already made considerable progress throughout the world in increasing the role of women economically, socially, culturally and politically.

ABOUT TURKCELL

Turkcell is the leading communications and technology company in Turkey with 36.0 million postpaid and prepaid customers as of September 30, 2009 operating in a three player market with a market share of approximately 56% as of September 30, 2009 (Source: operators' announcements). Turkcell is the technology leader in this market, providing EDGE technology across the country. Turkcell also provides high quality data and voice services to 72% of the population (as at 2009 year end) through the implementation of its 3G technology. Turkcell provides roaming with 628 operators in 206 countries (as of September 18, 2009). Serving a large subscriber base in Turkey with its high-quality wireless telephone network, Turkcell reported $1.6 billion net revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 as per its IFRS financial statements. Turkcell has interests in international mobile operations in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Northern Cyprus and Ukraine which, together with its Turkish operations, had approximately 61.9 million subscribers as of September 30, 2009. Turkcell has been listed on the NYSE and the ISE since July 2000 and is the only NYSE-listed company in Turkey. 51.00% of Turkcell's share capital is held by Turkcell Holding, 0.05% by Cukurova Group, 13.07% by Sonera Holding, 2.32% by M.V. Group and 0.08% by others while the remaining 33.48% is free float.

    For further information please contact Turkcell

    Nihat Narin, Investor and International Media Relations
    Tel: +90-212-313-1244
    Email: [email protected]

    Sahver Binici, Investor and International Media Relations
    Tel: +90-212-313-2239
    Email: [email protected]
    [email protected]

    http://www.turkcell.com.tr

SOURCE Turkcell