Today in History - 25 February

Today in History – 25 February

Gülsün (Toker) Bilgehan is born

Mevhibe and İsmet İnönü’s granddaughter Gülsün Bilgehan was born in Ankara as the first child of Özden and Metin Toker. Gülsün Bilgehan spent her childhood at the Pink Pavilion. After having completed her primary and secondary education at Turkey’s capital, she graduated from the Department of International Relations at the Paris Institute of Political Science. Bilgehan penned article series in for various newspapers; she served as faculty member of Bilkent University, Vice-Chair of İnönü Foundation, Deputy of Ankara in the 22nd and 24th terms of the Assembly, and member of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and member of the Turkish delegation of the Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU).

She wrote her first book Mevhibe in 1994 and, the same year, was selected “Female Writer of the Year” by United Women’s Organizations of İstanbul. A recipient of the “Abdi İpekçi Award”, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe “Distinguished Service Award,” and “Légion d’Honneur” of France, Gülsün Bilgehan’s books include Mevhibe, Mevhibe-2: The First Lady of Çankaya, and Fairy Tales from the Pink Pavilion.