International Symposium on Touching Life with Ahi-Order

On the occasion of the United Nations’ declaration of 2021 as the year of Ahi-Order, the International Symposium on Touching Life with Ahi-Order, organized in partnership with the Islamic Economy and Economic Systems Application and Research Center and the Leadership and Entrepreneurship Application and Research Center, was held at our university, both physically and online.

The first day of the symposium, which lasted for two days, took place both physically and online. Following the opening ceremony, the keynote speeches and the special opening panel entitled “Business World and the Ahi-Order Understanding”, 16 papers were presented in four separate sessions in the first day of the symposium, and 19 papers were presented online in four separate sessions in the second day of the symposium.

In this way, a total of 35 papers were presented at the International Symposium on Touching Life with Ahi-Order, which was held with the participation of participants from both Turkey and abroad.

Istanbul Ticaret University Rector Prof. Dr. Yücel Oğurlu made a speech at the opening ceremony. Prof. Dr. Oğurlu has stated that Ahi-Order is an important value in Turkish-Islamic culture and underlined that it played an important role in the establishment of economic and social order.

Stating that the Ahi-order has led the way in many issues in the society, Prof. Dr. Oğurlu has said:

“The role of the Ahi community was also important in the migration of the Turks to Anatolia and the transition from a nomadic life to a settled life, as the Ahis provided production support to the society and pioneered the formation of art, architecture, security and education system. As the most important pillar of production, Ahis supported settled life by providing employment. In the first fütüvvetnames (rules and regulations of Turkish-İslamic guild), the aim of the Akhism was expressed as to ensure the happiness of humans in this world and in the hereafter and ‘to give order to the world’. Indeed, the Ahis have worked in this direction both in peacetime and in wartime. The Ahi community gave direction to the education system, as well. Ahi pioneers raised good people by giving values education to the members of the Ahi-Order in the evenings with the motto of ‘Whoever is a good person is a good Muslim, and whoever is a good Muslim is a good person’, and raised good craftsman by giving vocational training during the daytime.”

After the opening ceremony, a panel entitled “Business World and the Ahi-Order” was held. In the panel, which was moderated by Prof. Dr. Rahmi Deniz Özbay, Istanbul University Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kala, Istanbul Provincial Trade Branch Manager Mr. Hakan Özkan and Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) President Dr. İsrafil Kuralay made presentations. Following the panel, the symposium sessions were held. The opening ceremony of the symposium, the panel, and all the sessions can be viewed on our university’s Youtube account.