Economic cooperation to exploit Istanbul's 8,500 years of potential

4 Aralık 2014

Economic cooperation to exploit Istanbul’s 8,500 years of potential

On the occasion of the UNCTAD 50th Anniversary, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) signed a cooperation protocol with Istanbul Commerce University in Geneva last June, to support the creative and cultural industries, through policy oriented- research, workshops to raise the profile and exchange of experiences in the sector and, to facilitate the development of the creative industries network in Istanbul.

UNCTAD and Istanbul Commerce University assembled on Istanbul Commerce University Eminonu campus in Istanbul for the cooperation protocol on Creative Economy, Cultural Industries, Creative Cities signed in Geneva last June.

Deputy Secretary General for UNCTAD Petko Draganov, Culture Industries and Creative Cities program specialist for UNCTAD Carolina Quintana, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Istanbul Commerce University and President of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Ibrahim Caglar, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees Hasan Erkesim, member of the Board of Trustees Fatih Recep Saracoglu, member of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Ilhan Soylu, Rector of Istanbul Commerce University Nazim Ekren, President of the Board of Directors for YEKON Yigit Sardan, Director of Office of Information Technology for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Hakki Tok and Osman Altay from Istanbul Development Agency, academics and students attended the ceremony.

In his opening speech of the ceremony, Rector of Istanbul Commerce University Prof. Nazim Ekren emphasized that the cooperation protocol signed with UNCTAD by the International Creative Economy, Cultural Industries and Creative Cities Center of our university is the first in its field in Turkiye.

In his speech on behalf of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Deputy Secretary General for UNCTAD Petko Draganov said “I am grateful for the success International Creative Economy, Cultural Industries and Creative Cities Center has achieved since it was established. Thanks to the cooperation protocol between UNCTAD and Istanbul Commerce University, we have taken an important step in this wonderful city for the activities in order to support creative and cultural industries. As a world city, Istanbul should be the center of innovation to develop finance, logistics, culture, tourism and creative economy benefiting from its regional and international location."

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Istanbul Commerce University and President of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Ibrahim Caglar uttered "There are very few cities which have a powerful civilization like Istanbul with its 8,500 years of history. According to Greek mythology, it is the 'City of lovers'; according to Napoleon, “If the whole world was a state, Istanbul would be the capital of it.”. I am happy to live in a city the prophet of our religion Islam praises and to be the President of the Board of Directors of its Chamber of Commerce.”

After the speeches, the cooperation protocol between UNCTAD and Istanbul Commerce University was signed. All joint activities in collaboration with UNCTAD and Istanbul Commerce University with the participation of relevant stakeholders will be carried out via the website: http://test.eregulations.org/creative/.