Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Serap Kocaoğlu, President of TOBB Antalya Women Entrepreneurs Council, Western Mediterranean Regional Representative and Vice President of TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Council, Funda Güleç Yaman, President of TOBB Afyonkarahisar Women Entrepreneurs Council, Sevim Zorlu, President of TOBB Burdur Women Entrepreneurs Council, Dilek Özdemir, President of TOBB Isparta Women Entrepreneurs Council and members of the executive committee of the regional provinces participated in the program.

Before the meeting, the participants received information about the Phrygia Region and then visited Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Hüsnü Serteser, ATSO Assembly President Mustafa Ali Çelikten, ATB Assembly President Ali Rıza Gürakar and ATSO Vice President Hayrettin Güzbey.

In the opening speech of the regional meeting, TOBB Afyonkarahisar KGK President Funda Güleç Yaman expressed her satisfaction that the first physical meeting was held in their province. She shared about the activities and entrepreneurship studies carried out as a Council.

Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Hüsnü Serteser welcomed the participants and congratulated the women entrepreneurs' Councils for their work. Serteser said that the Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk said “There is a way we will walk more confidently and more accurately: To make the great Turkish woman a partner in our work,” and said that as long as women are present in every aspect of our lives, our social success will increase day by day. Stating that as the Chamber, they strive to support all the activities of women entrepreneurs at the highest level, Serteser said that women are in senior positions in the global economy as in all areas of life, while the leadership of women in the economy and finance sector is increasing, while the increase in the number of women managers in international finance companies draws attention.

TOBB Council Member Ali Çandır said, “I would like to start my speech by conveying the greetings and greetings of our Union President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu. As the umbrella organization of the business world, we have always argued that women's increased participation in business life will strengthen Türkiye.

The TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Council, which carries out its activities within the Chambers and Commodity Exchanges under the coordination of our Union, is the largest network of entrepreneurial women in our country and even in our region with nearly 7,000 members. Council members consist of businesswomen, professional managers and academicians who are leaders in their fields. The main task of our Women Entrepreneur Councils is to increase the number of women entrepreneurs in the provinces. I would like to say in advance that we will stand by every work done for this purpose as Chambers/Commodity Exchanges and TOBB.

We are working to implement valuable projects such as Our Business is Clean and Women's Hand in Industry in 81 provinces of Türkiye. The real power of our entrepreneur Councils comes from the local level. Our Women Entrepreneur Councils in the provinces work like a project factory. We are responsible for 4 provinces in our region, Afyonkarahisar, Antalya, Burdur and Isparta. Therefore, we should act together and benefit from each other's wisdom and experience. If necessary, we should organize regional meetings more frequently with wider participation and seek common solutions to common problems. We should contact the universities in our provinces to establish ‘Women Entrepreneur Clubs’ and prepare our university students, who are the repository of entrepreneurship, for entrepreneurship.

When women are strong, society and the country are strong.  Therefore, we attach importance to women taking a more active role in social and business life. Where there is a woman, there is civilization, and in the economy where her hand touches, there is abundance. I believe that together we will carry our country and our economy to the best places. I would like to express my pleasure to be here with you today. On this occasion, I wish that good and beneficial decisions will be taken for women entrepreneurs at the Western Mediterranean Regional Meeting of the TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Council, which works with the vision of qualified women entrepreneurs, increasing quality of life, happy and strong society, and I present my respects.”

After the protocol speeches, ATSO Secretary General Ali Şenol made a presentation about the activities of the Chamber and the economy of Afyonkarahisar.

Serap Kocaoğlu, Vice President of the TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Council, shared information about the projects followed on behalf of the Council and locally as responsible project leaders.

The program ended after the question and answer session with the participants.