Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Attending the protocol ceremony between TOBB and the Karaman Governorship were TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, TOBB Board Vice President Faik Yavuz, TOBB Board Member Harun Karacan, Karaman Governor Süleyman Kahraman, TBMM Plan and Budget Commission President Lütfi Elvan, Karaman TBMM Representative Mevlüt Akgün, Karaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mustafa Toktay and Karaman Commodity Exchange President Ekrem Baştuğ.

- The Science High School will be built to commemorate the 60th anniversary

Reminding that the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey is being celebrated this year, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “This Science High School complex will be built to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey. The 60th anniversary is important for both us and the Turkish business world.”

Stating that the private sector has contributed greatly to Turkey becoming the industrial giant of its region in these 60 years, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Today, the Turkish private sector has made Turkey the strongest industrial giant between Italy and China.

TOBB, founded 60 years ago in an apartment, has come to be the most powerful chambers system in the world, providing its members with the best service available.

In the previous month, Hans Heinrich Driftmann, the President of the Union of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry – purported to be the strongest chambers system in the world, visited our country along with his delegation. We held several meetings with them. We told them about TOBB’s capacity, the projects it has undertaken and the services it provides its members.

We accomplished all this together with our chambers and commodity exchanges located in 81 provinces and 165 counties. This is because our community moves in unison of mind, heart and power. This is all the result of unity and solidarity. As someone familiar with all chamber and exchange system found throughout the world, I can honestly say that there exists no other chamber-exchange system anywhere else in the world which contributes as greatly as ours does.”

- Thanking the presidents

Thanking the presidents of the Karaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Karaman Commodity Exchange, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “They dedicate their time which they could be using for themselves, without pay, to solve the problems of their members. Even today on the way here, they related a problem of their members to us, we will hopefully be able to contact the proper channels for its solution.”

- “The greatest monument is the one made for education”

Stating that, as the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges Board, they have decided to symbolize this unity and solidarity with a monument, Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that the greatest monument is the one made for education. Stating that the greatest investment made is the one made to people, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Every investment has a risk factor. You could lose on any investment. But the investment made in people, the investment made in education always profits everyone. The society, city and the country profits.” Stating that this is why they have contributed to the construction of schools in 16 provinces, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the Science High School to be built in Karaman would educate brilliant youth for the country.

- “Karaman deserves this”

“Karaman deserves this and more. You can tell the success of a city by looking at immigration to or from it. If a city is the destination of immigration, this means that the city’s dynamics provide employment both to its inhabitants as well those in its environs,” stated TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu and said that Karaman is a very dynamic city in this regard.

Hisarcıklıoğlu went on, “It is a city with a very powerful private sector, commerce and agriculture. I would like to thank the opinion leaders of the city’s private sector, Council President of the Karaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mustafa Toktay and the President of the Board of Directors of the Karaman Commerce Exchange Ekrem Baştuğ.

I actually know the intelligence and success of the residents of Karaman firsthand. We usually signed these kinds of protocols when we travelled to provinces. When it looked like it would take some time for us to get there the presidents said, ‘Let’s come to you instead and sign the protocol so we can start the construction as soon as possible.’ This is the intelligence of the residents of Karaman, it is the love of their city.”

- Governor Kahraman and Commission President Elvan thank TOBB

Karaman Governor Süleyman Kahraman stated that the Science High School to be built by TOBB in Karaman would be a great gain for both Karaman and Turkey and thanked TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu.

TBMM Plan and Budget Commission President Lütfi Elvan also stated that the new school would contribute greatly to the education infrastructure and emphasized the importance of TOBB’s contribution to education in this regard.
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