Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Attending the signature ceremony were TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Şahin, Gaziantep Representatives to the National Assembly Nejat Koçer, Ali Şahin, Derya Bakbak, Halil Mazıcıoğlu, Mehmet Sarı, Mehmet Erdoğan, Şamil Tayyar, Hüseyin Çelik, Mehmet Şeker, Ali Serindağ and Edip Semih Yalçın, TOBB Board Vice President Faik Yavuz, TOBB Board Member Mehmet Ali Kuseyri, Gaziantep Governor Erdal Ata, Gaziantep Chamber of Industry President Adil S. Konukoğlu, Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce President Mehmet Aslan, Gaziantep Trade Exchange President Ömer Çelik, Islahiye Chamber of Commerce President Kemal Vural and Nizip Chamber of Commerce President Mehmet Özyurt.

During his speech at the ceremony, Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that Gaziantep is deserving of all investments. Stating that the city is one of the most important in the country, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “With its Organized Industry Zones, industrial areas, small industry sites and its free zone, Gaziantep is one of the leading, exemplary Anatolian tigers. We know the secret to its success. When representatives, industrialists, businessmen and the NGOs work together a brand city emerges. Today, the Minister,

Representatives, Chamber and Exchange Presidents are here with us. They’ve come together for the city. With this kind of unity and solidarity, nobody can stand in the way of the city’s prosperity.”

- Designing the future

Thanking everyone who has been working on behalf of Gaziantep, National Assembly Representatives, presidents and the prominent residents of the city, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The most effective way of designing the future is investing in education. If we want to be a part of the 10s club, we must produce more efficiently. At this moment a person working in Germany produces 85,000 USD worth of added value per year; 105,000 USD’s worth in the USA while here the number is only 35,000 USD. Do the workers there have four arms? No! Why, then, do they produce more added value than we do? It is because they have very highly educated human resources.

If we plan on increasing efficiency to three times its current level than we must invest strongly in education. Turkey needs to shift gears in education in order to switch to high technology production. Samsung has more R&D personnel than there exists in the whole of Turkey at the moment. We need to be increasing the number of youth who are producing inventions in order to change this situation.

We are greatly pleased with the increase in the National Education Ministry’s budget and resources put aside for R&D in recent years. Without a surge in human resources, it would be unreasonable to expect returns in the long run from R&D investments. The mindset for higher quality production, a mindset necessary to be one of the top 10 economies in the world, will only be possible through more educated human capital. We know that we have an advantage in this regard. Our greatest capital is our young population. Acting with this in mind we have put forth our efforts at every level of education starting from elementary schools! We have invested 70 million TL in the construction of schools in 22 provinces. With our latest endeavors, we will be starting the construction of schools in 8 more provinces.”

- We aren’t just focused on profit

Stating that as businessmen, they are not solely focused on their own profit, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that they are looking to profit both the country and themselves. “We cannot be businessmen who only think of their own future! We must at the same time consider the future of our own country. Our work ethics are like those of no others. Our love for our country comes first! We were not alone in this work. The estimable Governor who has contributed greatly to finding the land for the construction. I would also like to thank the Gaziantep Chamber and Exchange Presidents for spearheading this benevolent project. I hope your investments bring prosperity to Gaziantep.”

- Family and Social Policies Minister Şahin

The Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Şahin said, “We will continue to serve this country, to be its servants with everything in our power.”

Stating that talent, knowledge and innovation has become prominent, Şahin said that the most important reality of our time is the necessity of education for freedom and liberty.

Touching on the importance of education in reaching Turkey’s future goals, Minister Şahin said that they are working to provide equality of opportunity and to remove obstacles to education.

- Governor Ata

Gaziantep Governor Erdal Ata stated the importance of the science high school for the city. Stating that it is impossible to solve other problems before solving the problems in education, Ata said that Gaziantep is the region’s model brand city in regards to industry, commerce and tourism.
Stating that 104 school constructions are underway in the city, Ata said, “Gaziantep will enter its golden age in terms of education with these investments in 2013.”
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