Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The celebration which took place at the Akhi Evran Social Complex was attended by the PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Constitutional Court Chairman Haşim Kılıç, Council of State Chairman Zerrin Güngör, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız, Customs and Commerce Minister Hayati Yazıcı, National Education Minister Nabi Avcı, Culture and Tourism Minister Ömer Çelik, TBMM Group Deputy Chairman Sadık Yakut, TBMM Administrator Salim Uslu, AK Vice Presidents Süleyman Soylu and Salih Kapusuz, Court of Accounts Chairman Recai Akyel, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Efkan Ala and Kırşehir Governor Özdemir Çakacak.

Speaking at the ceremony, TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “How joyous that Kırşehir is the cradle where beautiful ethics meets commerce. How joyous that among your ancestors are Akhi Evran, Yunus Emre, Hajji Bektaş-I Veli, Ahmed Gülşehri, Caca Bey and Aşık Paşa. How joyous that you enjoyed such treasures as Şemsi Yastıman, Muharrem Ertaş, Çekic Ali and of course, the great Neşet Ertaş.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the Akhism culture holds a special place for TOBB, that “the Chamber and Exchange community we are so proud of today is the contemporary incarnation of the 900 year old akhism and lodge tradition.

We are proud of our tradition, because beautiful ethics, sincerity and honesty are embodied within it. Business without sincerity brings no lasting prosperity.

We must explain our values better first to ourselves, then to the world. That is why I would like to thank everyone who is contributing to this process starting with the Prime Minister and Minister Yazıcı.

The almighty has seen it fit to let us contribute to the preservation and development of this inheritance. As TOBB, we are proud to be one of the institutions with the contribution to the Akhi Evran Social Complex.

It is the goal of us all to produce honestly, share honestly and to live in solidarity.”

- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated who would be receiving their Akhi Tradesmen Certificates as well as those who would be receiving awards for their performances at various competitions in painting, prose and poetry during the week.

Erdoğan said, “I would like to especially congratulate the TOBB President for receiving the Akhism Special Award and Mahir Solak for receiving the Akhi of the Year Award. I would also like to present my gratitude to all of my Akhi brothers for deeming it fit for me to receive the Akhi Honorary Award.”

- Minister Yazıcı

Customs and Commerce Minister Hayati Yazıcı said, “We need Akhism to meld knowledge with wisdom and commerce with ethics. The root cause of all evil in the world today is ethical corruption. As the Prime Minister has stated previously, we must revitalize Akhism.”

Following the speeches TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu received the Akhism Special Award and donned an Akhi sash.

TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, TESK President Bendevi Palandöken and TESKOMB President Kadir Akgül vested the Akhi sash on PM Erdoğan.

Afterwards, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu and PM Erdoğan attended the Golden Baglama Culture and Arts Award Ceremony held in honor of the passing of Neşet Ertaş.