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Turkey is worth travelling
History, cultural diversity, beautiful beaches and to crown it all, little rain and much sun.
It is believed that Turkey is this. However, this country on two continents has more to offer!
Ancient ruins in the mountain
Nemrut in Southeastern Anatolia.
VERONIKA HARTMANN
A country surrounded by
sea on three sides offers
all types of water sports.
I
Archaic early civilizations, advanced cultures of Mesopotamia, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines,
Seljuks, Ottomans... All left traces and contributed to the mosaic created by Turkey today.
t is a very common idea that Turkey is not a secret clue. All inclusive hotels in and around Antalya
where reservations can be made
with affordable prices especially during the off-season are actually adored
by Europian tourists, but these did not
contribute positively for the image of
Turkey as a holiday country. The number of people thinking that the country offers only sun, sand and sea is increasing. The area on which modern
Turkey is build today hosted many cultures during thousands of years.
Archaic early civilizations, advanced
cultures of Mesopotamia, Greeks, Romans, Persians, first Christians, Byzantines, Seljuks, Ottomans... All left
traces and contributed to the mosaic
created by Turkey today. If one thinks
that this shows itself only in architecture and archeology, he is completely wrong. Interesting mix of the East
with the West and interaction of different cultures shows itself in art, music, kitchen and daily life.
This diversity is a surprise for those
who are travelling to Turkey for the
first time. Most tourists think that
they shall experience an absolute
East, but they encounter a multilateral modern country. We see the names
and places we know from the school
books and which are integral parts of
Europe. For example, Trojan Horse or
the mathematician Thales from Miletos are from here just like St. Paul and
the Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ
and the Virgin Mary lived her last
years in a place close to İzmir. Those
who are not interested in culture but
are interested in sports also find what
they want in Turkey.
Antalya Belek is an internationally
recognized golf center. A country surrounded by sea on three sides offers
all types of water sports. Sailing, surfing, diving or only swimming: Turkish coasts are full of surprises and offer unexpected facilities. Hidden bays
are inviting to fishing, sunken cities
are waiting to be discovered by the divers. Even winter tourism is developing in the recent times.
Palandöken mountain on the southeast of the country offers reliable snow
and the best powder snow in many
months of the year. It is easy to access
Uludağ which is close to Bursa. It snows
in cold season on Taurus mountains
extending along the coasts of Mediterranean up to Syria. Where else can
you enjoy skiing by watching the sea?
There are no limits in Turkey for the
sports and adventure tourists. Climbing, trekking or mountain biking - the
country offers endless facilities with
its multilateral land features. There are
almost new offers each day in Turkey
with respect to themed travels.
The diversity is a surprise
for those who are travelling
to Turkey for the first time.
Most tourists think that
they shall experience an
absolute East, but they
encounter a multilateral
modern country.
Health, religion, sports or even cooking courses, in addition to culture, history, sun, sand and sea, attract thousands of people. Many of them are
surprised when they see what they
get is beyond their expectations. In
their first trips, they are very surprised
when they see how Turkey presents itself differently and modernly.
Since a decade, economy is continuously growing and welfare is developing. Almost half of the population is
below the age of 24 and this shows itself in the colorful and lively life in the
city. Streets are lively, music is heard
and there is always something happening in the countless street coffee
houses and bars. Live music can be
heard any place in the city center. 
The Virgin Mary's house in Ephesus attracts many tourists from all over the world.
AS SAINTS MOVE AWAY
FROM PRESSURE
Anatolia has been a peaceful and secure house for dozens
of beliefs for thousands of years. Anatolia was the most
secure destination for the believers running away from the
pressure of Romans during the first years of Christianity.
C
hristianity emerged within the
borders of Roman Empire against oppression and paganism
to bring peace for humanity. It constituted a threat against paganism, then
the official religion of Roman Empire;
so it spread secretly and was severely
punished when disclosed. Christinaity
faced significant calamities and many
were martyred until the 4th Century,
when Christianity became the official religion of Roman Empire. The most
important actors of this long and tortuous journey were the saints. During
the first years of Christianity when
it spread secretly, Christians running
away from the oppression of the Romans came to Anatolia and built underground cities where they hid to live.
SYMBOLIC NARRATION AND ITS
DEVELOPMENT
These first churches, used for secretly satisfying the requirement of Christianity, also constitute early examples of Christian architecture. Nevşehir,
Niğde, Akaray and Kayseri within Cappadocia region are the most important of these cities; underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı house
dozens of secret churces. On the other hand, these churches also house
the first magnificent examples of Christian paintings. Nevertheless, due to
the pressure they faced, they used a
really symbolic language: Dove, peacock, fish, lamb, good shepherd, garden with flowers and ship motifs are
among the ones mostly used. The figure of good shephers refers to Jesus
Christ. The most famous of the saints
in Cappadocia is Saint Georgios. One of
the better known stories of Saint Georgios is the kidnapping of the daughter of the King and defeating the dragon which held the waters of the city.
FROM CILICIA TO MYRA
Moreover, many places in Mediterranean, Aegean, Black Sea and Marmara housed Christian missionaries
and saints. Cilicia is a very significant
location within this scope. One of the
persons contributed most to the systematic expansion of Christianity is
St. Paulus, a Tarsus-born Jew. Lukas, writer of the Third Bible, was also
from Antakya in Cilicia region. Saint
Thekla, the first woman martyr, was
born in Konya and died near Seleukeia in Cilicia at the age of 90. St. Nikolaos, whom the kids looking forward to
at the time of each Christmas is also
from Anatolia. He was born in Patara in
Antalya and worked to spread the belief in Palestine and Egypt before being assigned as Archbishop of Myra.
His Church in today’s Demre is a center of attraction for the tourists.
The cities inhabited mostly by the
Christians in Aegean are Ephesus,
Pergamon and Smyrna. For instance,
John the Baptist, the follower of Christ
most loved by Him, settled in Ephesus
to recite Bible. Saint Yuhanna wrote the last part of the Holy Book called Revelation during his time in Ephesus. This section contained the orders
of God against the seven churches in
Anatolia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon,
Sardis, Thyatira, Philadelphia (Alaşehir),
Laodicea (Denizli). 
GENUINE HOSPITALITY
Turks tend to honor their guests in every possible manner. It is not only about serving people;
it is about creating memorable experiences for people visiting Turkey for any purpose.
BENTA VALEN
T
he word “hospitality” is derived from the Latin “hospes” meaning host, guest, or stranger.
“Hospes” ia formed from “hostis”, which
means stranger or enemy. Therefore; “hospitality” and “hostile” comes from the same origins.
Is there such a thing as being good or bad about hospitality? Absolutely, when it is fake or just done for
the sake of a big tip, it might be really annoying.
Turkish people are exclusively gifted about being a
good host. Turkey is such a country full of people naturally born with this kind of a talent. Genuine hospitality is offered not only in service businesses and it
just appears to be a part of their daily life in all kinds
of interactions with a guest or even with a passing by
tourist. Building friendships and helping is not something that you come across rarely. The generous attitude, embracing friendship and paying attention to
details is what makes Turks win hearts.
Hospitality is one of the most impressive traits of
Turks’ characteristics. The roots of Turks originally
are nomadic. They have lived in the tents and moved
to warmer lands when the winter arrived for centuries. The difficult conditions of that kind of a tribal life has definitely created some the fundamental
features of Turkish culture:
2 > 3 GLOBAL CONNECTION DECEMBER 2014
Turkish people are gifted about being a good host.
> Strong family bonds
> Hospitality towards others, for neighbors, friends
or even to strangers.
This might seem a little weird or difficult to comprehend for people from a western culture. If you ever
happen to pay enough attention to Turks’ attitude towards guests, you are going to grasp the fact that it is
almost a hundred percent genuine hospitality in most
cases. The particular experience of traveling to Turkey
and getting to know Turks starts way before you step
into this country and continues long after you departed. Because most of the travelers use online sources
to get an idea about what to expect from a particular
destination and they also like to share what they have
seen using various online tools.
Turks give the best seats to their guests on the dinner table. They serve guests first and what they do
very frequently is insisting to their guests to eat bigger portions or eat more of everything. This is actually not about the food or easing their hunger, this
is merely a way of saying “We care about you a lot!”
When they serve Turkish coffee, they use their best
porcelain coffee cups which are kept in a cupboard
only to serve special guests. The presentation is always in an elegant way; mostly with Turkish delight.
I must tell you that my favorite is double roasted ones!
Although Turks might be a little bit inquisitive about
foreign cultures, they genuinely show interest in their
guests’ lives, families or their ideas. Do not be surprised if you are offered a small present right before
you leave, it is such a nice thing to do to make someone’s experience memorable for a long long time.
Turks know how to cherish the opportunity of meeting new people, they do not even slightly hesitate
showing how much proud they feel about their success in hospitality. 
ECUMENIC COUNCILS AND ANATOLIA
Councils were the meetings where the leaders and prominent figures within the
church came together to discuss religious doctrines and rules. A council can only
be accepted as ecumenic if participated by all the bishops. During the first
thousand years after Christ, a total of 8 councils were held universally and all of
these were held in today’s Turkey. The first council met in İznik [Nicea]; and the
word “ecumenic” was first used for the council which came together in 325.
Based on the decisions taken at these councils, the foundational principles of
Christianity were established. Participants who favoured or rejected such
decisions established their own churches.
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Burhan Özkan
Publishing Director
Mehmet Aktop
General Coordinator
Onur Tayşu
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I N T E R N AT I O N A L M E D I A
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Nilgün Yılmaz
Selçuk Oktay
Contributors
Chris Feiland
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Benta Valen
Şenay Aydemir
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Murat Ulusoy
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Coordinator
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Sales and Marketing
Coordinator
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Data Management
Specialists
Kurtuluş Öztürk, Anıl Gül
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Assistant to the
Representative in Russia
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CROSSING THE BRIDGE
Turkey is a natural bridge between the east and the west, hosting
the most beautiful bridges of history as well.
R
ivers are the oldest and most natural borders. At wars, armies burn the
bridges while leaving one place. On
bridges, people question their identity, where they are coming from and where they
are going to, which side they are at; bridges are not
only the place where people pass through, but also
where they stop and think, and sometimes where
they propose marriage. Turkey is a natural bridge
between the east and the west, due to its geographic location; throughout the history, all cultural, commercial, religious and technological flow
between these two civilizations passed through
these territories. Rivers watering the Anatolian
land have been overcome by bridges despite withstanding against this everlasting flow.
According to official data, there are 1420 historical bridges in Turkey; which is enough to prove
the dynamism of Anatolia. Oldest of these is the
bridge in Boğazköy from Hittite era, from 13th century B.C.. Other bridges are from Hittite, Urartu, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman eras, each of them
have fulfilled the vital function at their time: Carrying the roads, people, cultures, languages, religions, and even the new plant and animal species.
ROMAN EMPIRE LOVES ROADS
Roman Empire was growing geographically unlike ancient Greek civilization, and attached considerable importance to the roads and bridges to
transfer their armies to the farthest places. Many
of them are located in Anatolian territory. One of
the oldest bridges of Antalya, the heaven of tourists, is the Lymra Bridge from Roman era. This is
one of the oldest segment arched bridges in the
world; This 360 m long stone bridge was built on
the Alakır Creek in Limyra which was a Lycian city.
The rate of flatness of the bridge could only be reachieved during the Late Medieval Age.
THE POTION OF IMMORTALITY WAS LOST HERE
Misis Bridge built on Ceyhan River in Adana, which
has one of the most productive lands of Turkey, is another bridge from the Roman Era. It had been built by
Emperor Flavius the 2nd in the 4th century; but restored at the time of Byzantine Emperor Justinianus
in the mid 6th century. This bridge with nine compartments is known as the first Roman bridge of Anatolia. There is a legend about that bridge, saying that
the legendary doctor "Luqman" had found the potion
of eternity, but his recipe dropped from his hands on
the water while passing through this bridge.
Another bridge of Adana is Taşbridge built on
River Seyhan. It is another Roman work, and is still
being used. The bridge was originally built as 21
compartments, but currently serves with 14 compartments as 7 compartments were buried under
the ground during rehabilitation of River Seyhan. The
birdge is 310 metre long and is 11.40 metre wide.
INCREASED CULTURAL INTERACTION IN
ANATOLIA
From the Roman era, we come to the era of Seljukians, the ancestors of Ottomans, and see the great
bridges at that time, which is the period of richest
culture and transition in Anatolia. Akköprü, which is
located in today’s capital Ankara, is from that period.
Anatolia Seljukian Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad the
1st has had the bridge built in 1222 at the intersection of three creeks. Bridge was made of basaltic face
stone, and standing on seven sharp arches.
In Eastern Anatolia, Malabadi Bridge on the Batman-Silvan road is another masterpiece from the
same era. Built by Artuqids in 1147, the bridge is seven
metres wide, 150 metres long, and 19 metres high. It is
unique in being one with broadest arches in the world
among stone made bridges. On both sides of the arches, there are two rooms inside for use by caravans and
travellers. It is being said that such rooms were previously connected to the bottom of the road through
corridors, and the footsteps of arriving caravans were
being heard from far away, through such corridors.
OTTOMAN LEGACY
On River Ergene in Edirne, the only bridge connecting Anatolia to Balkans, which is also the longest
stone bridge of the world, Uzunköprü is an Ottoman
work built between years 1426 and 1443 by Sul-
tan Murat the 2nd. 1,392 metres long and, 6,80 metres wide bridge has 174 compartments. Elephant,
lion, and bird figures on the stone footings are noteworthy. The bridge was built to pass through River
Ergene which was a natural obstruction against Ottomans’ conquests in Balkans. It is still in use. Another bridge worth seeing, from the Ottoman era is the
Irgandı Bridge in Bursa. What makes this bridge special is that there is a bazaar established on it, where
artisans perform traditional handicrafts. The bridge
was built in 1442, and has a special place among other examples of bridges with bazaars in the world.
MODERNITY: THE GOLDEN HORN AND
BOSPORUS BRIDGES
When we come to the contemporary times,
bridges in Turkey are the means and the symbol of
both physical and cultural transition. For example
for Istanbul, we can easily say that the best icons
symbolizing its multicultural and multi-identity
pattern are the Bosporus bridges.
Not only connecting two very distinct continents, both geographically and culturally, namely Asia and Europe, Bosporus bridges are the vital
points of the city today. The Bosporus (Boğaziçi)
Bridge was built during years 1970-73, between
Ortaköy and Beylerbeyi. The 1380 metres long
bridge’s elegance is very impressive. During the
Eurasian marathons being run in spring and autumn each year on this Bridge, you can walk by
watching the magnificent view of the Bosporus.
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge is located between
Kavacık and Rumelihisarı, built during years 198588. They are almost twin sisters with the first one.
Third one is currently under construction between
two sides of the Bosporus close to the Black Sea,
and will have a more modern appearance.
Galata Bridge on the Golden Horn has great sentimental value for the people of Istanbul. Every day,
tourists take pictures with the hundreds of people
who are fishing on this bridge. This bridge is a route
of cultural transition as it connects Istanbul’s rather traditional Ancient Peninsula with the rather
westerner Pera, i.e. Beyoğlu region. 
Uzunköprü is an Ottoman work built
between years 1426 and 1443 by
Sultan Murat the 2nd. 1,392 metres
long and, 6,80 metres wide bridge
has 174 compartments.
CRADLE OF CIVILIZATIONS
Hundreds of civilizations have passed through Anatolian territory throughout the history. Each had a different language, religion, culture.
However, some of them influenced today’s world more than others in terms of politics and culture. Here are some of them.
Hittites
Ancient Greece
Roman Empire
Byzantine Empire
Seljukians
Ottomans
23 B.C. - 12 B.C.
756 B.C. - 146 B.C.
27 B.C. - 395 A.D.
395 A.D. - 1453 A.D.
1040 A.D. - 1308 A.D.
1299 A.D. - 1922 A.D.
They signed Qadesh
Agreement with Egyptians,
the first ever known
written agreement in
history. Hattusa, their
capital in central Anatolia,
today in Çorum, is one of
the richest archaeological
areas in the world. Hittite
language is the oldest
Indian-European language
discovered so far, which
was deciphered by Friedrich
Hrozny in 1915. Hittites’
central government
structure, legal and belief
systems influenced many
of the latter civilizations,
even current ones.
Ancient Hattusa ruins and
Yazılıkaya Open Air Shrine
are worth seeing.
This civilization, laying the
foundations of city-state
democracy, was spread
throughout today’s Greek
and Turkish territory. Names
such as Aristophanes,
Euripides, Sophocles,
Aristotle, Plato, Socrates
and Herodotus who are
still influential, were raised
during that civilization. They
introduced first ever theatre
in human history. Their
mythology influenced the
whole world and inspired
people for thousands of
years. Their civilization was
eminent in arts, politics, and
trade. Large cities of this
civilization such as Sparta,
Miletus, Troy, Ephesus were
in Anatolian territory.
Romans built an empire
on the Hellenistic cultural
inheritance shaped by
Alexander the Great.
Anatolia was one of the
most vibrant territories
under Roman Empire
sovereignty. Roman cities
such as Aspendos, Tarsus,
Anavarza were important
centers of the empire.
Romans left many works
of art in Anatolia which
survived until today; Roman
baths, bridges, theatres,
roads and shrines…
Emperor Caesar’s famous
words “Veni vidi vici” were said after a bloody
war with Basforos king II.
Pharneke in today’s Zile in Tokat province.
Eastern Roman Empire,
also known as Byzantine,
which was the outcome
of splitting of Roman
Empire into two, introduced
humanity with Istanbul
which is a worldwide large
metropolis today. It was
one of the powerful states
throughout the Medieval
Age, and the center of
Orthodox Christianity.
Hagia Sophia, the dream of Emperor Justinian, was
the largest building of the
world for about a thousand
year. This state ceased
upon conquest of Istanbul
by the Ottoman Sultan
Mehmet the Conqueror,
which date was the
beginning of the New Era.
Biggest role in spreading
Islam throughout Anatolia
was assumed by Seljukians.
They synthesized Central
Asian culture with ancient
heritage of Anatolia,
resulting in a special
civilization. Rumi, who
shed the light of peace on
the world with his Sufism
philosophy, and Hassan
Sabbah the founder of
Hashashee, a famous
underground organization,
were the figures of this era. Konya and İznik are the most significant
Seljukian cities in Anatolia;
however many of the Grand Mosques spread all
around the territory are the works of Seljukians.
They reigned on a very
extensive territory in
Mediterranean basin for
600 years with a single
dynasty; Ottomans
were one of the last
two empires attaining
the 20th Century. 36
sultans reigned over the
Empire. Within the borders
of the empire, many
communities, beliefs and
cultures lived together in
harmony. Suleiman the
first, also known as the
Magnificent, was one of
the most powerful rulers
seen in history. Hezarfen
Ahmet Çelebi, the first
man ever who had flown
with man-made wings,
was an Ottoman man.
On the track of
Turkish modern
architecture
Turkish modern architecture
rooted Ottoman Empire,
attracts great attention and
Turkish architects are
frequently talked about due to
the awards they receive.
TUBA YÜKSEL
T
urkish architecture which was
affected by Ottoman architecture in the beginning, reached
its current modern level after various movements it was influenced
by. The public buildings constructed
by especially German, Austrian and
Swiss architects in 1930s and 1940s
are noteworthy In Turkish architecture which was affected by different
opinions and political life. For example, Ankara Opera Stage, Ankara Language History and Geography Faculty, TBMM (Grand National Assembly
of Turkey) are a few of these. Turkish
architects sometimes were the representatives of a school and sometimes
drew attention with their works they
designed in different styles. Architectural applications in Turkey were also
influenced by the modern and postmodern movements abroad. One of
the most important movements that
Turkish architecture passed through
was the First National Architectural Movement in 1930s. The reason for
emphasizing this is that many buildings which are symbols today were
constructed at that period. If you
came to Turkey, you must have seen
the works of the Architect Kemalettin, Vedat Tek, Giulio Mongeri, who
were the representatives of this period. Turkish Republic State Railways
Building in Ankara, Grand Post Office
in İstanbul Sirkeci, Haydarpaşa Ferry
Port, Ankara State Art and Sculpture
Museum are some of these. One of the
most important samples of the qualified architecture of 1950s is Hilton
Hotel in İstanbul which was designed
by an American architecture company Skidmore, Owings and Merill but of
which the local consultant was the architect Sedad Hakkı Eldem. It is also
possible that you might have stayed
in this hotel which is one of the most
important works of Turkish architecture. This hotel is considered to be one
of the samples of the international architectural styles in Turkey.
The development of the industry
sector had an influence on architecture after 1980s. Facilitation of the construction of prefabricated buildings,
additionally, spread of tunnel formwork
systems affected the architecture in
Turkey. These developments paved
the way for the construction of smart
buildings and skyscrapers in Turkey.
The development of the industry sector had
an influence on Turkish architecture.
The new modern architecture offices opened in the recent period signed
many important and awarded projects both in Turkey and abroad. One
of these is Tabanlıoğlu Architecture.
Tabanlıoğlu, which is considered to be
among the leading offices of architecture in Turkey in the recent period, attracts attention with the international
awards won. Galleria, the first shopping
center of Turkey is also among the projects of the company which was founded by Hayati Tabanlıoğlu, the architect
of AKM (Atatürk Cultural Center) one
of the symbolic buildings of İstanbul in
the cultural area. İstanbul Modern Museum is also among the projects of the
office which are carried out by MuratMelkan Tabanlıoğlu today.
The awards won by Emre Arolat Architects (EAA), which won Aga Khan
award, one of the most prestigious architecture awards, are not limited by
this. The architect Emre Arolat summarizes their concept as “as EAA, we
adopt a concept which, instead of perceiving architecture and environment
through the obligation of constructing well designed buildings, prefers an
opinion which uses it for producing a
view related to man, city and nature,
and for developing an idea for setting
up a space. EAA Projects has modern
projects in Turkey such as Zorlu Center,
7800 Çeşme Residence and Hotel. The
success of Turkish architects and their
offices abroad should not go unnoticed.
The new modern
architecture offices
opened in the recent
period signed many
important and awarded
projects both in Turkey and abroad.
Emre Arolat had a broad repercussion in this area by realizing “Entrepet
Royal” in Brussels. For example, the
new Heydar Aliyev International Airport terminal opened in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan worked with İstanbul
based design studio Autoban Architecture Office in the interior spaces.
Again, Anadyr Cultural Center at Chukotka Autonomous Region in Russia, for which the project was prepared
by Erginoğlu & Çalışlar Architecture is
among the important projects realized
by Turkish companies. The restoration
of the old historical buildings, storages
and bringing them back into use is very
popular in the recent years in Turkey.
Lately, it gained importance in İstanbul
to utilize the historical texture and
make them livable. Architecture companies make this and use such restored
buildings as their offices. 
MODERN GATE TO
THE EAST: TURKISH
LITERATURE
Nuri Bilge Ceylan was made
Turkey live the pride of winning
the Golden Palm for the second
time in 2014, by his film ‘Kış
Uykusu (Winter Sleep)’.
Turkish literature, telling the stories of territories
connecting the East to the West, has Nobel
awarded authors, whose works are being read by
thousands of people all around the world.
A 100 year old teen
Turkish cinema is celebrating its 100th year.
Although November 14th, 1914, the date on which
the documentary film “Destruction of Russian
Monument in Ayastefanos” of Fuat Uzkınay was
first shown, is considered to be the beginning for
the cinema in Turkey; it is required that there is
actually a deeper connection.
ŞENAY AYDEMİR
Famous novelist Orhan Pamuk won the Nobel Literature Award in 2006.
T
urkish literature started to get
‘modern’ much later than its
contemporaries in the West.
Although the tradition of oral literature is widespread in Anatolian geography, it took some time to combine
this tradition with written literature. On
the other hand, written literature tradition has started to form under the influence of Arabic and Persian cultures
after Turks have become Muslims. For example, during the
Ottoman Empire era, ‘divan (Ottoman) poetry’ has introduced
great masters, with significant
works, primarily love and irony poetry. Likewise, some of
the important Ottoman sultans
such as the Sultan Suleiman were
among the noteworthy men of letters.
As a modern form of literature, novel has been introduced to Turkish literature quite late, during the modernization
movements starting in 19th Century.
During the Imperial Edict of Reorganization and the subsequent 1st Constitutional period, modernization efforts
yielded introduction of modern literature to Turkish territory by a generation educated in European cities. First
ever Turkish novel is the one written by
Şemseddin Sami in 1872. This late start
has not precluded Turkish literature
from closing the gap. Along with declaration of the Republic in 1923, men
of letters took the advantage of this
streamline started to undersign significant works one after another.
Novelists such as Reşat Nuri Güntekin,
Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoğlu, Halide
Edip Adıvar and Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar
were among the masters who reflected
the enthusiasm of republican era and
the breakups in the community caused
by this major shift. Nazım Hikmet Ran
who came after this generation has settled a new language, particularly with
harsh criticism to traditional pattern
in poetry, his effort was widely recognized internationally. Nazım Hikmet’s
works have been translated into tens of
Elif Şafak’s works are being
read all around the world;
especiaaly in Europe.
foreign languages; and great masters of
literature such as Yaşar Kemal, Orhan
Kemal, and Aziz Nesin have come from
the doors he has opened, and took their
reputable place in world literature.
The award of Orhan Pamuk by Nobel
Literature Award in 2006 can be called
as the crown of these efforts. Likewise, the fact that Elif Şafak’s works
are being read all around the world is
among the important achievements
of Turkish literature. Turkish literature
has told the stories of these lands connecting the East to the West, beginning from its infancy. By novelists who
told the modern versions of Eastern
stories on one side, and the authors
who describe the social developments
in Turkey and the individuals within
such developments on the other side,
it offers an opulent oeuvre to readers.
For example two major masters of
two eras, Yaşar Kemal and Orhan Pamuk, have been fed by the same vein,
although in very different ways. In ‘İnce
Memed’, Kemal has told the contentious
identity of Eastern people against unfairness; while in ‘Benim Adım Kırmızı’
of Pamuk, we find the clues of the aesthetics of daily life in Ottoman time.
Turkish literature is also a modern
gate introducing the readers to the
mystery and mind of the East. 
In the novel ‘İnce
Memed’, Yaşar Kemal
has told the contentious
identity of people
against unfairness.
4 > 5 GLOBAL CONNECTION DECEMBER 2014
I
n 1896, just after a short time from
the first run of Lumiere Brothers
on December 29th, 1895, cinema already reached İstanbul. By
the beginning of the century, the films
shot by Manaki Brothers in Macedonia,
which was within the borders of Ottoman Empire then, were known. Public shows were started in İstanbul in
1910s. Following the declaration of the
Republic on October 29th, 1923, mainly literary texts or theatrical productions were transferred onto the motion
picture screen and the aesthetic features of the films inevitably resembled
theatre in the period which was led almost only by Muhsin Ertuğrul.
The names such as Ömer Lütfi Akad,
Atıf Yılmaz, Memduh Ün brought in a
brand new language and aesthetics
into Turkish cinematography. “Susuz
Yaz (Dry Summer)” made by Metin
Erksan in 1962 which was awarded
‘Golden Bear’ in Berlin in 1964, was
the first important international success of Turkey.
TOWARDS THE GOLDEN PALM
On the other hand, ‘Yeşilçam Cinema’ which was named after the street
where the production companies
were located, was on the rise specifically with the melodramatic movies
starting from the beginning of 1960s.
Thanks to this development which
attracted ten millions of people each
year to movie halls during this period which continued until the end of
1970s, the movie halls were introduced to the back of the beyond parts
of the country. There was a significant breaking point for Turkish cin-
ema by the beginning of 70s. ‘Umut
(Hope)’ dated 1970, of Yılmaz Güney,
who was and actor and scriptwriter, announced the birth of a legend as
well as influencing many directors to
follow him. ‘Yol (Road)’, a film edited by
Yılmaz Güney, who was a phenomenon both by his life and films, shared
the Golden Palm in Cannes in 1982
with Costa Gavras’s ‘The Missing’.
80's was a period in which the
cinema regressed rapidly and films
were produced more for the video
market when people who were confined in their houses as a result of
the coup were directed to television.
When it is 90s, Turkish cinema industry almost came to a stop.
However, promising developments
were seen by the mid 90s. First, the
success achieved by Yavuz Turgul’s
‘Eşkiya (The Bandit)’ enabled the
Turkish moviegoers make up with
Turkish productions after many long
National cinema was on the rise specifically with the melodramatic movies.
years. The second development is the
start of filmmaking by a new generation of ‘independent’ directors. This
generation, while creating a brand
new cinema language, drew attention
to Turkish cinema especially by Nuri
Bilge Ceylan and Semih Kaplanoğlu in
many international areas. Nuri Bilge
Ceylan took his place many times in
Cannes Film Festival including his
short film ‘Koza (The Cocoon)’ and
after being awarded in many categories, he was made Turkey live the
pride of winning the Golden Palm for
the second time in 2014, by his film
‘Kış Uykusu (Winter Sleep)’. On the
other hand, Semih Kaplanoğlu was
awarded the Golden Bear in Berlin in
2010 by his film ‘Bal (Honey)’.
GENERATION OF YOUNG DIRECTORS
In 2004 a significant increase was
recorded in the number of movies following the law providing for the support of the cinema works by the Ministry of Culture, at various levels from
the stage of scriptwriting until the
production. A new period had started from the second half of 2000s, in
which both the filmgoers and Turkish cinema were integrated and a new
generation of directors started to win
awards from many international festivals. While the directors now in ‘masters’ category made films, a generation of young directors emerged,
who solved their financial problems
to some extent with the support of the
ministry. This new generation of directors started to make films emphasizing the important problems of Turkey.
These films attracted considerable attention in international festivals such
as Berlin, Venice, Toronto, Montreal and
returned home with many awards. 
Istanbul - Mysterious metropolitan
İstanbul is a popular destination for a short trip. However, this metropolitan
city offers more than you can discover
just in a weekend. It shall be worth
going not only to the places where you
can see the celebrities but also having a
tour towards the secrets of the city.
CHRIS FEILAND
T
he tune of the different names of the metropolis on the Bosporus fascinates people since
time immemorial. Of course, unbelievable art
treasures can be seen here; palaces, churches and
mosques can be visited, oriental bazaars can also be
toured and it can spellbind with its attractiveness in
the evenings like in a thousand and one nights. However, it can be felt that the city offers more than the
visible wealth. Secrets are everywhere waiting to be
discovered and the visitors and the local people start
off to discover the mystical corners and places.
If a city extends over two continents and has accommodated many different cultures and nations,
then something may be discovered at any place. For
example Kuzguncuk. Nobody would believe that this
nostalgic quarter on the Bosporus with its spectacular
wooden houses is just at the heart of the metropolitan
city, that it is only a few kilometers to Üsküdar, which
is the traffic jam point on the Asian side. Not only the
architecture on the winding roads of Kuzguncuk are
discovered, boutique coffee houses with international styles available there also attract attention. Drinking a glass of Turkish tea while watching the bridge
on the Bosporus and the coast on the other side, Ortaköy Mosque and Dolmabahçe Palace is one of the
If a city extends over two continents and has accommodated many cultures, something may be discovered at any place.
most interesting things. But Kuzguncuk also offers
something which is unexampled in the world. A symbol of unique friendship between the cultures and religions. A mosque, a synagogue and a church, all side
by side. Since people from different religions always
lived side by side, next door to each other in İstanbul,
there are also many spiritual places far away from typical touristic routes waiting to be discovered. For example in Büyükada, the largest of the Prince Islands, there
is Aya Yorgi Monastery, like a throne on top of a hill. After a troublesome climb, you are awarded by a spectacular view and you can have a meal and a glass of
wine. The monastery is a place of pilgrimage for Christians, but also many Muslims go there to make wishes.
A life in peace can be observed here, too. At the center of Beyoğlu district, where the heart of the day and
light life beats, there is a real oasis of peace. At the end
of, İstiklal Street, the lively shopping street, just above
Galata Tower, there is an old "dervişhane" with a relaxing garden. There is a modern museum here, from
where you can get information about whirling dervishes. Regular rituals performed there can be watched and
while the Muslim dervishes whirl in trance, you shall be
fascinated with the mystical sound of nay.
However, who really looks for a hidden clue for
İstanbul, should let himself flow with the city and let
the city lead the way. Those who leave the beaten
touristic routes and take the side roads or passages
with courage are awarded in İstanbul. Then, completely different worlds are discovered there. Maybe an inner court with a well is discovered; or a servant opens
a door to the roof of an old caravanserai with a breathtaking view of the city. Maybe you’ll discover a market
where pigeons or old books are sold. In İstanbul each
district has its own atmosphere and large and small
secrets waiting to be reveled. 
100 YEARS OF HONOUR AND RESPECT BORN
OUT OF THE WAR: GALLIPOLI
The peace and fellowship established between Turkey and Australia and New Zealand following the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915 grow stronger in time.
The commemorative ceremony to be held in Gallipoli on the 100th Anniversary of the Great War attract unprecedented attention.
MELİH USLU
E
very year, thousands of
guests from Australia, New
Zealand, France and England come to Gallipoli to
commemorate their ancestors who
lost their lives in Gallipoli Campaign
in 1915. But this year, the atmosphere
in Turkey and in Australia and New
Zealand is different from the previous years. ANZAC, who continue their
preparations of the commemoration
with the slogan “100 thousand people
on 100 boats on the 100th Anniversary” spend much effort to make the
commemorations to be held on 24-25
April 2015 unforgettable. The press
in each country also shows deep interest in the events. Australia has officially requested the enhancement
of the commemoration area in ANZAC Cove in Gallipoli Peninsula Natural Park from Turkey. Nevertheless,
the participators in the commemorations are to be decided by means of a
draw due to high demand.
Australia has officially requested the enhancement of the commemoration area in ANZAC
Cove in Gallipoli Peninsula Natural Park from Turkey.
NICOLE KIDMAN EXPECTED
Australia has stated that they are
very happy for the friendship and
hospitality of Turkish people at times
of commemorations held so far and
therefore named 2015 as “Year of Turkey in Australia”. Australians and New
Zealanders desire to take part in the
Day of Honour and Respect in 2015
with many events. Teams from many
countries are expected to take part in
rowing competitions planned to be organized in Çanakkale Strait. Many celebrities including Nicole Kidman, Mel
Gibson and Kylie Minogue were invited to the commemorations. In fact,
rehearsals for the 100th Anniversary have already commenced. The officials have been carrying out feasibility studies in Gallipoli, as known.
AN ANZAC IN GALLIPOLI
Let’s try to understand what Gallipoli means for ANZAC, after this brief
introduction. It was about ten years ago.
I was walking around the historical battlefields with a friend of mine who is a
photographer. There I met Kerry Brain.
A history teacher from Melbourne, Ms.
Brain was sitting beside a small grave.
I offered him help, as I thought he was
sick. And then I learned that Ms. Brain
has just found the grave of her grandfather, for which she was looking for a
long time. I retreated to allow her to stay
in silence with her grandfather at this
moment full of emotions.
HOW TO VISIT GALLIPOLI
The most practical way of visiting
the park is to consult a travel agency
for guidance. Those who will rent a car
may start their visit on Akbaş quarter located on the coastal road to Eceabat. Following the Bigalı village, where
Atatürk’s museum house is located, the
area between Conkbayırı and Arıburnu,
where the most fierce battles of the war
were fought can be seen. The route continues through Anzac Cove, Kabatepe
and Açıtepe and ends at the giant the
Monument of Victory at Hisarlık Burnu.
DID YOU KNOW?
Anzac is an abbreviation for “Australian, New Zealand Army Corps”. 
TWO RITUALS ON ONE PENINSULA
> Staying at ANZAC cove till morning
> Crying at lone pine
25 April, when the Gallipoli Campagin started, is considered a national feast in Australia and New Zealand. Tens of
thousands of Anzac come to Gallipoli on this day, regarded
in many countries as the beginning of the process of
becoming a nation. The visitors in Anzac Cove spend the
night here in 24 April. At 4:30, the hour on which the soldiers
were ordered to disembark, they all stay here. This ritual is
broadcast live on the TVs in Australia and New Zealand.
Anzac Cove, Kabatepe and Kanlısırt locations, where Anzac
suffered the maximum number of casualties, are almost
regarded as holy places by the Australians and the New
Zealanders. First of all, it is believed that the relatives of the
soldiers coming to Kanlısırt burst into tears. Lone Pine
Monument here bears the name of more than 5 thousand
Anzac soldiers. The pine tree, which was brought from
Australia, symbolizing the solitude of the Anzac soldiers here.
Re-launching of the era
brands. It is becoming more and more
important within the sectors of design and fashion, with brands producing their own technology. It is highly
competitive with the trust in Turkish
brands increasing day by day.
The Republic of
Turkey was one of the
most significant and
successful projects on
the past century. The
New Turkey will, on the
other hand, leave its
mark on this century.
The new brand of New
Turkey was designed
so as to underline the
development, achieved
through much suffering
and determination.
T
Turkey is
becoming
more and more
important
within the
sectors of
design and
fashion.
ASPECTS RENDERING TURKEY
AS A POWERFUL BRAND
> An understanding of excellent production quality
> Excellent design
> Products worth their price
> Creative and unique point of view
> Excellent service quality
> Considerable technological
improvement
he Republic of Turkey was
born out of an empire and
the remnants of the First
World War; in addition to the
incredible success gained in the independence war, a great transformation
was achieved within a very short period. The New Republic introduced reforms in education and law combined
with considerable progress with regard to industrialization. Turkey, and
in fact the world, has changed to a
great extent since those years.
A second world war broke out and
two atomic bombs were dropped; unprecedented developments occurred
in space and technology, globalization
ceased to be an ideal and has become
a reality itself. Turkey experienced
many development in this era, too.
During the process of foregin expansion especially after 1990’s, there was
a considerable development, which
is not hard to observe. Nevertheless,
as the political stability and environment of trust were finally achieved in
2002, the momentum of development
increased to a great extent during the
period following 2002.
Turkey is world’s 16th biggest economy, the center of quality in production
and established in an area which was
house to many a civilization; it enjoys
priceless natural sources, a rich cui-
QUALITY IS ESTABLISHED
NOW IT’S TIME TO BRING IT TO LIGHT
The new infrastructure has reached
a satisfactory quality; now it’s time to
work upon the perception of quality
from the point of view of the consumer. The activities and communication
works carried out by the promotion
groups within the scope of Turkish Ex-
The brand of Turkey will be a
brand of trust adding surplus
value to all the labels it has
been affixed. From fig to
television, from leather jacket
to olive oil, from bicycle to
ceramics, every product will
reflect the same quality and
brand strength.
An average growth of 4% and the
increased income per capita enabled
Turkey to have a secure place among
the developing markets.
Turkey enjoys natural sources, a rich
cuisine and folklore, tens of living
languages and a fabulous geography.
sine and folklore, tens of living languages and a fabulous geography enjoying the beauties of four seasons.
An average growth of 4% and the controlled inflation, the increased income
per capita and purchase power enabled Turkey to have a secure place
among the developing markets. Tur-
key, therefore, has become an attractive destination for the foreign investment. Turkey is world’s 6th biggest
touristic destination and has experienced significant developments in
urbanization; İstanbul has become a
world popular and attrative city. Turkey has become an active player in
world politics with its increased political and diplomatic impact, opening its doors as a peaceful and charitable country to those in need running
away from the oppression in surrounding countries. It also has many
companies active in many countries
around the world with their very own
porters Assembly have a considerable role with regard to the perception
of “the quality of Turkish brands”. The
brand of new Turkey has been founded with the aim of coordinating these
activities and to combine such efforts
within the framewrok of a unified language and perception.
The new brand shall gain an added value to all the products and services it has been attached to. The concept and the logo will symbolize many
values including high quality, qualified workforce, specialized production,
technology, high efficiency, design,
post-sale services, product responsibility, solution oriented approach and
many more. It will therefore contribute
to the establishment of the perception
of high quality and value added Turkish brand everywhere it is used.
The new brand will be used in all
the communicative activities of the
brands having satisfied the requirements for representing the perception
of value added Turkish product in the
long run. In other words, all the products, from organic black fig of Bursa to
television, from a leather jacket to olive oil, from bicycle ro ceramics, will
reflect and reproduce the same quality and brand strength. 
INSPIRATIONS OF THE LOGO
You will see the traces of rich roots cherishing today’s Turkey. “Elibelinde” pattern, coming from the historical Mesopotamia and Central Asia, Cufic, which is one of the
best examples of the calligraphy of Islamic civilization and whose best examples were produced by the Seljukians and tiles, the most refined examples of Ottoman Art.
These three elements converge with eight motifs from the common heritage of the Anatolian civilizations and with a contemporary understanding.
ELIBELINDE: FROM ISHTAR TO UŞAK KILIMS
Even those not acquainted with its name
recognize "Elibelinde", one of the most pervasive figures of our lives, at first sight. The
roots of the figure go back to Ishtar, the creator Sumerian goddess. You see a woman in the
figure whose hands are on her hips; two stems
deviating from the top part of a roughly flat triangle resemble arms.
CUFIC: MOTHER OF SCRIPTS
Cufic is a type of writing emerged as a result of flat, cornered and geometrical use of
Arabic letters. Some think that the roots of
Cufic are to be found in Pre-Islamic civilizations. It is known as "ummu'l-hutût" in Islamic civilization, meaning the mother of scripts.
Its name comes from the city Kufa in today's
Iraq and it is the oldest type of Islamic writing.
Latin alphabet could be used for Cufic writing
as well, as seen from the examples during the
first years of the republic.
TILE: ELEGANCE OF THE OTTOMANS
Tile (Chine, China) is the name given to the
coating material whose one side is glazed and
other side is emboridered with motives and to
the goods embroidered with these figures, but
the word comes from Ottoman and means 'of
China'. We see the best and most elegant examples of this art in Anatolia. Seljukians mostly used different shapes, starts, animals and human figures on tiles. Today, the cities of Kütahya
and İznik are the capitals of tile in the world.
Tile-making is a branch of art requiring utmost
patience and experience. In tile making, blue is
mostly preferred and embroidered singly. 
6 > 7 GLOBAL CONNECTION DECEMBER 2014
World
Seljuk Star
Innovation
Synergy
As an ever-active global
player, Turkey never
isolated itself from the rest
of the world, never remained
dull and deaf to the suffering,
pain and concerns of the
world. As Turkey internalized
being an integrated part
of the world, the World needs
Turkey to become a whole.
Throughout the history,
many emblems and
figures were used, the
Seljuk star is one of them.
Having Islamic origins,
Seljuk star represented
“rebirth” and its use
continued during
Ottoman and early
republican era.
The currency were
invented in Anatolia. Today,
this heritage has been turned
into a well guided and
focused dynamism, and
Turkey’s innovative approach
has already made Turkey
the leading country in the
region and still bears Turkey
upwards to the top.
A tree is not only leaves,
branches and roots. It’s the
spirit that lights the fire,
binds the elements together,
gives “meaning” to matter.
Turkey, thanks to this
spirit, is more than a country
and its synergy does not only
bestows success and
determination upon itself.
Togetherness
Growth
Being aware of its very own
foundations were laid with
togetherness, Turkey embraces
and integrates easily and
eagerly. One would never be a
foreigner in Turkey, its tradition
summons all no matter who they
are, as Rumi summoned people
to join as one, centuries ago.
Growth was the main
mechanism behind all of
Anatolia’s civilizations, from
early Hittites to Ottomans.
Today, Turkey seizes the
same dynamism, growing
bigger, combining the long
tradition of growth with
modern instruments.
Both Eastern
And Western
Civilization, like sun, travels
from east to west, and Turkey
is the country benefits most
from the daylight. Having
cultural motives and themes
familiar with both regions,
Turkey is the bilingual child of
its vast and diverse history.
TURQUOISE: THE COLOUR
OF THESE LANDS
Turquoise was slected as the main colour
of the logo. Pantone, International Center
for Colour Science, named 2010 as the
year of this colour. But in Turkish culture,
Turquoise has a history of perhaps a
thousand years. As a matter of fact, its
name comes from the Blue Mosque.
Westerns coming to Turkey saw this
colour on the tiles and called it “turquoise”
mening Turkish Blue. In the past, it is
known in Turkish as “Firuze”, a precious
stone coloured green and blue. This stone
is the sine qua non of architecture in
Khorasan, the center of Turkish Culture.
Harmony
Meeting
Turkey has a diverse and
colorful history, yet this does
not mean it is just a
coincidental mix of random
colors. Each cultural and
historical motive plays its
role in harmony, together
forming up Turkey as a well
composed area.
Turkey served as a meeting
point for ideas, beliefs and
dreams from all over the
world, today, upon the
foundations of this potential,
Turkey is going to be the
meeting hub for businessmen,
artists, sportsmen and
thinkers of the world.
MASTERS OF CHANGE
Turkey decided on its new brand as a result of widely participated and comprehensive works carried out. During the whole process,
meetings were conducted with the most successful names of Turkey; the final design and concept was chosen from dozens of proposals.
Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan,
President of
The Republic of
Turkey
President Mr. Erdoğan
presented the new brand
and slogan of Turkey.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has launched the new
logo of Turkey. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister
of Economy Nihat Zeybekci, Minister of Culture and Tourism
Ömer Çelik and President of Turkish Exporters Assembly
Mehmet Büyükekşi are other principal architects of the logo.
I
t all started two years ago. It was
decided at the beginning of 2012
that a new logo or slogan containing a specific emphasis on
Turkey and to be used in the activities of sectorial promotion groups
should be used and Turkish Exporters Assembly took charge of the process. Because the promotion groups
which have important roles with regard to increase the reputation of Turkey in the world has to have a common language. The common concept
and logo to be created had to act like a
brand undertaking the role of a "Supporting Brand", had to be a brand of
trust adding surplus value to all the
brands affiliated to it and the logo was
to be used as a common signature for
the whole communication activities to
be carried out by promotion groups in
foreign countries.
A NEW BRAND IS RISING
And then the process was initiated. It was decided that the activities to
be carried out for the creation of a logo would not only be a creative work
but a "preception management strategy" including the application processes and campaigns. Nevertheless,
a reliable consultant was required
for this process. Meetings were conducted with the world's leading agencies which carried out similar works
worldwide; in addition to this, it was
agreed that a comprehensive study
on Turkey rendering The Prime Ministry and all the ministries as well as
NGO's and the leading companies of
Turkey as stakeholders.
The new brand of the new Turkey
had to be overarching and had to ve embraced by everyone involved in the creation of such a brand. As a result of the
process, an agreement was signed with
a London-based company, SAFFRON
Brand Consultant; many opinion leaders were asked to present their opinion
during the first phases. The consultants of SAFFRON coming from London
and Spain as well as its Turkey Office
met more than 140 people in advance
to initiate pre-preparation period.
AUTHENTIC MOTIFS,
CONTEMPORARY LOOK
In 2013, two comprehensive workshops were carried out in May and
June. After these discussions which
lasted for a year as well as eliminated ideas and designs, SAFFRON came
up with a main theme reflecting the
Turkish brands.
The emphasis here was on the
ability to change, which was experienced throughout history, but which
gained momentum especially in recent years. The country used to have
a debt worth 46 billion dollars to IMF,
it was now offering a 5 billion dollar
fund to IMF. Some of the local companies turned into international giants
traded in international stock markets. Within this framework, “Masters
of Change” was accepted as a main
theme slogan. At a new meeting held
in December, the slogan “Turkey. DiscoverthePotential” was chosen to be
used in visual alternatives.
SYNTHESIS OF THE CULTURES
This was a slogan which was easily comprehensible by everyone and
which truly represented Turkey and
which could be used in all sectors,
products and services. At the final decision meeting held on 18 December,
the evaluations with regard to the visual identity were shared.
The logo of the new Turkey brand
was combining Turkey’s cultural heritage of thousands of years with its vision on future. None of the elements
used in the logo was chosen without a
reason. The Turkish and Islamic Civilization was a huge source of inspiration for the design. Tile patterns, Cufic writing, which is the present of the
Islamic calligraphy, and the traditional Turkish motif known as “Elibelinde”
were selected as the main elements of
the logo. A visual identity consisting
of gold, turquoise and blu colours was
designed. Turquoise became one of
the important elements of the visual
identity. The spiritual look of the east
was combined with the contemporary
artistic understanding of the west. 
It was a comprehensive study involving all ministries, NGO's and the leading companies.
“Turkey is a brand itself”
Ahmet Davutoğlu, Prime Minister
Nihat Zeybekci, Minister of Economy
Ömer Çelik, Minister of Culture and Tourism
INSPIRATIONS
> Turkish citizens live in a region which is a house to all the
civilizations: As many as 33 civilizations emerged, grew
and died in these lands. But all of them left back a trace.
> The tendency towards commerce resulting from the
historical Silk Road is a great advantage.
> Turkey is like bridge bringing the wealth and
authenticity of the East with the West.
> Turkish citizens lived in a spectacular place of culture
for years, thanks to Ottoman Empire, one of the three
empires that were able to make it to the 20th century.
They have the ability to conduct business in every
culture, be it on the East, West, South or North.
> The Republic of Turkey, the biggest country brand of
all times was founded. Turkey achieved extraordinary
figures in income increase and country growth.
> The exports increased three times in the last 10
years. There is no single country we are not conducting business with.
> 2023 Goals were first for the business word, who had
the habit of making yearly plans. Everyone contributed to the determination of "2023 Goals" and these were
heartily embraced.
December 18, 2013: The brand workshop at the Çırağan Kempinski Palace.
Mehmet Büyükekşi, president of
Turkey Assembly of Exporters
[TİM], is one of the leading figures
in the design of the new visual
identity of Turkey. According to
him, Turkey has gained a new
value for promoting itself and its
stakeholders thanks to this new
identity. Mr. Büyükekşi does not
regard the new visual identity
solely as a means of telling the
story of Turkey; he is of the opinion
that everyone can find something
of their very own in this new
identity. Logo was created upon
the inspiration taken from the
cultural motifs used throughout
history in the area including Kilim
(i.e. carpet), handicrafts and
architecture. Anatolia, indeed, is the
house of many a civilization which
changed the course of history.
That's why the meanings conveyed
by the motifs incorporated in the
logo are of universal importance:
the eight motifs constituting the
identity symbolize rise, synergy,
world, convergence, east and
west, innovation, togetherness and
harmony. Mr. Büyükekşi underlines
that the activities are not only
limited to creating a brand: "Turkey
is brand itself. Turkey.Discover the
Potential is merely a proposal. We
propose the world to discover this
potential. Discover and add value to
yourself. Discover and complement
yourself. Discover, so that you can
discover yourself. Discover and
prosper. Discover and let's win
altogether. Discover and enrich the
common civilization of humanity.
Discover, and let's all be happy."
Mehmet Büyükekşi, President of
Turkish Exporters Assembly
The era of Turkey in G20 and B20
Turkey as the 9th lead
country of B20 will chair
both G20 and B20 in the
next year. The main
agenda is to draw the
agendas of the business
world and decision
makers together and
to ensure that concrete
steps are taken.
B20 Turkey has adopted the principles of "continuity,
correlativity and comprehensiveness" and will follow a stragety
covering all the stakeholders and international organizations
desiring to make contributions in the platform.
G
20 as an organization has increased its impact especially in the 2000's. Previously, G8 was the most effective
organization in deciding the economic policies of the world. Nevertheless,
today we live in a multipolar world in
terms of both economy and politics.
One of the venues for the tracking of
this change in global balance of powers
was the increased importance of G20 in
terms of global decision making mechanisms. Turkey is, as of today, the 16th
biggest economy in the world and 6th in
Europe. The objective is to be within the
top ten biggest economies of the world
in the long run. This objective puts Turkey in a special place within G20. Turkey
is taking over the temporal presidency
of G20 from Australia on 1 December.
In other words, the next year will bring
forward a clear view of the globally increasing po wer and visibility of Turkey
in world economy and politics.
GLOBAL COOPERATION
FOR GLOBAL ACTION
During 2015, the heads of the biggest companies of the world, CEOs,
leaders of trade union and think tanks
are expected to come to Turkey within the scope of B20 activities. There
are going to be around 100 high level
meetings in Turkey within the scope
of G20 throughout the year and more
than 10 thousand people directing the
global economy will meet in Turkey.
The fact Turkey will act as the president of G20 will also mean that Turkish
business world will also act as a president of B20, the business branch of
B20. The Business 20 (B20) is a forum
consisting of the business organizations of the G20 companies representing the international business community. The main objective behind
gathering the most important business actors of the 20 biggest economies of the world is to increase the
sahre of private sector in powerful, balanced and sustainable growth. Contrary to the history of G20 going back
to 1999, B20 summit was first held in
2010 in Toronto; the following meetings were subsequently held in South
Korea (2010), France (2011), Mexico (2012), Russia (2013) and Australia (2014). B20 pays particular attention
to the issues requiring global action including but not limited to trade, insfrastructure, sustainable growth, energy,
fight against smuggling, green growth,
food security and human capital. The
leading business people of the world
share their ideas and problems within
the scope of taskforces. During the B20
TASKFORCES OF B20 TURKEY
> Trade Taskforce
> Infrastructure and Investments
Taskforce
> Human Capital and Employment
Taskforce
> Financing of Growth Taskforce
> Anti-Corruption Working Group
> SMEs and Entrepreneurship Taskforce
summits, participated jointly by all the
members, opinions on the objectives
and problems previously defined are
presented and the "recommendations"
are collectively defined to be communicated to the G20 leaders. Since the
first B20, more than 400 recommendations of the business world were
communicated to the G20 leaders.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR?
Australia, which chaired the B20 in
2014, organized B20 Summit in July in
Sydney. The activities carried out by
the B20 Australia posed great significance as these were helpful for Turkey to prepare a roadmap. B20 named
the issues of encouragement of economic growth, procurement of increae
in employment and to make the global economy more resistant to probable
shocks as its priorities. B20 Australia,
in parallel with the objective of G20
Australia with regard to the growth of
the global economy by 2% in the next
five years, grouped the problematic areas of the business world within
four taskforce groups and one working group. These are the Trade Taskforce, Infrastructure and Investments
Taskforce, Human Capital Taskforce,
Financing of Growth Taskforce, AntiCorruption Working Group.
As a result of the activities of the
leaders of the global business world,
20 recommendations for the solution
of the problems faced by the business
world were presented. These recommendations were communicated to
the G20 leaders.
THE AGENDA OF B20 TURKEY
B20 Turkey Temporal Presidency
aims at maintaining activities of the
previous B20 presidencies and to introduce a new breath with the additional agenda to be developed. B20
Turkey has adopted the principles of
"continuity, correlativity and comprehensiveness" in line with this objective
and follows a stragety which covers
the national and international business
world as much as possible and which
welcomes all the stakeholders and international organizations desiring to
make contributions in the platform.
B20 Turkey, differing from the previous presidencies, continues its activities to introduce new themes to B20.
As a country where the SMEs account
for 99% of the whole companies, Turkey will establish SME and Entrepreneurship Taskforce in 2014.
G20 - B20: STRENGTHENING
THE COOPERATION
Following the G20 summit held in
Australia last year, Turkey's task will
be to execute the detailed strategies
and to obtain concrete outputs. The
powerful and determined cooperation
between G20 and B20 will also be at
the center of attention of the leadership of Turkey. This is particularly important for commonizing the agendas
of the global business world and the
decision makers. In order to establish this cooperation, Turkey will prioritize the strengthening of common
activities and joing ventures; therefore the interaction between the two
organizations will continue to help the
manifestation of powerful and reliable
recommendations. In addition to that,
many events will be organized both in
Turkey and abroad.
In addition to the three comprehensive events to be organized in Turkey,
B20 Turkey will visit other countries
by means of regional consultation
meetings instead of simply waiting for
the global business world to come to
Turkey. B20 Turkey aims to integrate
the regional consultation meetings to
the important international organizations in these countries and to reach
wider masses in this way. 
THE DIFFERENCE OF
MADE IN TURKEY
Turkey is one of the countries occupying the top spots
in terms of production and consumption standards.
For the companies anticipating the future and having
goals with regard to sustainability, investment in
Turkey might gain much in the long-run.
O
nce you have a close look in
the labels of luxurious fashion brands in Europe you will
see the same expression: "Made in
Turkey". This is not a coincidence. Today the companies anticipating the
future and having goals with regard
to sustainability take steps to go beyond the mentality of cheap manufacture. Because now when the consumers make their choices, they
have a closer look at the story behind the label and this understanding
is likely to be established more concretely in the coming years.
Manufacturing under unsuitable
conditions, using child labour lacking raw material safety and standard will cease to exists or lose its
value. Turkey, in this sense, differs
from all its rivals. If the standards required to carry out manufacturing
in Turkey were prevalent all around
the world, the world would sure be a
better place to live. Turkey has a legislation and application on occupational safety and health based upon the experience of more than 100
years. Labour Law No. 4857 which
is still effective is in full compliance
with EU norms. Except for that, the
majority of the companies, especially those conducting international trade, also have other standards
desired by their customers. For instane, almost all of the companies
carrying out manufacturing for the
world apply OHSAS 18001 Standard.
QUALIFIED WORKFORCE AND
OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING
Standards, of course, are not the
only thing which makes the production perfect. Turkey has a population of 76 million, 28 million of which
Turkey has a population
of 76 million, 28 million of
which actively work.
actively work. It has the 4th biggest workforce compared to the EU
Member States. The working population is young, educated, motivated and professional. The efficiency
is very high and it is getting higher. Every year, 610 thousand students graduate from more than 180
universities in the country. In addition to that, every year, around 700
thousand students graduate from
high school, half of them from occupational and technical high schools.
Business ethics is an important aspect of Turkish labour culture.
The working life and the work
place have a special place in Turkey
as they allow the individuals to use
their personal skills and to develop
themselves. High efficiency, low rate
of absence from work and the extensive working hours are clear signifiers of loyalty to the workplace.
COSTS STILL REASONABLE
Despite all these high standards,
the costs of manufacturing in Turkey
are still at favourable levels and this
is going to be the same in the middle
term. Net minimum wage in Turkey
is 389,9 dollars; the gross minimum
wage is, on the other hand, 493,5 dollars. The total expense of an employee for the employer is around 579,9
dollars. In addition to that, energy,
water, communication and telecommunication expenses are resonable
as well. According to the Labour Law,
the normal working hours in a week
cannot exceed 45 hours. The annual
leaves last around 14 days in the first
five year. Thanks to the new business
law enacted a few years ago, it is possible to found a company within a single day. All in all, Turkey will continue
to be a perfect destination for manufacturing in almost all sectors from
automative to ready-made clothes;
from electronics to food. 
EASIEST WAY TO REACH A POPULATION OF 1.5 BILLION
> A powerful and cost-effective point of departure for significant markets with a geography enabling an easy
passage from East to West and from
North to South
> An opportunity to easily reach 1.5 billion
customers in Europe, Eurasia, Middle East
and North Africa
> Access to many markets with a total
GDP of 25 trillion USD
8 > 9 GLOBAL CONNECTION DECEMBER 2014
> New and developed technical infrastructure
in transportation, telecommunication and
energy sectors
> Very advanced, cost-effective maritime
transport
> An opportunity for railway transport to
Middle and Eastern Europe
> Well-configured transport facilities and
direct mechanisms of transport to many EU Countries
Turkish Economy: Quo Vadis?
Turkey, attracting attention with its performance in the recent years, has been
the center of economic relations between the East and the West throughout the
history. Now the target is to rank among top 10 economies by 2023.
T
hese two photos illustrates the
development of Turkish economy over the years better than
analyses and figures. Let’s have a look
at them… The photo on the right was
taken in 1890 in Istanbul, the capital of
the Ottoman Empire, the largest city of
modern Turkey. It is a view of the Bosphorus from the Beyazıt Tower built
for fire watching. When you look at the
photo closer, you will see that Eminönü,
traditional market area of Istanbul, was
active with buildings and shops at that
time as well. Just like today… Across
the bridge you will see Pera, meaning
“Across”. This region, which was named
as Pera as it is located across the historic peninsula, improved over time. And
a lot of ships… There are a lot of ships
coming from various regions of the empire and other countries. It is possible
to see the dynamism of the city at that
time from the ships. Now, Istanbul is a
city, which has developed, pushed the
limits and continuously modernized
over the years. With the rise of Turkish
economy, it has become a sparkling city
as can be seen from the photo.
ISTANBUL HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CENTER
The story these two photos tell
cannot be summed up with the argument “Istanbul and Turkish econ-
omy has come a long way since that
time.” In fact, these two photos are the
proof of dynamic characteristics of the
economy of Istanbul and the geography around it. Istanbul has always
been the center of the economic relations between the East and the West.
Trade life has always been active
here. When that photo was taken in
1890s, many European based companies opened or were about to open
their representative agencies in the
regions seen in the photo. A new story began with the proclamation of
the republic in Turkey. Economic infrastructure has developed with the
government support. The country
has increased its national income by
234-fold from 565 million dollars in
1923, the year of foundation of the republic. Per capita income was only 45
dollars in 1923, now it has exceeded
10 thousand dollars.
DYNAMISM OF THE CITY HAS
INCREASED AFTER 2001
Throughout the period of economic development since 1923, the
period after 2001 should be approached separately. With full integration with the global economy
and economic reform motivation,
Turkey has achieved a performance
making its mark. Let’s support this
argument with figures. Turkey has
acquired an annual growth of 9 percent twice during the period after
2001. This growth has been reflected to the welfare and consumption
trends of the community as well.
Global integration has accelerated
the export-oriented economic activity.
The volume of Turkish exports
increased to 125 billion USD in the
first 10 months of 2014 from 36 billion USD in 2002. Industry capacities, the locomotive of export, have
reached outstanding levels in the last
10 years. The highest level of capacity use of the last 20 years has been
found 81.7 percent in 2004 and 2006.
All these figures make up the sparkling photo on the right. The target
is to rank among the top 10 economies and enrich the sparkling photo
album of Turkey. 
FROM TURKEY TO ALL AROUND THE WORLD
Every year, Turkey exports thousands of products to 250 countries of the world. 43 thousand exporters from 26 exporting sectors
deliver the world with not products only, but also quality, trust, culture and compassion. At very reasonable prices…
T
dollars in 2013, despite the global crisis
which started in 2009 and still continues. Having exported to 250 countries
and customs zones in 2013, Turkish
exporters have penetrated almost all
countries globally. Behind this spurt
which can be considered dramatic,
lies a great potential awaiting discovery. Here are some noteworthy piece
of information about the 26 exporter
sectors which shoulder the Turkey’s
exports. For more, seek “Turkey.Discover the Potential” label on tags.
urkey is on a geography that
has hosted the oldest civilizations of the world. With its
history, nature, culture and
cuisine, it hosts the favorite values
of the common heritage of humanity. However it’s not simply composed
of that. Turkey has become one of the
non-ignorable actors of world trade,
particularly thanks to its breakthrough
in exportation in recent 20 years. While
export from Turkey was 36 billion dollars in 2002, it has risen to 151.8 billion
An advice;
try eating hazelnut
as it is, rather than
inside the chocolate
or cakes. It’s very
delicious, and a very
healthy snack.
Beautify yourself with
Turkish cosmetics
How nice it sounds to wash in a warm Turkish bath
and get purified with fragrant soaps and cosmetics?
Not only in cosmetics, Turkish producers of chemicals
have an ever-rising production and exportation
trend in many fields such as pharmaceuticals, paints,
plastic, medical tools and equipments. Sector is the
second largest exported of Turkey after automotive,
with 17.4 billion dollars of exports.
Automotive production
hub of the region
Automotive is one of the most important sectors in Turkey.
In the last seven years, it is the number one exporting
sector, employing 400 thousand people. Approximately
70 percent of production is being exported to all over the
world, primarily the Europe. The sector is developing and
manufacturing products for the largest brands of the world,
and had an export volume of 21.3 billion dollars last year.
Turkish
automotive sector
also has an advanced
subsidiary industry
which has the ability,
capacity and quality
to design and produce
products for global
brands.
A handful per day
One of the most healthy foods of the
world; Turkey produces 75% of the
global production of this miraculous
food with proven contribution in hearth
health and sexual health; and is the
leader in export of hazelnuts. Delicious
nuts in the cocoa hazelnut paste, which
is one of the sweetest parts of your
breakfast, were most probably grown
in Turkey’s Black Sea region. Turkey
produces the tastiest hazelnut of the
world, and exported 1,77 billion dollar
worth nuts last year.
Turkish
textile trends at
your home
Protein store
Legume is the main source of protein for more than 2 billion people throughout the world. In Turkey,
it constitutes the second product group with the widest cultivation area, after grains. Turkey
exported 216 million dollar worth of legume in 2013. Legumes produced in Turkey are very good
in terms of health and production standards; and they can understand its taste from the delicious
white bean stew with meat you can eat in Turkey!
Turkey is on a rising trend in
both weaving fabric, and fibres
and home textiles. The sector
achieved an export figure of
8.4 billion dollar in 2013. Today,
Turkish textile is pleasantly
being used in almost every
market from Far East to the Latin
America. Thanks to its quality
production and perfectionist
standards, Turkey maintains its
competitive edge. If you still don’t
have a “made in Turkey” towel,
get one right now!
THE PEARL OF THE REGION AND THE RISING MARKETS
Turkey is world's
16th biggest
economy; 6th
among the
European Union.
The figures show
that this rend is
likely to continue in
the coming years.
76.6 820 5 5.2 36.3 7.5%
%
million
billion dollars
Turkey's population as of 2013.
28,8 million of this population
constitute net workforce.
Gross domestic
producs as of 2013
current prices
Average annual real
GDP growing ratio
between 2002 - 2012
%
Expected
growth ratio
between 2012-2017
%
EU defined general
management
nominal debt stock
Inflation rate as of 2013
SOURCE: THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY PRIME MINISTRY INVESTMENT SUPPORT AND PROMOTION AGENCY (ISPAT)
QUALITY, CAPABILITY, CAPACITY
Creating art from the
earth
First pieces of ceramics tradition in
Turkey are from the 13th century.
Today, Turkey combines this ancient
tradition with modern methods in
industrial scale. Its experience and
infrastructure is accompanied by
design and branding. Today, Turkish
ceramics are the favorite of the world,
with their quality, diversity of products,
and superior logistics, rather than price
competition. In fact, as of year-end
2013, total export of ceramics sector
exceeded 1 billion dollars.
While selecting
ceramics, pay attention
that the vitrified
materials are compliant
with sustainability
principles. Turkish brands
are quite successful
in this manner.
Trust in the stones of Anatolia
Turkey is one of the
leading seven producers
of the world in natural
stone production, and
has the best processing
technologies. You’ll be
justified by trusting
in Anatolian earth for
bathroom, kitchen or
surface coating. Because
Turkish natural stone
producers process the
perfect natural material
with state-of-the-art
technology, according
to the expectations of
world markets. Turkey’s
natural stone export
reached 2.22 billion
dollars in 2013.
The very first
clothing of human beings
Leather, alias luxury, elegance,
durability and naturalness. It
is always “in”, particularly in
recent years. Turkey is one of
the most competent addresses
in processing leather products,
designing and producing leather
goods for tens of worldwide
brands. In addition, Turkish
leather and shoe brands are
rapidly opening their own stores
all over the world. If you happen
to come by Turkey, do not leave
without buying a pair of shoes or
a leather jacket. Otherwise seek
Turkey label on leather products
in your own country.
Master of
its domain
They are the inseparable parts of chic;
gold, diamonds, sliver or precious
stones. Turkey’s mastery in designing
and processing jewellery comes from
its history and culture; and the product
quality comes from the modern and
competent infrastructure. Collections
prepared by Turkish jewellery brands are
the favorite of women in tens of countries,
also thanks to the increasing popularity of
Turkish TV series. Sector exported 2.25
billion dollars worth of goods last year.
Moreover, each tourist visiting Istanbul
returns to their country after buying
jewellery because they can’t resist the
brilliant showcases of Kapalıçarşı.
Originally Turkish
Carpets and rugs have a language totally encoded in Turkish
culture with their patterns, colors and production method.
For example, most of the symbols being used in new logo of
Turkey have their roots in traditional carpets and rugs. Today,
Turkey is one of the primary actors of the world in carpet and
rug production. Last year, sector’s exports exceeded 2 billion
dollars. A Turkish carpet is the best choice to give a mysterious
and sophisticated image to your home with a single touch.
Liquid gold
Turkey is the homeland of olive
tree; and one of the largest olive
producers of the world. With new
planting in recent years, olive tree
presence rose above 160 million.
Olive oils produced in Turkey is
a must-have for not only the
Mediterranean but also all cuisines
throughout the world, with its
quality, naturalness and original and
delicious aroma that comes from
Anatolian land. Its health benefits
are numerous. To achieve maximum
benefit from best and most natural
olive oil, stick to Turkish products.
THE PEARL OF THE REGION AND THE RISING MARKETS
10.782 152 39.2 12.9 36.450 57
dollars
billion dollars
million
billion dollars
GDP per capita
as of 2013
Total export
as of 2013
Annual number
of tourists
as of 2013
Direct foreign
investment
as of 2013
10 > 11 GLOBAL CONNECTION DECEMBER 2014
million
Number of foreign
companies active
in the country as of 2013
The number of active
credit card users
RESPONSIBILITY, CREATIVITY...
THE STRENGTH
THAT COMES FROM
PRODUCTION
Although Turkey
progresses in areas that
maximize added value of
products such as branding,
design, or R&D, there is
no intention to hand over
its power coming from
production. Topics such
as sustainability, labor
conditions, human rights,
ethics, and supply
security safety will
become even more critical
for production in the years
ahead, and Turkey is a
production hub that meets
all standards of the future.
Qualified and motivated
labor force work safely at
production sites which are
structured according to
standards, and producing
for the entire world.
R&D expenses
increased by 33 percent
Naturals are
the best
Star of Turkish economy and exportation …
Turkish machinery industry has been growing by
approximately 20 percent per year since early
90’s, and by 30 percent since 2009. On the other
hand, the sector is also ambitious in technology
development and design. Research and development
expenses of machinery sector rose by 33 percent
during the years 2010-2012.
One fourth of Turkey is
forested, which host the
richest floral formation of
the world. This riches is
being evaluated in tens of
different ways and being
shared with the world.
Furniture, paper, musical
instruments, weaving
materials or herbal
teas. Party in the case
of furniture, Turkey
outstands with its
quality design. Turkey
has award-winning
premium furniture
brands which stand
out in large global
design fairs exhibitions.
Turkey exported 4.5
billion dollars worth of
furniture last year.
Sweetest ones from Turkey
Delicious Turkish delight, baklava, halva. Traditional
Turkish desserts … Turkey’s confectionery and biscuits
sector has its roots in centuries ago. In today’s Turkey,
there are giant integrated chocolate and biscuit
factories. It’s like they are producing happiness rather
than just chocolate. Recently, Ülker, one of the largest
food producers of Turkey acquired the select chocolate
brand Godiva, and then the British United Biscuits…
Istanbul
Fashion Week is
bringing together the
favorite names of fashion
world each year. See the
city during the fashion
week and enjoy
the carnival.
From 2014 Spring/
Summer Collection of
Hussein Chalayan.
Design, quality,
self confidence
Fruits of the sun
Turkish citrus fruits full of C
vitamins have a significant
share in global fruit
consumption. Turkey is one
of the largest five citrus fruit
producers and exporters of
the world, with increasing
production each year. Natural,
tasty, juicy and high-standard
citrus fruit growing at southern
coasts of Turkey are being
delivered to consumers all over
the world, in a very short time,
and without losing its quality.
Turkish
citrus fruit sector
has more 1 billion
dollar of economic
value with its annual
production of 3.6
million tonnes on
average.
Istanbul is one of the shining centers of fashion,
collections of Turkish designers are being
exhibited at top fashion weeks of the world,
and Turkish fashion brands are opening
stores globally. On the other hand,
Turkey is not losing its strength in
ready wear production; the sector is
an irreplaceable supplier of European
market. With its world-class
production, Turkey produces perfect
and healthy product for its own brands as well
as many worldwide brands such as Armani,
Prada, Chanel and Louis Vuitton.
245 % 32.3 28.8 30.1 610.000 5.8%
Total increase in exports
between the period
2004 - 2014
billion dollars
million
Tourism revenues
obtained as of 2013
Net workforce as
of 2013
Average age as of 2013
The number of students graduating from
more than 183 universities each year
England's share
in exports
SOURCE: THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY PRIME MINISTRY INVESTMENT SUPPORT AND PROMOTION AGENCY (ISPAT)
FASHION OF OTTOMANS
The Grand Bazaar has
been a fixture since the
15th century, and still
retains its old-world
charm.
Turkish clothing received its current form under the influence of its long history, wide geographic
area it is spread over, cultural interactions and belief systems. Ottomans with a sultanate of centuries
exhibited its magn ificence also in the clothes. What about a brief tour of Ottoman fashion history from
wedding dresses, which were always important, to spectacular ceremonial clothes?
T
Secret corners of
the grand bazaar
Goldsmiths designing
jewellery for Hollywood
stars, drapers selling
kaftans to famous fashion
brands such as Missoni
and Armani, carpet shops
selling rare hand-made
carpets, shops selling
natural waist cloths and
soaps, and of course
mouth watering fare
at local restaurants, as
well as traditional coffee
shops; all are here…
Sivasli Yazmacı
Known as Sivaslı Yazmacı, the shop
is abundant in ethnic fabrics. Don’t
just watch, because world famous designers, and internationally renowned
Turkish ones, create fashion wonders
with the fabrics they purchase here.
Donna Karan, Hussein Chalayan, Cemil İpekçi, Rifat Özbek are just some
of these notables. Tel: 0212-526 56 73
HAREM WOMAN
‘Harem’ which means restricted, hidden, protected place, was the
place where women living in the
place were educated and continued their daily lives without meeting
the other men. Harem Woman was
raised to an upper level when the
sultan selects her and is privileged
when compared to the other women
in harem. This privilege was also reflected in the clothes, and they wore
clothes made of quality colorful silk
fabrics. Harem Woman was easily
discriminated from other women by
the embroidery on the head piece,
low cut style and furry kaftan.
lection which none of the museums in
the world possessed.
to the sultan’s son, from their clothes
in those days when people were attentive for dressing in styles different from those of their neighbors.
HAREM KALFA
It was not easy to maintain the order and prevent the fights in harem
where the sultan’s family and odalisques lived in the palace. The duty of
Harem Kalfa was to maintain the order and if required, to punish the women in harem. Harem Kalfa usually preferred plain, unnoticeable clothes to
the extent possible, which would reinforce his seriousness and authority.
Yazzma
THE MOST MAGNIFICENT
COLLECTION OF THE WORLD
Kaftans, the costumer of Ottoman
Sultans, have a special place within
the empire. A tradition of Ottoman Period carried the magnificent clothes of
the sultans to today and also enabled
the creation of a rich and beautiful
collection. According to this tradition,
all the clothes of the dead sultan are
packed, labeled and sealed, then kept
at the Treasury of Silahtar (Weapon
Masters). Upon the order of Atatürk,
these clothes were found at the Treasury of Silahtar, all labeled and packed,
when Topkapı Palace was opened to
public as a Museum; this was a col-
While cushions may be the most
prominent and eye-catching component of interior decoration, they are
disguised in different shapes in Yazzma. You can find a cornucopia of different kinds of fabrics, from ethnic
patterns to ikat (a special dyeing technique) patterns, which have been the
most popular items in recent years.
Contemporary art in Turkey
Derviş (Dervish)
Derviş is one of the top places we recommend for silk, mohair, woollen cloth,
old robes, colour cotton kaftans, Turkish bath bowls, towels and bathrobes.
It is possible to find the cloths produced on special looms from all over
Anatolia. www.dervis.com
www.yazzma.com
CEREMONIAL CLOTHES IN
OTTOMANS
With its sultanate of centuries,
Ottomans showed its magnificence
also in the clothes. The attendants of
the palace also dressed attentively in
the Ottoman Empire, where ceremonies are very important. The clothes
of the palace attendants were also
made fashionable. Each profession
group had a costume special for such
group. Of course, it was not hard to
discriminate people living in different
hierarchical order in Ottoman Empire, from Turkish woman of Pera to
Janissary sergeant, from Kizlar Agha
SERVANT OF THE GRAND VIZIER
There were many servants and
attendants under the command of
the Grand Vizier (called müteferrika). The portrait here describes one
member of this class with all the
clothing: he is in ceremonial dress
with yellow boots and yataghan.
Wearing yellow boots was perceived
as a major privilege, because ordinary people were never allowed to
use this color. Yataghan, sometimes
accompanied by two large pistols, was
decorated very richly.
İstanbul Modern
TURKISH WOMEN OF PERA
At Pera, the select district of İstanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire,
which is called Beyoğlu today, women were attentive to their clothes not
only when they were in public but also
when they were at home. By time,
Turkish women of Pera set a model
with their clothes, taken as example
by Anatolian women. 
Gallery Arter
Abdulla
Opened in 1997, Abdulla has everything you need for the real Turkish
bath experience, with local weaving,
towels, waistcloths, bedspreads, and
natural olive oil soaps. The main characteristic here is that all the products
are produced entirely in Anatolia.
www.abdulla.com
Dhoku
Dhoku’s carpets bring a different perspective to the famous Turkish carpet,
and are currently also on the radar of
Hollywood celebrities. Many famous
actors/actresses and directors have
purchased a carpet or a rug from here.
www.dhoku.com
Army of Love
If you are interested in military jackets, shirts, vintage clothes and various
army accessories reflecting military
style, which went though a boom in
popularity in the 1980s, there is certainly something here for you! 
Don’t be afraid of getting lost, because these narrow streets contain wonderful surprises.
12 > 13 GLOBAL CONNECTION DECEMBER 2014
Two key words summarize the recent
developments in contemporary art in
Turkey: expansion and diversity.
ÖZGE ERSOY
W
e have heard this before: Contemporary art
from Turkey has become more vibrant than
ever before. Turkey is a celebrated example
of an “emerging market” with a rising number of local
art galleries (mostly in Istanbul), the growing presence
of artists from Turkey in international exhibitions and
publications, as well as the auction houses’ growing appetite for art from the country. The changes in the last
decade offer growing opportunities for artists, curators,
and writers. Yet it is still hard to define exactly what the
“evolution” of the art scene means. Is the market boiling over with speculators, or is it just simmering?
Turkey is now home to a new generation of art spaces and museums, and increasingly finding itself a part
of the international art circuit. Since the 2000s, there
has been a proliferation of privately sponsored arts
spaces, most notably SALT, ARTER, Istanbul Modern,
and Borusan Contemporary, and more recently collectors and art patrons have spearheaded independent initiatives, including SAHA Association, SPOT, and
collectorspace. All of these organizations with dif-
ferent missions—ranging from cultivating innovative
programs for research and experimental thinking to
increasing the visibility of contemporary art from Turkey—beg the question: What’s the impact of institutionalization in an emerging context?
Two key words summarize the recent developments in contemporary art from Turkey: expansion
and diversity. With the rising number of institutions,
contemporary art reaches a wider audience and enables a stronger debate among professionals. Promoting different institutional priorities, art spaces show
a wide range of artistic practices, which arguably
makes the scene more pluralistic and polyphonic than
ever. Some, however, remain skeptical of the nominal
growth of the scene and its intricate relationship with
money, which raises the question of whether the recent hype is an interest in art or its investment value.
At the market side of the scene, the introduction
of a new art fair last September—Istanbul ArtInternational, co-founded by Sandy Angus who is involved in India Art Fair and ART HK, the Hong Kong
International Art—is also telling about the urge to
internationalize the art market in the country. A seductive attraction for collectors from abroad, ArtInternational appears to be a competitor to the now
nine-year-old Contemporary Istanbul, while its visitor numbers still lag behind the latter (ArtInternational received 20,000 visitors while Contemporary
Istanbul hosted 75,000 people this year). The ev-
Photo: Murat Germen
T
he Grand Bazaar, with 4,000
shops, is always top of the
list for tourists coming to
Turkey and İstanbul. We
are always told, “You must see it, don’t
come home without shopping there!”
Yes, we fully agree with this, but just
this once, how about discovering other products apart from leather, gold or
souvenirs, as well as old and famous
or fascinating newly opened shops?
The Grand Bazaar has been a fixture
since the 15th century, and still retains its old-world charm. The broad
main street, Kalpakçılar (Calpac Sellers) Street, hosts dozens of goldsmiths. If you ask why it is named after Kalpakçılar, the famous fur cap
shops used to be here.
All the streets of the Grand Bazaar
were named for the products that
were sold there. While the tailors resided in Terziler (Tailors) Street, furrier’s shops were found in Kürkçüler
(Furriers) Street. Go straight down between the shops on both sides, where
carpets, leather, textile and ceramic
products can be found. Don’t be afraid
of getting lost, because these narrow
streets contain wonderful surprises.
The Grand Bazaar is one of the most
enjoyable places in İstanbul, with its
huge, garnished doors and sociable
merchants. Even if you start touring
in the morning and continue till evening, there will still be dozens of streets,
hundreds of shops, and thousands of
products you won’t have discovered.
TULBEND AGHA
This agha occupied the most conspicuous place in most of the ceremonies and processions in which
the sultan also participated. During
these ceremonies, two sariks (headwraps) were carried in front of the
Sultan. Hasodalis, in other words
Tulbend Aghas carried these sariks,
which were placed on a small table,
by their right hands.
The main
clothing pieces
of women during
Ottoman times
were; shalwar,
cardigan, blouse,
dress and kaftan.
Photo: Sinan Koçaslan
Anyone who thinks that the Grand Bazaar is just for
carpets, leather, and gold
jewellery is in for a surprise.
There is a plethora of shops
just waiting to be discovered
in this 553-year-old bazaar,
the oldest in the world.
he art of weaving is undoubtedly is one of the
oldest arts of the history of mankind. We can
easily say that Turkish
fabrics have a very significant place in
the world’s fabric trade with respect
to its form of weaving, material and
richness of patterns. Ottoman sultans
attached importance to clothing, and
wore kaftans made of luxury fabrics.
Their search for quality plays an important role in the development of
weaving. Since silvery, sequin, embroidery clothes are deemed to be a
disgrace for the young girls as a requirement of Ottoman tradition, they
usually wore plain dresses. Since the
way for women to wear fancy clothes
was through marriage, the wedding
dress as the first fancy dress was always an important one and importance was attached to this dress
since it indicated the difference of the
bride from the other women. The
main clothing pieces of women during Ottoman times were; shalwar,
cardigan, blouse, dress and kaftan.
Dresses worn with shalwar constitute the oldest examples of Turkish
women clothing. The influence of the
Western fashion was started to be
felt after Sultan Abdulaziz’s return
from Europe travel in 1867.
er-growing competition will show whether Istanbul
will become the market hub for the region at large.
Internationalization is also on the agenda for institutions. This year, SALT hosted a major exhibition by
Lebanese artist Rabih Mroué whose work explores
the construction of historical narratives; ARTER presented a group show titled “The Roving Eye: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia” that covers major
works from the 1970s to the present; and Borusan
Contemporary exhibited a selection of works from
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s media arts
collection, a rare presentation outside of the institution located in California. Here it should be noted that
there is still no public funding for arts institutions, and
it is again a group of private patrons and institutions—
with the initiation of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts—that have secured a new, long-term
location dedicated to Turkey at the Arsenale of the
Venice Biennale, hosting artist Sarkis next year.
Rhetorics of development in economy of Turkey
resonate in contemporary art as well. The structural
dynamics of this field today is obviously different from
the 1990s where the art production grew through
personal affinities, friendships, with artists making
exhibitions and publications with their own means. Yet
a major question still remains foundational to the larger ecology of arts in Turkey: To what extend does contemporary art relate to and expand upon the larger
public discourse in the country? 
BEFORE WINTER
COMES: LYCIAN WAY
Antalya is the top destination in Turkey for foreign visitors, and is the
leader in terms of bed capacity. Number of beds in Antalya exceeds half
a million, and the number of facilities is almost 3 thousand. In 2013, 11
million and 680 thousand tourists have arrived at Antalya.
Lycian Way, the destination of those who want a vibrant holiday in the
nature, is having its best time nowadays. Because, the 509-kilometre route
from Antalya to Fethiye is being washed with a warm Mediterranean sun.
Antalya through
four seasons
Throughout the road, you can accommodate at boutique lodgings, experience the local tastes and visit village markets.
L
ycian Way, the first ever flagged
international walkway of Turkey,
is a network of ancient pathways
connecting Lycia cities to each other.
The route introduces the most beautiful beaches of Antalya with the natural and historical beauties, and hosts
the trekking addicts from all around
the world all year round. Throughout
the road that passes through Tekirova,
Demre, Kekova, Kaş, Kalkan and Patara
and arrives at Lycia’s capitol Xanthos,
which is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, you can accommodate at boutique lodgings, experience the local
tastes and visit village markets. Let us
remind you: It takes more than a month
to walk the entire pathway. So travel agencies split the best parts of this
route into weekly parts. Of course, according to your expectations...
FROM GELIDONYA TO OLYMPUS
Our walk of a combination of sea and
mountains starts from Adrasan which is
60 kilometres to the south of Antalya.
Also known as Çavuşköy, Adrasan was
founded near a sandbank surrounded by
rocky hills, a few kilometres far from the
coast. Lycian Way passes through this
sandbank. When you follow the pathway towards the peninsula to the south
of the village, you arrive at an impressive lighthouse. Located 227 metres
above the sea level, Gelidonya Lighthouse has an impressive view, covering five small islands. Our next stop is
Olympus which is 8 kilometres to the
north of Adrasan. This was one of the
sacred settlements of Lycia at the time.
Located at the foothill of 2366 metre
high Mt. Tahtalı, Olympus is separated
IN HIS OWN WORDS
Ersin Demirel Professional Lycian Way Guide
I have flagged about 20 natural and
cultural routes in Turkey including Caria,
Phrygia, Hittite and St. Paul Road. I’ve
been walking on the Lycian Way for a
quarter century now, and it has a special
place for me. On the 240-kilometre
section of the Road, Lycian Way Ultra
Marathon is being run since 2010. Athletes
from all around the world are expected to
attend the next marathon which is
scheduled for September 26th - October
4th, 2015. I recommend you to not miss
this extraordinary organization.
www.likyayoluultramaratonu.com/EN
by a shallow river from a touristic Mediterranean village called Çıralı. Structures
remaining from the Lycian civilization
was spread on a forested land. Olympus has a magnificent beach and hosts
hundreds of thousands of tourists every year in wooden houses being used as
a hostel, while its next door neighbour
Yanartaş is famous for its fire which has
been continually burning for centuries
on the shoulders of a mountain.
THE PORT WITH PINE AROMA
After coming here, your tour would be
incomplete if you do not stop by Phaselis. When you follow the yellow board
“Phaselis” on the Olympus-Antalya
highway and pass through the forest
road which is approximately two kilometres long, you will see an impressive
historical place. Phaselis was founded as a three-port coastal city during the ancient times, and was famous
for its wines, lumber and perfumes at
the time. Here, while walking on ancient streets connecting the ports to
each other, it is very pleasurable to
witness the harmony of the sound
of waves with the smell of pines. We
leave the historical place and proceed
towards Kumluca on the highway. A
little further, Ulupınar junction leads
us to the trout farms under the shadows of maples. Great salads flavoured
with mountain herbs, and local olive
oil dishes introduce an unforgettable
mood of final to our trekking. We feel
very lucky for being on the Lycian Way.
DON’T MISS
Best source about Lycian Way is the
tour guide called Lycian Way authored
by English researcher Kate Clow, who
had lived in Antalya for many years and
is one of the most important people
who brought Lycian Way to our tourism. In her book, she provides a detailed
description of all stages of the route,
and important practical information
about the touristic places on the way.
DID YOU KNOW?
Established during the 2nd century B.C. in Anatolia, Lycia was a developed state. Lycians had their own architecture, letters and theatres, and
their democracy model has inspired
the Constitution of the U.S.A. 
As a favorite destination in
the Mediterranean, Antalya
and its vicinity are among
indispensable spots of
summer season, as well
as winter holidays, thanks
to mild climate and luxury
hotels. Here is a three-step
guide to visiting Antalya.
es. The 24-kilometre road from Finike
to Demre is very pleasurable to watch.
Specialty of restaurants around Demre
shore is roasted blue crab. Demre is
also the hometown of Saint Nicolas,
also known as Santa Claus. Noel Baba
Church where he lived and practiced
religion in Demre is a museum today.
W
be expected from a metropolis with
its metro, restaurants, cultural and
shopping centers. To be entertained
with Turkish hospitality at a traditional Ottoman mansion, you need to visit Kaleiçi. The turquoise Yivli Minareli
Medrese reflecting the elegance of Islamic arts, and Hadrian Gate from Roman era are located here.
Another option is to get on one of
the gulets at the port and sail through
the Mediterranean. Saklıkent Winter
Sports Center, located at 1.5 hour distance to the town center, is being used
for space observations during summertime. Close vicinity of Konyaaltı
and Lara beaches near the town center are full of fish restaurants. Düden
and Kurşunlu waterfalls are also very
close to the town center.
PLACES TO VISIT
Antalya City Center
With its centuries of history, city
center is almost totally founded on
cliffs, and offers all services that can
Western Antalya
Kumluca, the source of vegetables
and citrus fruits in Antalya, and its
neighbour Finike are ancient port settlements. In addition to Arykanda ancient settlement that resembles an
eagle’s nest, Finike is also known for
its modern marina and orange groves,
as well as remarkable historical hous-
From golf to rafting
As well as the influx of tourists to
the five-star hotels and lengthy sandy
beaches, Belek is a favorite of golf tourists. With golf courses resembling gardens of Zen with their soft folds and
quiet ponds, golf clubs at Belek offer
service at international standards. Aspendos Ancient Theatre to the northeast of Belek is also the starting point
of off-road safaris to the depths of Taurus mountains. 
Kerem Görsev - Musician
Tunç Fındık - Professional Mountaineer
Marion Gökçek - Hotel Manager
“I feel very happy in an atmosphere where I
can conveniently play the piano. In addition,
if there is the sea and a beautiful nature, I am
the happiest person and Antalya makes me
very happy. Every time I go
there, I visit Kaleiçi. I’m very
much refreshed when I roam
around historical houses. I
also like swimming at places
between Antalya and Fethiye.”
“I can easily say that Antalya is a great
place for mountaineering and rock climbing.
This is because there are plenty of cracks
on rock walls, and they rise up towards the
sky right beneath the sea. I
recommend climbers the 3
thousand and 86 metreshigh Kızlar Sivrisi which is
the highest point of Western
Taurus Mountains.”
“I am a European Union citizen who loves
Turkey. I settled in Antalya about 20 years
ago. Autumn and winter are much more
beautiful in Antalya. Because it’s very quiet,
and you can hear the sound of the nature. In downtown,
there are various hotels, for
any kind of economic budget. I
would recommend Kemer and
Beldibi.”
MELİH USLU
hen to go and how to
visit Antalya? The answer depends on what
you expect from your
Antalya trip. From usual beach holiday, to blue voyage, winter sports to religious, cultural, gourmet and honeymoon
tours, Antalya offers infinite choices,
one of which is absolutely for you.
Eastern Antalya
Fed with ice-cold water of Taurus
Mountains, loudly pulsing Manavgat
Creek on one side, and Side the host
of one of the most beautiful ancient
settlements of the Mediterranean on
the other side. The most important
two touristic centers to the east of
Antalya. Side is located on a peninsula that is closed to traffic, where settlements are side by side with ancient
ruins. Manavgat, which is a little far
from the sea, is being visited because
of its waterfalls. Here you may cruise
along the river on boats, or discover
the forests on the back of a camel.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Enjoy a feast for the senses in Antakya
Throughout its deep-rooted history, gathering many
civilizations under its wing, Antakya has created
splendid tastes by synthesising the best of Anatolian,
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.
Antakya Mosaic Museum is home to almost 300 renowned mosaics, produced between the 2nd and 6th centuries.
14 > 15 GLOBAL CONNECTION DECEMBER 2014
L
ocated in the very south of the Mediterranean region, Antakya is a stunning city, perched at the peak of the
Amanos Mountains. River Asi, the lifeblood of
the city, is famous for the impression it creates. The wind, blowing gently from the south,
ruffles the sea and creates the illusion that
the river is flowing in reverse. Make a sweet
start to your Antakya tour by stopping at one
of the kunafah (a dessert speciality of the Levant) stalls lining the city centre. Made of a
delicious shredded wheat, salt-free cheese,
butter and hot syrup mixture, it’s hard to
stop with just one slice. The famous kunafah
of Antakya is frozen and sent to numerous
countries around the world. After this short
pit stop, visit The Mosaic Museum, which is
home to almost 300 renowned mosaics, produced between the 2nd and 6th centuries.
WORLD’S BEST APPETISERS
You can taste the finest Antakya cuisine, encompassing more than 400 dishes, either as a
guest at a home, or in an exclusive restaurant
in a centuries-old Antakya house, after visiting
the museum. Some of the delicacies you can
sample are humus, a type of mashed chickpeas with tahini; and Muhammara made of red
pepper paste, toasted bread, walnut and pomegranate syrup. Etli aşur, prepared by crushing
wheat, chickpeas and meat till the mixture has
a pasty consistency, is one of the main dishes.
Oruk, a type of kebbah unique to the Antakya
region, is composed of a mixture of rich mince
and spices and is not offered boiled or fried like
the classic kebbahs. It is instead baked with olive oil. Pomegranate syrup also features prominently in Antakya’s cuisine. This treacly liquid is obtained after being boiled in cauldrons
of a dark red, sour pomegranate sauce, and can
be found in the famous Uzun Çarşı (bazaar). It
imparts a magnificent flavour to many dishes
from salad to dolma (stuffed vegetables).
SHOP TILL YOU DROP
The history of Uzun Çarşı is as old as Antakya’s own. The city’s history dates back to the
300s BC. Uzun Çarşı is a closed bazaar selling
everything you can think of, where butcher
shops turn into restaurants at short notice. It
is one of the best places to buy products specific to Antakya. Antakya is also famous for
its soaps that find their origin from the legend
of Apollo and Daphne in the ancient world.
You can find many varieties of Daphne soap
(made of defne, or bay leaves) in the bazaar.
HISTORIC HOUSES
The old districts in front of the River Asi
are among the places where you can soak in
the city’s rich historic legacy. Narrow alleys
link the courtyards to one another and houses such as the Antakya House, Yahyaoğulları
and Halepoğulları Mansions are a standing
testimony to the ancient architectural style
of the city. The front parts of the Antakya
House, the oldest of which are 200 years old
and built over two or three floors, face the sun
and the courtyards, with a pool and garden
overlooking the mountains.
Antakya has vital potential in terms of religious tourism. It hosts the St Pierre Church,
which is the second-oldest church after Jerusalem and a key pilgrimage destination
for Christendom. Waterfalls hidden in a deep
valley blanketed by forests are the source of
Harbiye’s fame, and this tourist attract is located ten kilometres from Antakya. Built as a
soap factory in the 1960s, and a focus of attention with its unique architecture, the Savon Hotel is one of the many excellent accommodation options. 
GETTING THERE
The most practical way to reach Antakya is to take a flight to Hatay. The Hatay Airport is 25 kilometres
from Antakya. You can also take a tour of the region
by renting a car. Moreover, Turkish Airlines schedules
return flights from İstanbul to Hatay every day of
the week. www.turkishairlines.com
ty. In Isbir Bedding greater importance is
given to technology and investment in R
& D; and the latest technology machines
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the most appropriate solutions to human physiology.
Healthy beds for a
good night’s sleep
A healthy, peaceful and quality lifedepends firstly on the
quality of sleep. With the beds it produces, Isbir Bedding
offers healthy solutions to your sleep problem.
O
n average, we sleep about 25
years of our lives. Therefore,
the bed you choose should
protect the natural curve of
your spine. For the comfort of your bed
has a direct effect on your health. Scientific research also shows the importance
of this point. In Turkey,Isbir Bedding that
is a brand that offers the ultimate consumers healthy sleep products produces healthy beds. Isbir Bedding stores
called “Sleep Centres” provide consumers with healthy and comfortable technology products for a better sleep quali-
SPECIAL VITAMIN BEDS WITH ANTI-STRESS EFFECT
In the market for beds in Turkey, our
firm is positioned as the “pioneering
technology”; and we use technologies
such as “open-cell visco technology”, the
“polymer spring technology” discovered and patented by Turkish engineers,
patented filler technology “Quallofil® Allerban®" used on all beds, offering high
hygiene. Furthermore, we are also implementing the «nano technology” that
allows us to flavour our lavender beds,
provide them with vitamins A, C and E
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by accreditation institutions and laboratories in Turkey and abroad. IsbirBedding is a part of “the Brands Support
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program;it has thus started research to
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ISBIR READY TO PACK YOUR WORLD!
ISBIR having the largest big bag production facility under one roof proceeds
to increase capacity with big bags exceeding standard specifications.
T
he facilities, equipped with
state of art production machineries, are capable to
manufacture 17 million big
bags per annum with indoor area of
180.000 sqm under ISO 22000 and
AIB certificates. Following recent investments and 35 million EUR capital increase, ISBIR started-up special purpose manufacturing centers
for sophisticated big bag needs, and
keeps on extending product portfolio with big bags made in internationally recognized clean room production facility.
Company officials describe clean
room manufacturing as follow: Clean
room, which architecture and infrastructure has been set according to
“ISO 14644-Cleanrooms and Associated Controlled by Environments” approved by independent auditors to fulfill the requirements of ISO 14644 and
ISO 8. In this “certified” clean room,
big bags manufactured for high purity
needs of pharmaceutical, food, chemi-
cal and engineering plastic industries,
which require extreme attention to
hygienic conditions. Clean room production conditions comply with higher standards than internationally accepted GMP regulation.
It has been stated by company officials that; beside standard big bag
models used all over the world, product portfolio extends with flame retardant fabric, aluminium and conductive aluminium liner production,
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addition to this, ISBIR has cooperation
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Europe for storage service,which enables delivery within 24 hours and improve the customer satisfaction. Isbir has an extensive list of references
in all industries specially in chemical,
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