The advantages of İzmir becoming a brand

An “indigenous car summit” took place under the leadership of İzmir Mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu on Nov. 14.

At the summit the advantages of the western province of İzmir for production of the locally made car were discussed and a monitoring committee was established. 

Aegean Chamber of Industry (EBSO) head Ender Yorgancılar will undertake the leadership of the committee. Aegean Free Zone Development and Operating Company (ESBAS) CEO Faruk Güler, Tiryakiler Oto Makina Board Chair Mehmet Tiryaki, Norm Cıvata Board Chair Fatih Uysal, İnci Holding Board Chair Neşe Gök, Terbay Board Chair Abdullah Baysak and CMS Joint Board Chair Bertuğ Ösen are all on the committee.

This committee is in itself a reason to choose İzmir, as all these names are part of companies that produce with some of the world’s giants.

And when consider all the other firms and associations that took part in the meeting, it becomes even clearer that İzmir is very strong in the automobile industry and its sub-industries.

It is great to see İzmir come to the fore of this subject. Its companies came together and gave a joint message, almost as a kind of united “İzmir Party.”

 Now, can deputies from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and the Good Party (İyi Parti) also come together for this issue?

I believe they can. Indeed, they need to lobby for this project in Ankara in order to bring it to realization.

Meanwhile, the different districts of İzmir are in competition to host this project. The Torbalı district administration says it has experience and is located in a strategic area. The Aliağa district administration notes that it hosts the biggest two facilities of refinery Petkim and Turkey’s sole oil refining company Tüpraş, while it has a growing organized industrial site and is next to the harbors of Çandarlı, Nemrut and Petkim.

But if you ask me, anywhere is OK as long as it is in İzmir. 

I liked this photo very much

Prince Segbefia, Adama Traure, Mathieu Peybernes and Yoan Gauffran are all well-known foreign players for İzmir’s Turkish Super League football club Göztepe.

They were all recently visited the Piri Reis School in İzmir’s Güzelbahçe district. There they had their photos taken together with their children, who are all attending the school.

Do you know why this is important?

For a city to become a brand, it is not enough to just have good businesses or industrial organizations. It also must have a colorful and vibrant social life.

For this, first of all it needs a strong social community. But that is also not enough.

It must have sports and art facilities. It must have quality restaurants and hotels. It must have good hospitals and educational institutions.

Cities can only come to the fore if these conditions are provided.

That is why the four foreign football players of Göztepe visiting local schools are important.

They live in İzmir and have chosen a private school that teaches in French and English for the education of their children.

Of course, there are also many other quality schools in İzmir. Indeed, one of the specialties that bring İzmir to the fore as a city is the fact that it has many good schools.