TOBB hosting 1,000 global business leaders in Istanbul
ISTANBUL
TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu and the heads of the 365 chambers and exchanges pose at an event. Hisarcıklıoğlu says TOBB’s success is thanks to efforts by its affiliates.
The Union of Chamber and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) is marking its 60th anniversary amid crucial meetings in terms of global business, bringing together some 1,000 businessmen from 87 countries at the TOBB International Business Forum.Attendees at the event will discuss the role of the private sector amid the economic crisis and a period of recession, the strength of entrepreneurship and the problems of commerce and trade. The Republic of Macedonia President Gjorge Ivanov, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade Hayati Yazıcı are set to honor the event with their presence. The general council meeting of World Chambers Federation (WCF), the umbrella organization of 15,000 chambers from around the world, will take place in Istanbul tomorrow after the board meeting of the organization today.
Merchants of Peace
The WCF is a specialized division of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the global business organization founded in 1919, just after World War I, by visionary businesspeople who called themselves “Merchants of Peace.” Rona Yırcalı has chaired the WCF since 2004, along with his deputy national chairmanship at ICC Turkey.
The WCF congresses, which offer a wonderful networking opportunity for the business community, are organized every two years in different parts of world. TOBB successfully hosted the congress in 2007 with record participation.
Hisarcıklıoğlu, who is one of the newly elected members of the ICC Executive Board, is also a member of the WCF General Council. During the general council meeting, chamber leaders are scheduled to evaluate the presentations of the Liverpool, Turin, Belfast and Geneva chambers, who are candidates to host the World Chambers Congress in 2015.
WCF Transnational Chambers Board Meeting
The WCF Transnational Chambers of Commerce and Industry Board Meeting also kicks of today.
The WCF Transnational Chambers of Commerce and Industry Board is set to bring together distinguished representatives of multilateral regional business organizations from all over the world, including Eurochambers, the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ICCIA), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), the Association of Balkan Chambers (ABC), the Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME), the Ibero-American Association of Chambers of Commerce (AICO), the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture for Arab Countries (GUCCIAC) and the Federation of Gulf Cooperation Council Chambers (FGCCC). The TOBB has pursued close ties with the organizations mentioned above, where Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu also works as deputy president at Eurochambers, vice president at ICCIA, and board member at CACCI.
