A Special Edition for the 70th Anniversary...

  • 09.05.2022
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It was not easy for Türkiye to come to these days in terms of economy. Since the first years of the foundation of the Republic, Türkiye started a great battle against poverty, both in terms of human and financial capital, with the pride of the victory of the War of Independence and the self-confidence it boosted. Our country should have been saved from being an agriculture country that only produces flour, sugar, salt, tobacco and cotton in a short period of time. And for that, we had to build our own industry. And we did; this initiative which started in 1930s gave its results in 1950s. 

Our Chamber, the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ICI), was born just in those first years of the establishment of the industry, when the chimneys of the first heavy industry rose. With 750 leading industrialists, the sign of our Chamber was hung to the Vakıf Han Building in Eminönü in 1952. 

Those were the years the fire of industrialization was fueled, the years where even an establishment of a pin factory was such a big motivation for our society. In 1960s, factories started to manufacture refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, and heavy iron & steel factories started to be built. 

It has been 70 years since those difficult days. Our Chamber is now celebrating its 70th Anniversary. During that period, all the administrations of our Chamber have always included in their vision the positive realism in favor of the country. It has always bluntly expressed, and objected to, any mistakes made by the politicians who ruled the country, as well as any mistakes made by the industrialists.

During that period, we have seen many valuable and respected presidents come and go from the management of the ICI, each with their own mark of achievements. But they all shared one common vision: The future of Türkiye is in the industry, in production.

And to present a brief story of this tough journey to you, we designed this issue of our magazine as “A Special Edition for the 70th Anniversary”. With many photographs, articles, and some old issue interviews with historical persons including Vehbi Koç, Nejat Eczacıbaşı, we tried to prepare a magazine so you can read with joy, sometimes with a smile or sometimes with a little sadness. I hope that it will also be a magazine you would keep in your library. 

Besides getting prepared for our 70th Anniversary, we welcomed Mr. Nureddin Nebati, our Ministry of Treasury and Finance, in our ICI Assembly in April. With the Ministry, we discussed the issue of ‘Importance of Investment, Production and Export-oriented Economy for Türkiye to Climb Up the Global Value Chains with Value Added Innovative Production’. 

We organized another assembly in April. That was our “ICI April 23 Children's Assembly” which we celebrated for the first time last year and intend to make it a tradition. Our children were again full of life, joy, and color. 

And at the beginning of May, we will be celebrating the day of our workers, one of the most important stakeholders of our business lives. Labor peace and harmony is a key to the welfare or our economy and our society for all the parties of our production life. For that reason, the cooperation and dialogue between employees and employers should never be ignored. It is even more important today, at an age of radical changes. I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the May 1 Labor and Solidarity Day, the day of our workers, one of the most important stakeholders of production and business life.

We will also be celebrating Ramadan Holiday at the beginning of May. I wish all of you a healthy, peaceful and joyous Ramadan Holiday with your loved ones. 

Another important day this month is May 19, one of the most important national days of our country... the day the flame of the independence was ignited by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on May 19, 1919. In the 103rd Anniversary of the War of Independence, we commemorate with gratitude Atatürk and those who took part in the war, who died or got injured for this country. God bless them. I wish you a Happy May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk Youth and Sports Day.

Erdal Bahçıvan
Istanbul Chamber of Industry
Chairman