| Forum Istanbul to focus on global crisis |
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ISTANBUL - Forum Istanbul, which aims to urge society and specifically academic, business and bureaucratic circles to consider Turkey's situation and generate solutions for the country's problems, will take place May 28-29 at Swissotel the Bosphorus, with the global crisis as its focus.
The forum, which will host world-renowned academics, will this year include a youth platform as a new expansion.
Speaking at a meeting organized for the promotion of the forum, Yavuz Canevi, chairman of Forum Istanbul and the Turkish Economy Bank, or TEB, said that students from 83 universities formed the youth platform under the umbrella of Forum Istanbul. "They are being robustly organized. Maybe we will transfer this business to them in 10 years’ time."
He also said an interim forum will be held during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings to be held in October in Istanbul. Criticizing the three-year program of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, he said, "We find the programs synthetic."
Turkey has financial growth potential, said Suzan Sabancý Dinçer, chairwoman of Akbank, one of the forum’s strategic partners. Ethem Sancak, chairman of Hedef Alliance, another partner, said many large firms are being put up for sale in the West, urging small companies to join forces to grab opportunities abroad.
With the title of "From the Global Financial and Economic Crisis to Turkey Ð 2023," the forum will be opened by Economy Minister Ali Babacan.
The participants include Anne Krueger, former first deputy managing director of the IMF; Kemal Derviþ, vice president of the Brookings Institute; Dani Rodrik, professor at Harvard University; Steve Hanke, professor at Johns Hopkins University; Wolfgang Grulke, founding president of Futureworld; Stefano D'Anna, rector of the European School of Economics; Zia Khan, chief executive officer of Quadreen; and Fredrik Lofthagen, CEO of Interel Group.
Hürriyet newspaper, flagship of the Doðan Media Group, and the Turkish Exporters Assembly are also among strategic partners of the forum. |
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