THE SPEECH DELIVERED BY IPEKYOLU EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL FOUNDATION CHAIRPERSON MUSTAFA GÜR IN WASHINGTON ON MAY 11TH, 2013

Ipekyolu Educational and Cultural Foundation named after the inspiration from the historical Silk Road which accelerated the trade, culture, art and information exchange between the East and the West, was founded in 2006 in Ankara.The objective of the foundation is; to establish elementary schools, secondary schools and higher education institutions both at home and abroad, to contribute to meeting the qualified education needs of young generation at the global level.

For this purpose, we aim to extend the high level educational standards towards Turkey and neighboring countries.This can be translated as re-launching the mutual and multilateral relations between east and west by investing in people directly through the people.Considering her strategic location at the heart of the world, her history and potential, in my opinion, taking such a step from Turkey is a correct approach.At this stage, the volunteer contributions and advices of you, our esteemed friends in the US would accelerate the accomplishment of the project, the peace and the welfare.This step has a historical significance for the future generations.Within this scope, prior to the foundation of Ipekyolu University which is the top priority project of the Foundation, I pay great attention to the interest of our citizens living in the US as well as the US citizens for the project and I would like the extend my sincere gratitude for all your support.For their support towards the İpekyolu project and for their attendance held in the US, I would like to extend my thanks, my most sincere regards to Mr. Namık Tan, our Ambassador in Washington and to you, the esteemed guests, on behalf of İpekyolu Foundation and in the name of Temel AKGÜN and Ahmet GÜL who accompanied me for this purpose.

Dear esteemed guests, now I would like to introduce you the foundation process of the İpekyolu Foundation and İpekyoluUniversity briefly.

In consequence of the meetings we held in various cities around Turkey, İpekyolu Educational and Cultural Foundation has been founded in 2006.Among the 127 trustees of the foundation are the parliamentarians, executive businessmen, bureaucrats, academicians and corporate members.İpekyolu Foundation is a non-profit initiative embracing a large social section, based on voluntarism.After the establishment, the Foundation has started the works for the establishment of educational institutions which are the main objective of the foundation.For this purpose, 200.000 m2 State land in Trabzon was assigned to the foundationThe campus project for the 100.000 m2 are on which the İpekyolu University and other educational units will be constructed was selected through a contest and completed by approximately 1 million USD estimated cost.The approvals for the project have been obtained.The necessary actions and all other requirements for the foundation of the university have been fulfilled and the application dossier was submitted to the Higher Education Board (YÖK) in December 2008.When the dossier was being investigated, YÖK has changed some of the application conditions for university foundation and stipulated 10 million USD cash or real estate condition at the application.

Thus, the application dossier for the IpekyoluUniversity which met all requirements needed to be re-submitted according to the new conditions.This resulted in hesitation for some of the grantors of the Foundation naturally and caused some delays.Intended at resolving the issue, the attempts before both the Government and YÖK as well as private and civil institutions still continue.AT this stage, I would like to once again stress that the interest and support of our esteemed friends in the US is vital for us and that this would accelerate the procedure in Turkey and I would also like to want to extend my thanks to all those who contributed.

After opening the first departments of the İpekyolu University in Trabzon which is located northeast of Turkey as a historical city, at the second and subsequent stages, we aim to open new departments particularly in Ankara and İstanbul as well as in other cities and abroad, for the purpose of growing and increasing the level of quality and modern equipment for the students by enabling the information and culture exchanges between the students and academicians.East Black Sea Region embodying Trabzon was located over the Silk Road route through which the trade between the east and west was made and thus experienced the welfare generated by the Silk Road.After the collapse of the Cold War period and through the development of free trade, the region is capable of regaining this position within the 21st Century.In the Eastern Black Sea Region Development Plan prepared by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through the instruction by the Ministry of Development which was previously entitled as State Planning Organization, it is being stated that; “It has an impact on educational, social and economic activities.Eastern Black Sea Region should be prioritized in terms of education.Taking into account the advantages of the regional location, the higher education institutions to be founded within the region could serve to the neighboring countries as well.Such open universities can be the symbol of outward development target of the region.”

Although the number of students within the higher education in Turkey increases, the demand cannot be met and the deficiency gets bigger gradually.For example, according to the year 2007 data, the number of students taken the university exam was 1.851.674, the total quota offered by the universities was 626.690. In year 2012, against 1.895.479 applications, the quota was 865.482 and according to the data of last two decades, the demand for the universities increased by 3 times, however in return the universities could meet only 1/3 of the demand.As of today, in Turkey, there are 65 foundation universities and 103 state universities which is 168 universities in total. This data apparently reveals the need for the higher education institutions capable of giving quality education.Apart from the educational need of Turkey, considering the increasing demand for quality education from the neighboring countries, it can be clearly seen how feasible and necessary the İpekyolu project was.

Taking into account the potential Turkey which both impresses and gets impressed by eastern and western cultures and being affected by them and her location of at the very heart of the world, one can better understand the significance of the issue and the potential positive impact over the humanity in the future.We aim to improve the process of meeting, sharing and developing the artifacts and values of east and west by means of quality education directly through people.Such process may have great contributions for satisfying the multidimensional needs of both east and west.It can have affirmative consequences for the entire humanity.

With such thoughts and feelings, I’m very much proud to be here with you to support and accelerate the foundation of İpekyoluUniversity.I would like to extend my thanks to Esteemed Ambassador Mr. Namık TAN for his presence and for your volunteer participation to this meeting and also for those who contributed in organizing this event.You achieved a great job.You gave us a friendly hand.And you will find a reliable hand.

I congratulate you all and extend you my gratitude.May god speed us.

I’m willing to meet you again and also seeing you in Turkey as well.

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İPEKYOLU EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL FOUNDATION

Ziyabey Cad.No:61/6 Balgat-ANKARA/TURKEY Phone:+90312 419 17 86 – Fax: +90312 419 17 16

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