Activities

3rd International NGO Fair

3rd International NGOs Fair, aiming to bring international non-governmental organizations together, was realized on November 17-18 November in Yenikapı Eurasia Performance and Culture Center through the cooperation of the Union of the NGOs of the Islamic World and (UNIW) and Turkey Foundation of the Voluntary of Associations(TFVA) and with the support of the Istanbul Great Municipality. 175 organizations and more than ten thousands visitors from 40 countries participated to the fair.

During the fair, which is realized in the third time, participants presented their projects and activities and shared their accumulated knowledge in different countries, regions and sectors and their institutional experience with other organizations.

Ad. Ali Kurt, the General Secretary of the Union of the NGOs of the Islamic World, (UNIW) expressed in his opening speech that we needed to support the core dynamics and values of our ancient civilization instead of complaining of negative conditions around us and the 3. NGOs Fair was realized in an international realm and strategic axis of meeting that would provide opportunity to sharing experience and knowledge among our NGOs within a spirit of unity, being informed about the projects and activities of each other at first hand and using our power in the most productive way.

Kurt, stated that The Union had been activated with the decision of the Council of Ministers in 2005 under the status of international NGO umbrella organization and it turned out to be an umbrella organization currently uniting 350 NGOs from 65 countries and having a very important network.

Kurt emphasized that The Union was seen as a very important and strategical institution since it constituted a consultatitive ground referring to voluntariness sincerity, brotherhood on the axis of voluntary and civic initiatives. He continued as follows:

“We need to accept that this geography needs and is obliged to recognize each other. In this sense, we see the 3. International NGOs Fair as an important opportunity to pave the way for fruitful cooperations under the banner of well-being of the this umma with organizations participating from different parts of the Islamic World. During the fair, our participants will share their activities they carried out until now, their ongoing and future projects with other participant NGOs and the visitors of the fair.”

Having stated that meeting of the valuable organizations through the activity, constitutes a powerful synergy, Kurt underlined the fact that in order to defeat all games played over our geograpy in this critical period and to resist to threats, distinguished NGOs and individuals of this umma had to come together with the same purpose and objective.

After the President of Turkey Foundation of the Voluntary Associations, Ad. Hamza Akbulut, the Pacific-Asian Representative and the Vice-General Secretary Ahmet Azzam, General Director of Red Crescent, Ibrahim Altan, Honorary President of the UNIW, Necmi Sadıkoglu, President of The Unity International Lawywers (UHUB), Previous Minister of Environment and City Planning, İdris Güllüce, President of Women’s Branch Şeyma Döğücü, Deputy Group President of Ak Parti and Istanbul PM Hasan Turan, Chief Consultant of President of Republic, Ahmet Selim Köroğlu and Deputy Minister of Treasury and Finance Nurettin Nebati made their speeches.

NGOs coming from almost all corners of the world with a perspective extending from Asia- Pacific to Southern Asian countries, from Middle East to the countries of the Gulf, from Sub-saharan Africa to Europe and America opened stands and found the opportunity of sharing their activities and projects with other participant NGOs and visitors.

Along with the NGOs coming different parts of the world, the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, Ministry of Youth and Sport, YTB, Maarif Foundation, Yunus Emre Institute, Turkey Human Rights and Equality Institution, AFAD, Diyanet Foundation, Anadolu Agency, IBB and AK Party Women’s Branch also participated to the fair.

Furthermore, our Minister of Youth and Sport, Dear Dr. Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu visited our fair area, interested with all NGOs one by one and received information about their own activities.

This activity which is organized the third time, seriously contributed to the sustainable cooperation among the NGOs of the fair by ensuring participation from almost all parts of the Islamic world. As a result, meeting, synergy, and serious cooperation took place among NGOs.

Free of charge transportation was provided

Bus services from Yenikapı and Marmaray Metro Stations were provided free of charge in order to offer comfortable and easy transportation to the fair area.

Visitors received fair booklet presenting the participant organizations from different regions of Islamic world and working in different areas, in entrance hall.

Two umbrella NGO Organizations, UNIW and TGTV

The Unity of the NGOs of the Islamic World, which is of one the organizers of the fair, was founded out the decision of the Council of Ministers in 2015. It carries out its activities as an umbrella NGOs with its 350 members from 65 countries in order to establish sustainable relations among NGOs in Islamic geography Its headquarter is in Istanbul.

Other organizer of the 3. International NGOs Fair, which is supported by Istanbul Great Municipality, is Turkey Foundation of Voluntary Associations, (TFVA) is founded in 1994 in Istanbul, again as an umbrella organization: TFVA, which is focused on cooperation among NGOs as to problems of the country, has currently more than 200 members.

You can donwload 3rd International NGO Fair book from here.