AFRIKAM SIMBA Meetings with IAU Students from African Countries
IAU AFRİKAM organizes monthly AFRİKAM SIMBA Meetings with the participation of IAU students from African countries and discuss Centers activities with them, to get their contribution and plan future activities. Here are the future activities decided for Spring 2016 term with the contribution of students at SIMBA Meetings: organizing African Film Screenings, establishing publishing committee for AFRİKAM Bulletin, which will be published monthly, with the participation of IAU African students, organizing a space for African DVD and books at the new IAU Library, inviting Turkish businessmen doing business in Africa to the University to meet with students and share with them their experiences.
African Students Meet with Turkish Business Community-1
The number of international students coming from African countries to Turkey has exceeded three thousand per year. Five thousand of those students are having theirs studies in Istanbul Aydın University. We should use the opportunities provided by international education to promote interaction and assure engagement of this young African students with Turkish society, and we should also benefit from those students who are learning Turkish language and society to develop relations between Turkish and African business communities. With this purpose in mind, we attended to Nigeria Eko Atlantic Project Meeting organized by DEİK Turkey-Nigeria Business on the 15th of October 2015 with IAU Masters students from Nigeria and Cameroun. Before the meeting, Students met Mr. Peirre Edde, Business Development Director of South Energyx, the Developer of the Nigeria Eko Atlantic Project, and other participant Turkish companies, and then they attended to the networking meeting.
Working Luncheon on Education Diplomacy with Africa held in Ankara
Working Luncheon on Education Diplomacy with Africa was held on the 2nd of December, by Istanbul Aydın University (IAU) Africa Studies Center and Foreign Economic Relations Board of DEİK, at Ankara Rixos Hotel.
The Meeting was organized with the participation of Diplomatic Mission Chefs and Counselors from African Countries in Ankara, and Dr. Mustafa Aydın, President of IAU, Mr. Mithat Yenigün, Vice-President of DEİK, Mr. Tamer Taşkın, Coordinating Chairman of Turkey-Africa Business Councils, Dr. Kerem Kınık, Deputy President of Red Crescent, Dr. Şaban Çobanoğlu, Deputy President of Yunus Emre Institute, Mr. Sefa Yahşi, General Coordinator of Turkish National Agency, Doç. Dr. İlker Murat Ar, Director General, Science and Technology Department, Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, Mr. Ergüç Ülker, Head of Africa Department, Ministry of Economy, Mr. Deniz Doğan and Mr. Atılgan Ulutaş from Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), DEİK Africa Business Council Chairmen, administrators and academics from Başkent University, Hacettepe University, Yıldırım Beyazıt University and Ankara University. It was moderated by Prof. Dr. Sedat Aybar, Director of AFRİKAM.
Click here to Access the final report of the Working Luncheon on Education Diplomacy with Africa.
Roundtable Meeting with DEİK Health Tourism Business Council
Roundtable meeting on health tourism with Africa was organized by Istanbul Aydın University (IAU) Africa Studies Center (AFRİKAM) and DEİK Health Tourism Business Council Executive Committee, on the 21st of January 2016, at DEİK premises. Actual situation in healthcare tourism with Africa and problems encountered by the sector were discussed at the meeting.
It was agreed to organise a Workshop on Health Diplomacy with Africa, with the participation of Ambassadors of African Countries in Ankara, representatives from related public and government offices including Ministries of Health, Foreign Affairs and Economy, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, Turkish Airlines and universities, in Ankara, in March, before the Conference on Turkey-Africa relations to be organized in May, with the cooperation of DEİK and AFRİKAM.
Roundtable Meeting with Health Tourism Business Council and Turkish Airlines
We discussed the inadequacies in healtcare provision in Africa and social responsibility projects that can be developed by Turkish private sector during the roundtable meeting with DEİK Health Tourism Business Council Members and Turkish Airlines Social Reponsibility Department, in February 6th.
Mirroring Turkish Foreign Policy on South Africa
Conference titled "Mirroring Turkish Foreign Policy on South Africa" was held in February 18, at IAU Florya Campus.
Professor Mehmet Arda, Former Director of Commodities Branch in United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), compared the qualities that make Turkey and South Africa considered as regional powers in their respective regions.
Film Screening: "Xala"
Screening of "Xala", directed by Senegalese Director Ousmane Sembène, considered as the 'Father of African film" was held in March 16, at IAU Florya Campus.
Xala, meaning impotence in Wolof language and adapted from Sembène's novel of the same name, satirizes the impotence in African post-indepence governments.
African Students Meet with Turkish Business Community –II
We attend to the Business Opportunities in Uganda And Tanzania Panel organized by MÜSİAD, in cooperation with DEİK, in the 24th of March, together with our African students.
Our students had chance to meet Turkish business community doing business in Africa and be informed about the dynamics of our bilateral relations.
Workshop on Health Diplomacy with Africa held in Ankara
Istanbul Aydın University Africa Applied Research Center (AFRİKAM) and DEİK Health Tourism Business Council held Working Breakfast on Health Diplomacy in Africa, with the participation of Heads and Representatives of African Diplomatic Mission in Ankara, in March 29, 2016, in Ankara Sheraton Hotel.
Professor Yadigar İzmirli, Rector of Istanbul Aydın University, Dr. Ruşen Yıldırım, Chairman of SAİK, Professor Sedat Aybar, Director of AFRİKAM, Dr. Öner Güner, General Director of Foreign Affairs and EU in Ministry of Health, Aykut Kumbaroğlu, Deputy Director General for Africa in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mehmet Yılmaz, Head of Foreign Affairs Department in TİKA, Halis Kaya, Head of Department in General Directorate of Free Zones, Overseas Investment and Services in Ministry of Economy, Veysel Taş, Manager of Exclusive Passenger Segment in Turkish Airlines, Ambassadors and Representatives from Embassies of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Tunisia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Morocco, Gabon, Algeria, Mauritania, Uganda and Rwanda and Representatives of SAİK Member Health Groups, Ahcıbadem Health Group, Batıgöz Hospital, Neolife Medical Center, Emsey Hospital, Güven Hospital, İzmir Kent Hospital, Lokman Hekim Hospital, Bayındır Health Group, Memorial Health Group, Medical Park health Group attended the meeting.
H. E. Paul Isaac Malefane, Recently Appointed Ambassador of South Africa to Turkey visited IAU
H.E. Paul Isaac Malefane, the Recently Appointed Ambassador of South Africa to Ankara paid a visited to our University, in April 1st, within the framework of his contacts in Istanbul.
Informing the Ambassador about AFRİKAM's Activities, we also exchanged views on how to develop our academic relations with South Africa.
22nd Commemoration of the Rwandan Genocide against Tutsis
Prof. Dr. Sedat Aybar, Director of AFRİKAM, made a speech on the occasion of the 22nd Commemoration of the Rwandan Genocide, held in National Library in Ankara, on the 14th of April, by Embassy of Rwanda.
Social Sciences Talks on Africa
The Third of the Social Sciences Talks was held on Africa, in May 12, in cooperation with IAU Social Sciences Club. H.E. Williams Nkurunziza, Ambassador of Rwanda and H.E. Murat Bilhan, Former Ambassador of Turkey to Ethiophia attended the meeting as quest speakers.
Ambassador Nkurunziza, made a speech on the political and historical roots of Genocide in Rwanda in 1994. Ambassador explained the current dynamics of Rwandan socio-economic upheaval. He also commented on Rwanda's expectations from developing relations with Turkey.
Retired Ambassador Murat Bilhan talked about current regional dynamics in Africa and Turkey's engagement with the Continent.
Africa Day Celebrated at IAU
Istanbul Aydın University hosted Africa Day Celebration held in Istanbul, on the 25th of May 2016, under the auspices of Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK). Participants to the Panel on "Africa Rising in Turkey", organized on the occasion of this very special day to commemorate the founding of the Organization for African Unity, underlined the achievements of African countries in the post-independence era and discussed the challenges ahead and the areas of cooperation in education and health sectors to overcome these challenges. The Celebration also included the ceremony of "Friends of Africa" Award, presented by AFRİKAM to Journalist, Writer and Academic, Mr. Hıfzı Topuz and a photo exhibition by Yusuf Biton 'Africa, Faces'. Students had also the opportunity to explore African music and taste local African foods.
