Kayseri Exclusive

Kayseri Exclusive

 

President Abdullah Gül along with First Lady Hayrünnisa Gül paid a three-day domestic visit to their hometown, the province of Kayseri, where he stressed the economic and industrial dynamism of the city. President Gül also visited Abdullah Gül University named after him and Nuh Naci Yazgan University as part of his program in Kayseri.

As the first leg of his program, President Gül, attending the inauguration ceremony of the carpet factory in his hometown, the province of Kayseri, reiterated that no one can obtain their aims by resorting to violence and terrorism and called on those who were involved in terrorism to relinquish these inhumane activities. Thus, he said the four corners of the country will enjoy development in the best way, pointing to the robust pillars the Turkish economy is rising on.

He further shared his happiness that they had opened 139 new factories in the organized industry zone of Kayseri in only 7-8 years, so he said these factories provided employment for many people, lauding the administration of the Turkish economy for implementing the necessary precautions in timely fashion, thus consolidating the economy while those of Europe were suffering from big crises. President Gül further urged Turkish entrepreneurs to invest more, in which way he said the whole country will be proud of their successes.

The President and Hacı Mustafa Boydak afterwards cut the ribbon that symbolized the official opening of the factory. President Gül was also given a carpet on which his portrait was knitted.

The President later had luncheon with workers and the administration of the carpet factory.

Participating in the groundbreaking and inauguration ceremony at Nuh Naci Yazgan University in Kayseri during which he also presented plaques to philanthropists, President Gül pointed to the importance of writing a new law regarding the Board of Higher Education (YOK) and universities.

Congratulating the administration of Nuh Naci Yazgan University and those who have contributed to its establishment on succeeding in raising its education standards, the President recalled that he during the first year of his university education in Istanbul stayed at the ‘Kayseri Dorms’, which served as the second home for many students like him from Kayseri, for which he remembered the then philanthropists with gratitude, pointing to the huge budget the government allocated for education in the last decade.

The President further laid an emphasis upon writing a new law regarding the universities and the Board of Higher Education (YOK) and evinced his hope that it will be tackled by MPs in the new legislative year, underscoring the importance of providing amenities and necessary facilities for universities.

“The students graduating from our universities should be able to work in any part of the world. The more foreign students and foreign academicians with great qualities in our universities, the better it is for our students in terms of their meeting with different cultures,” he said.

Rector Prof. Dr. Kerim Güney extended his thanks to President Gül for being with them and as for Board of Trustees Chairman Mustafa Nevzat Özhamurkar, he also offered his gratitude to the President for lending his corroboration for Nuh Naci Yazgan University.

President Gül afterwards presented gold medallions to the following for their contribution to the university: Kayseri Mayor Mehmet Özhaseki; Kayseri Chamber of Industry Chairman Mustafa Boydak; Kayseri Chamber of Commerce Chairman Asaf Mehmetbeyoğlu; Organized Industry Zone Chairman Ahmet Hasyüncü and other philanthropists. He later inaugurated some buildings by cutting the ribbon.

The President also laid the foundations of Süleyman Çetinsaya Education and Culture Center, the Research and Development Center and lodging buildings on the campus.

The First Couple afterwards visited Emel-Mehmet Tarman Pediatric Hospital where they chatted with the chidren receiving treatment there and gave some presents to them as well. President Gül also presented plaque to the Tarmans.

President Gül later met with citizens during his visit to Karpuzatan Hoby Garden where they grow vegetables.

The President then visited the Kayserispor facilities where he was presented a uniform with the number 38, which is the plate number of Kayseri.

Mayor Mehmet Özhaseki, during the President’s visit to the Erciyes Winter Sports and Tourism Center where he also had breakfast, informed him about the facilities and the Erciyes Master Plan.

The President, afterwards, performed the Friday Prayer at the historic Camii Kebir which dates back to the 13th century and visited some malls around the area and chatted with shop owners in the Kazancılar Bazaar. Along the road to the bazaar, citizens displayed great enthusiasm for the President.

Exploring the Mimar Sinan Organized Industry Zone in the province of Kayseri, his hometown, President Gül mentioned the industry zones as one of the areas Turkey is the most successful in.

The President, sharing his happiness that the industry zones in the country are equipped with the most modern technology, said activities such as industrial, commercial and agricultural ones should be conducted as per the contemporary needs, which he noted will enhance the effectiveness but decrease costs, referring to the state’s corroboration for such industrial zones with huge factories as well as small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The President further maintained that Abdullah Gül University, which is close to the Mimar Sinan Industry Zone, will be a university that is technology-oriented, so he said there should be cooperation between the industry zones and the four universities in Kayseri.

President Gül afterwards inspected the construction of the foreign languages building of Abdullah Gül University, named after him.

President Gül met with industrialists, businessmen and representatives of NGOs during dinner as well.

President Abdullah Gül, on the third day of his visit, had breakfast with citizens and explored the Kayseri Marina by the Yamula Dam in Kayseri.

The First Couple afterwards enjoyed lunch at the Tekir Yaylası (Tekir Upland) and were informed about the Erciyes projects being conducted.

Completing their program in the province of Kayseri, they left for Istanbul.