The “Ahde Vefa” program organized by the Member Relations Committee of the Local High Board of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MÜSİAD) was held at the MÜSİAD Head Office.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Hasan Büyük Dede, Deputy Minister of Treasury and Finance Nurettin Nebati, our President Abdurrahman Kaan, our Founding President Erol Yarar, our 2nd Term President Ali Bayramoğlu, our 3rd Term President Ömer Bolat, our 5th Term President and DEİK Chairman Nail Olpak, İTO Chairman Şekip Avdagiç, our Members of the Board of Directors and our members who served at various levels of MÜSİAD in past terms.

President Abdurrahman Kaan, who delivered the opening speech of the program, shared his assessments on the founding of MÜSİAD and the story of how it reached the present day.

MÜSİAD Is Another Name for Struggle

Emphasizing that MÜSİAD has overcome many difficulties such as economic crises, coup attempts and closure cases over a period of 30 years, Kaan said: “That is precisely why we say MÜSİAD is another name for struggle.”

Stating that as MÜSİAD they have always believed in the power of being together and growing together, Kaan said:” While MÜSİAD, with its founding, was still struggling to break an important prejudice in the country, we experienced a disaster that still echoes in our minds with the shock of the first day even when we recall it today: February 28! This was one of the harshest storms we faced as MÜSİAD. Our presidents were put on trial, we faced the threat of closure, tax penalties were imposed on our members, we experienced police raids, we were targeted with distortions and false news. The names that today adorn screens, newspaper columns and conference halls with their eulogies of democracy were at that time wagging their index fingers and calculating how to push us out of the game. We forget nothing, we erase no frame of the oppression inflicted upon us from our memory, we do not accept it. But we no longer have any time to lose, or to make our country lose, by holding grudges.” he said.

MÜSİAD Means Love of the Homeland

Pointing out that MÜSİAD has always stood on the side of democracy, Kaan noted that they acted in line with this understanding during the July 15 Coup Attempt as well. Kaan said: “ As MÜSİAD, we set out our stance with the slogan "July 15, From Darkness to Light". In the following days, we carried out work supporting this stance. Travelling across Türkiye, we said, “The Future Is Yours, Claim It”. Both in the example of February 28 and on July 15, in every matter concerning the homeland, we were not among those who disappear while everything is ablaze and reappear once everything is back on track. Because MÜSİAD has never been a structure that shows itself when everything is going well and vanishes when the wind turns. MÜSİAD is a friend in bad times! MÜSİAD means love of the homeland!” he said.

Adding that they set out with the ideal of “High morality, advanced technology, strong Türkiye”, Kaan assessed: “ We will reach this ideal all together. As business people who believe in the abundance of these lands and in the strength of the Turkish Nation, as the children of this homeland, we will continue to produce and to grow.”

The program continued with the speeches of our former Presidents and Deputy Ministers who served during the difficult periods experienced by Türkiye and MÜSİAD. Our presidents, who shed light on MÜSİAD's recent history with their statements, emphasized that they managed to overcome the crisis periods by acting in unity and solidarity.

Plaques and gifts were presented to our participants who have been members of MÜSİAD for more than 20 years. The event concluded with a family photo shoot.