The Power of Türkiye Awards, organized within the scope of the 34th anniversary of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MÜSİAD), took place with the participation of Vice President of Türkiye Cevdet Yılmaz, Minister of Treasury and Finance of the Republic of Türkiye Mehmet Şimşek, Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye Mehmet Fatih Kacır, President of MÜSİAD Mahmut Asmalı, leading representatives of the business world, academics, artists and members of the press.


The MÜSİAD Power of Türkiye Awards Ceremony took place with the participation of Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, ministers and representatives of the business world. At the ceremony, where the Jury Special Award also found its owner alongside awards in 9 categories, many names from the business world, academia and the bureaucracy were in attendance. At the Power of Türkiye Awards Ceremony, where MÜSİAD's 34th anniversary was also celebrated, a watermelon-slice lapel pin representing Palestine and various activities were featured.

The opening speeches of the ceremony were delivered by Power of Türkiye Awards Executive Board Chairman Tahir Tuluk, President of MÜSİAD Mahmut Asmalı and Vice President of Türkiye Cevdet Yılmaz. At the ceremony, where Minister Şimşek and Minister Kacır also spoke while presenting awards, Power of Türkiye Awards Executive Board Chairman Tahir Tuluk emphasized MÜSİAD's 34th anniversary and said: “As a mighty 34-year-old plane tree representing Türkiye's productive power, we have created a more comprehensive platform under the roof of the Power of Türkiye Awards Ceremony by bringing together representatives from every field of the business world, academics, politicians, artists and members of the press.”


The Motivation of the Business World for 34 Years

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Power of Türkiye Awards Executive Board Chairman Tahir Tuluk stated that MÜSİAD has been providing motivation to the business world for 34 years through its activities and projects.

In his speech, Tuluk said:

“As MÜSİAD, God willing, we will continue on our path and sustain this blessed march with our projects, which we have been carrying out for 34 years and through which we provide great motivation to everyone in the business world. Tonight we will witness a ceremony in which successful and exemplary names will be awarded in the various categories of the Power of Türkiye Awards. Among the awards to be presented in 9 different categories, the winners in each category will be a source of inspiration not only in their own fields but for all of Türkiye. Tonight a special Jury Special Award reflecting MÜSİAD's spiritual strength and vision will also find its owner.” he said.


Emphasis on Unity and Togetherness

In his speech, President of MÜSİAD Mahmut Asmalı spoke about the just stance of Palestine, the OVP and the activities of MÜSİAD. In his speech at the ceremony, President Asmalı also stated that MÜSİAD, which in its history approaching 35 years has undertaken very important works and major organizations and activities, is one of Türkiye's most important civil society organizations.

Providing information about MÜSİAD's activities and projects, President of MÜSİAD Mahmut Asmalı said that their aim is to provide motivation by rewarding production, young entrepreneurship, women's entrepreneurship, values, academic knowledge, sustainability and transformation, virtuous entrepreneurship — in short, the investment and research activities that produce added value for Türkiye. At the same time, touching in his speech on what is happening in Palestine, Asmalı said that Israel disregards all law and human rights. Continuing his speech, Asmalı said:

"The genocide and massacre that Israel has been committing in Gaza since 7 October have crossed all red lines and deeply wounded the conscience of humanity. Backed by the USA and some European countries, Israel has been slaughtering innocent civilians, children, women, journalists and humanitarian aid workers for more than 7 months. From here we once again strongly condemn and denounce this barbaric genocide carried out by murderous Israel. It is now necessary to underline a truth: the current international system, which cannot produce justice and peace, has gone bankrupt. Until now, in the words of our esteemed President, we used to say 'The world is bigger than five.' Now, after these events in Palestine, we must all together say 'The world is bigger than one.' It is clearly seen that one country and the will that governs it are dragging the entire world and all of humanity into chaos. This mentality disregards the urgent ceasefire decision taken by the United Nations General Assembly on 25 March, saying 'It is null and void.' From now on the most important step to be taken against this mentality must be an economic embargo. Trade with Israel is not an economic loss but a humanitarian gain.” he said.

At the same time, Asmalı also stated that together with MÜSİAD members they had sent 150 thousand food parcels to Palestine.

Emphasizing unity and togetherness in his speech at the ceremony, President Asmalı said: “As MÜSİAD, for years our whole effort has been unity, our entire intention togetherness, and our only passion the well-being of our country. God willing, as we walk this path, we will always join hands and work tirelessly with the enthusiasm of adding strength to Türkiye's power. Because we know very well that if we are together we become stronger, if we are One and Together our voice rings out louder against oppression, and we gain a greater say economically.”


“All the figures are progressing in line with the OVP”

Conveying that Türkiye acquired a strong economic program with the Medium-Term Program (OVP) announced in September 2023 at the end of a lengthy consultation mechanism, Asmalı underlined that with the OVP the uncertainty and lack of planning in the business world had also disappeared.

In his speech Asmalı noted the following:

"Similarly, the data for the first 4 months of 2024 are progressing in line with this plan. Therefore we must all support this soundly functioning program with patience and determination. On the other hand, although inflation rates are generally in line with the OVP, they are still running very high in areas such as food and services. We too are eagerly awaiting inflation to begin falling permanently from the beginning of this summer. At precisely this point I would like to recall one of our proverbs: 'By the time the water reaches the lake, the frog's eyes will have burst.' Amid the contraction and slowdown experienced in the markets as a result of high interest rates and the accompanying monetary tightening, the expectation of all of us is to get through the critical months ahead without anyone's eyes bursting. In this sense it is very important that steps easing the market be taken in certain doses.”


Türkiye continues on its path by developing

Speaking at the Power of Türkiye Awards Ceremony, Vice President of Türkiye Mr. Cevdet Yılmaz thanked the MÜSİAD family for pioneering such a program honouring the business people and young entrepreneurs who contribute to Türkiye's strengthening both locally and internationally. Stating that MÜSİAD has been an organization that has left its mark on the Turkish economy and democracy since the day it was founded, Yılmaz said: ''MÜSİAD always stood in the right place in the elimination of all kinds of tutelage centres in our country and in civilian administrations and the national will becoming dominant. Throughout its 34-year history, MÜSİAD members have worked with extraordinary effort and devotion for the development of our country and have always stood by our nation." Emphasizing that MÜSİAD members once again displayed an exemplary stance with the spirit of mobilization they showed in the 6 February earthquakes, he said: "MÜSİAD, which is not limited to our country alone, has demonstrated its commitment to humanitarian values with the helping hand it has extended to the oppressed people of Gaza, who have been persecuted by the Israeli administration's crimes against humanity since 7 October. MÜSİAD's noble stance and benevolence will always be a source of pride for us."

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz stated that the economy is not going through a very positive period internationally and said that despite this Türkiye continues on its path by increasing its growth figures.

Yılmaz said: “Despite the contraction in demand in the world and the slowdown in economic activity, Türkiye closed last year with growth of 4.5 percent. We are talking about a year in which the world grew by around 3 percent. Thus, despite all these adverse conditions, Türkiye delivered an economic performance above that of the world."


Our priority is inflation

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz emphasized that growth, employment, budget balances, exports and tourism have performed well, while the main problem is inflation, and continued his speech as follows:

"At present the most fundamental problem and priority both for our citizens and for us is now inflation. When preparing the Medium-Term Program as well, we defined this as the fundamental problem. With a medium-term perspective, with multifaceted policies and instruments, on the one hand through monetary and fiscal policy and on the other through structural reforms, we demonstrated our will to solve this problem. With the extremely strong will of our esteemed President we shared our Medium-Term Program. We also prepared the program in a participatory manner. We met with the business world. We held consultations with working segments, with civil society, with unions, with the academic world, with all segments. Then we shared it with society. Thus, just as we eliminated political uncertainties, we also eliminated policy uncertainties in the general elections held last year. Reducing uncertainties is important both for human psychology and for the economy. The more you reduce uncertainties and the more you increase predictability, the more you raise economic performance. Therefore we achieved this in our program. As long as you do not bring inflation down, whatever you do in wage increases, after a while inflation erodes it. On the other hand, inflation creates an unjust structure. It is a process that more adversely affects those on low, limited and fixed incomes. Therefore, both in terms of economic predictability and in terms of social justice, bringing inflation down is very, very important for us, and we are focused on this." he said.

Awards found their owners in a total of 10 categories

The Power of Türkiye Awards, which form the umbrella platform of the events organized within the scope of MÜSİAD's 34th anniversary, presented awards in 10 categories, 9 of them main categories and 1 the Jury Special Award. At the event held under the main sponsorship of Turkcell

Prof. Dr. Burcu Özsoy - Power of Academia

İbrahim Ceylan - Power of Values

Musa Akgül - Power of Transformation

Özgür Bayraktar (Turan APP) - Power of the Young Entrepreneur

Nezihe Filiz Toker - Power of Women

Turkish Airlines - Power of the Brand

Yayla Agro - Power of Sustainability

GZT - Power of Communication

Yıldız Holding - Power of Production

Prof. Dr. Sadettin Ökten - won the Jury Special Award.