24.06.2025

TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Council Eastern Mediterranean Regional Meeting was held in Hatay on June 23-24, 2025, hosted by TOBB Hatay Young Entrepreneurs Council.

Within the scope of the meeting, Levent Hakkı Yılmaz, President of İskenderun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was visited first. Yılmaz, who expressed his satisfaction that young entrepreneurs are promising for the development of the country and expressed his satisfaction with this, gave information about the regional economy and thanked the participants for their visit.

Then, a protocol covering cooperation in the field of entrepreneurship was signed between İskenderun Technical University and TOBB Hatay Young Entrepreneurs Council.

With the signed protocol, it is aimed to establish an entrepreneurship club within the university, to support lecturers and students in the field of entrepreneurship, and to increase entrepreneurship activities. It is also aimed to realize projects that will encourage the participation of women and young people in the economy.

At the signing ceremony held at the Rectorate Office, University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Duruel; “We have signed an important cooperation in order to spread the entrepreneurship culture in our university, to support the innovative ideas of our young people and to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem. It is my wish that this protocol proves beneficial to all parties.”

Afterwards, Hatay Chamber of Commerce and Industry was visited. Information about the region was shared with the delegation hosted by Serdar Şahutoğlu, Vice Chairman of the Council of Directors.

The next day, the program started with a regional meeting where TOBB GGK Supreme Council Members, Regional Representatives, Provincial Executive Committee Presidents, Provincial Executive Committee Members, Habitat Association Representatives, Women’s Cooperatives and İskenderun Technical University students came together at the Museum Hotel Antakya.

TOBB GGK Vice Presidents Bora Caldu, Deren Öztürk Mataracı, Hakan Tarhan, Koray Bahar, TOBB Sectors and Entrepreneurship Department Head A. Saygın Baban and TOBB Hatay GGK President and Regional Representative Ali Dablan made evaluations at the regional meeting, whose opening speeches were made by TOBB GGK President Turgut Konukoğlu.

After lunch, two panels were held within the scope of the Entrepreneurship from the Meeting Point of Civilizations Event.

The first panel was titled “Entrepreneurship in the New Century: Trends and Resilience,” TOBB GGK President Turgut Konukoğlu and TOBB GGK Vice President Koray Bahar shared their experiences with the participants under the moderation of TOBB GGK Vice President Deren Öztürk Mataracı.

In the second panel “Transformation Pioneers: Real Business Models Panel,” TOBB GGK Vice President Hakan Tarhan, TOBB GGK Members Ahmet Efe Bitlis and Enis Hulli shared their experiences on technology, investment and innovation under the moderation of TOBB Hatay GGK President and Regional Representative Ali Dablan.

The program ended after the visit to Station Hatay.