27.05.2016 Kırşehir
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Akhism culture has a special place in our tradition. It is the root of our community. It is the first profession organization in the world. It is the organization of traders, industrialists and craftsmen.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu, during his speech at the 29th Akhism Week
Celebrations in Kırşehir, stated that those who look on from the outside see
Anatolia as just a patch of ground.
Stating that Anatolia is not the name of the land but the spirit of the
land, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “For a thousand years, this spirit
has worked the land, poured its sweat. One of the milestones of our thousand
years in this region is the akhism culture founded by Akhi Evran. Akhism
culture has a special place in our tradition. It is the root of our community.
It is the first profession organization in the world. It is the organization of
traders, industrialists and craftsmen. The global chambers and artisan systems
are copies of our akhism and guild systems of 900 years.”
Stressing the importance of knowing history, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The
business etiquette, profession standards, vocational training, intellectual and
industrial property rights foreigners are trying to teach us was taught to the
world by the Akhi culture. Bringing ethics and trade together, Akhism came to
be known as the global capital honest trade. Akhis were not just honest
traders. They knew that ethics of a society are shaped by trade and traders’
ethics. We are the guardians of this charge from the Seljuks and Ottomans.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that today’s Akhis, their community and members,
are doing business in every corner of the earth, proudly flying the Turkish
flag.
- President Erdoğan
President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, expressed his
gratitude to everyone who embodies the tenets of the Akhi traidition.
Stating that artisans and craftsmen continue to be the pillars of the
Republic of Turkey, just as they were in the Seljuk and Ottoman period, Erdoğan
said, “Overcoming the difficulties which we are facing is supported greatly by
the solidarity movement headed by our artisans and craftsmen.”
- Other speakers
Customs and Commerce Minister Bülent Tüfekci stated that the spiritual
capital of akhism is Kırşehir and that it has kept the culture alive for
centuries. Tüfenkci state that akhism is the amalgamation of trade and ethics.
Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ stated that Kırşehir is an important
milestone in the Turkification and Islamification of Anatolia with the artists
and men of science it has borne forth.
- Haji Bektash Veli Shrine visit
TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklığlu visited Haji Bektash Veli Museum and Shrine
in Nevşehir following the Akhism celebrations.