Turkish-Greek Media and Academy Forum Panels

The Turkiye Research Foundation (TAV) and the Institute of Global Affairs (IGA) are honored to announce the panel series on “Exploring Shared Interests and Opportunities for Cooperation” in the fields of economy and tourism, a continuation of the Turkish-Greek Media and Academy Forum previously held in Istanbul and Athens. This event will take place on May 11, 2024, at The Marmara Taksim in Istanbul.

The event will concentrate on exploring the cooperation and shared interests between Turkiye and Greece. The program will commence with a video message from Kostas Fragoyiannis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, followed by an opening speech by Prof. Dr. Fahrettin Altun, Head of Communications of the Republic of Turkiye. These opening remarks will set the stage for strategic discussions aimed at strengthening the bridges between the two countries.

The first panel, “Areas of Economic Cooperation between Turkiye and Greece,” will be moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Enes Bayraklı, Deputy Chair of TAV. This session will explore the current state of trade, investment opportunities, and collaborative initiatives that can benefit both countries. Panelists include Adnan Polat, Chairman of the Turkish-Greek Business Council; Byron Nikolaides, Chairman and CEO of PeopleCERT; Prof. Nikolaos Vettas, Professor at Athens University of Economics and Business and General Director of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research – IOBE; and Prof. Dr. Zuhal Mert Uzuner from Marmara University. This session will present an in-depth discussion on the future of economic cooperation between the two countries.

The second panel, “Potential for Partnership in Tourism,” will be moderated by Prof. Dr. Constantinos Filis, International Relations Professor in American College of Greece and  Director of Institute of Global Affairs (IGA). This session will focus on how both countries can enhance their tourism sectors and adopt sustainable tourism practices. Panelists include Panagiotis Christofas, Mayor of Mytilini; Maria Sarafoglou, Director of Aegean Airlines Turkiye; Prof. Dr. Volkan Altıntaş from İzmir Katip Celebi University and Board Member of the Association of Tourism Writers and Journalists; Ioanna Dretta, President of Marketing Greece and CEO of REDS S.A, Ellaktor group; and Alen Lepan, Economy News Editor at Daily Sabah. This session will offer strategies on how geography, shared values, and socio/cultural heritage can be more effectively utilized to expand areas of cooperation in the tourism sectors of both countries.

This event aims to enhance the economic and tourism collaboration and understanding between the two countries and to build a sustainable bridge of cooperation between Turkiye and Greece.