The goal of 'Izmir, the capital of creativity' is not a dream

Alp Avni Yelkenbiçer, President of Aegean Young Businessmen Association (EGIAD), who moderated the panel on 'creative entrepreneurship' held online within the framework of Izmir University of Economics (IUE) GençYaratıcı Festival, said that the way to a strong economy is through investment in creativity. Yelkenbiçer, who is also a graduate of IUE Logistics Management Master's Program, said, “We work and produce projects by keeping the issue of creative industries on our agenda. Investing in creativity is an important element for the future of a strong economy. Izmir can become the capital and epicenter of creative industries. This goal is not a utopia or a dream, we must work for it.”

The GençYaratıcı Festival, organized for the second time this year by Izmir University of Economics to bring together the leading names of the communication and advertising industry with the students, hosted panels with special guests. At the festival attended by thousands of young people from all over Turkey and broadcast live on YouTube, EGIAD President Alp Avni Yelkenbiçer was both the guest and moderator of the 'creative entrepreneurship' panel. Other guests of the panel, who have achieved many successes in their fields, Koç Inventram CEO Cem Soysal, TBWA Worldwide International President Cem Topçuoğlu and ACE Game CEO Hakan Baş answered Yelkenbiçer's questions and evaluated the development of the creative industries and their future vision. The one-hour-long program, which inspires young people on creative entrepreneurship, can be watched again on the GençYaratıcı YouTube channel.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ENCOURAGE YOUTH

Delivering the opening speech of the panel, President Yelkenbiçer stated that as EGIAD, they have conducted many studies in the field of entrepreneurship and creativity. Yelkenbiçer said, “Encouraging the work of young people in the field of development of creative industries and creating areas where they will receive education and develop themselves is very important. Young people need to develop their creativity, perform valuable works in the creative industries, and turn their unlimited imagination into reality. We continue our work with that in mind. In addition to realizing new projects, we also support projects developed by various institutions. The vision of Izmir as the capital of creative industries is not a utopia. However, taking the necessary steps with determination, further strengthening the cooperation between university-industry-non-governmental organizations is of great importance.”

WE WILL CONTINUE THE PROJECTS

Yelkenbiçer, who also gave information about the projects they are in cooperation with, stated that they work with IUE on many projects. Yelkenbiçer said, “We continue our work in the 'Create in Izmir' project, which aims to make our city the focal point of creativity by producing projects in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation, in which Izmir University of Economics, Izmir Development Agency (IZKA), Izmir Foundation and Aegean Young Businessmen Association are stakeholders. We also have a new project where we aim to enable entrepreneurs in creative industries to have international network, training, and interaction. Our new project studies on creative industries will continue with global partners. We will continue to work with the aim of producing new projects that will contribute to the development of Izmir, our youth and our country.”