The Osmanbey Business People Association (OTİAD) organized a celebration program on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.
The program, held on Wednesday, October 16th, brought together prominent figures such as İsmail Gülle, the President of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), Ali Fuat Türkel, the District Governor of Şişli, Mustafa Gültepe, the President of the Istanbul Apparel and Clothing Exporters’ Association, Ahmet Öksüz, the President of the Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association, and representatives of various NGOs. Gıyasettin Eyyüpkoca, the President of LASİAD, represented the association at the event.
Assessing the developments of the past 20 years in his speech during the program, OTİAD President Rıdvan Kandağ stated that Osmanbey has become a region that produces some of Turkey’s and the world’s most valuable brands. Kandağ emphasized the leading role of OTİAD, the pioneer civil society organization in the textile sector, with its nearly 800 members influencing around 2,600 companies, saying, “Osmanbey Textile Business People Association (OTİAD) was established on August 2, 1999. With its nearly 800 members, OTİAD has led the transformation of Osmanbey. Today, Osmanbey stands as a modern, clean, and reliable open-air shopping center. In terms of design and production, Osmanbey is the gateway of Istanbul opening to the world of fashion.”
Following a visit aimed at supporting the Peace Spring Operation carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces in the border town of Akçakale, TİM President İsmail Gülle, who joined the evening event, expressed: “First and foremost, in the Peace Spring Operation conducted at our borders, it is necessary to support the just struggle of the Turkish Armed Forces as the Turkish Exporters Assembly, our exporter unions, and our associations, to make them feel that they are not alone in this struggle, to understand what this struggle means for our country, and to unite. May Allah crown them with victory in a very short time. Let’s have days when we experience such beautiful atmospheres without terrorism and discuss business together.”
Congratulating OTİAD on its 20th anniversary, İsmail Gülle continued his speech: “I have been in this sector for 45 years; I have visited every place where textiles are located, including Osmanbey, Merter, and Laleli. Today, successful brands and ready-to-wear manufacturers have emerged from among us, and their success has raised our country’s exports to over 180 billion dollars. You are the owners of this success; it happened thanks to the respect you have for the work you do and the love you show for it. As the Exporters Assembly, we appreciate and congratulate your success. Today, you have turned the beautiful works you have done into branded exports measured in billions of dollars. I sincerely congratulate all of you.”
