Mr. Aykut Eken
Chairman of the Organizing Committee
of the 9th FICAC World Congress of Consuls
Honorary Consul General of Jamaica to Turkey
I wish to express my sincere greetings to the participants of the 9th World Congress of Consuls, and extend a warm welcome to those participants coming from abroad. I join all those who wish that this important Conference concludes successfully, fruitfully and will always remain as a memorable event.
The globalization process continues to evolve with all its might. As such, social interaction has to keep up with this powerful pace. Falling behind can sow seeds of conflict, as we sadly come across on many occasions around the globe.
In this regard, the International Federation of Consular Associations performs an important function in bringing peoples together and fostering mutual understanding. The basic mindset behind Turkey’s foreign policy actually overlaps with the desires for much higher levels of global peace and stability. This is in fact what Honorary Consuls aim at too. So we continue to rely on their determined endeavours towards a better world. On behalf of the Turkish Nation, I wish to thank them for their efforts.
I hope you will enjoy your stay in Izmir. Having hosted so many civilizations throughout history, I think that organizing this important Conference in this beautiful city seems most appropriate.
Abdullah Gul
President
