INTRODUCTION OF BURSA AND BUSIAD

Bursa is situated about 160 miles south of Istanbul which is the biggest city of Turkey. Ultimately being very near to Istanbul , Bursa is one of the most prominent cities. It only takes 3 quarters of an hour to go to well known ski-resort, half an hour to sea side and 2.5 hours to Istanbul by car. Bursa was the first capital of Ottoman Empire and therefore has very many historical attractions. The city has 2 million inhabitants. Bursa has twice the income per capita than Turkey’s avarage. An international airport has been started operations this year. The oldest but now biggest industrial sector is textile. Probably most of you are aware of Turkish textile products. Three major car factories Renault, Peugeot of France and Fiat of Italy are operating in Bursa. Last year Bursa produced 69 % of the tomato paste, 62 % of the thetotal frozen food and 47 % of the canned food of Turkey’s total demand.

BUSIAD As it is very well known Voluntary Organisations of Civil Society are indispensable elements of democracy and especially Industrialists and Businessmen Associations known as SIAD’s in Turkey are very effective on economical, social and political fields. BUSIAD was founded in 1978 and today it has 272 members. 44 members are from service, 36 members are from commercial and 192 members are from industrial sectors. They represent 1.000 companies and more than 120.000 employees. Annual exports of BUSIAD members is 10 Billion $ in the year of 2005. In Turkey there are more than 300 SIAD s.Even in Bursa there are 28 SIAD s.There is no organic link among these and they operate individually. By leadership of TUSIAD Industrialists and Businessmen Association of Turkey situated in Istanbul and by joint efforts of BUSIAD every year some 70 SIAD s come together at a Summit Meeting and work on a pre - defined subject.These meetings are held at a different city every year and decided results are declared by a reprort. For example, First meeting was in Istanbul and the subject was Turkish Economy Second was in Bursa and the subject was Reforms on Politics Third was in mersin and the subject was Reform on Economy and next meeting will be held in Denizli on September 23, 2004. This is a very good example how Voluntary Organisations of civil Society works democratically. BUSIAD is the second oldest and biggest Business Association in Turkey after TUSIAD and acts as bridge between TUSIAD and the other businessmen associations formed in Asia Minor.

BUSIAD
THE INDUSTRIALISTS AND BUSINESSMEN
ASSOCIATION OF BURSA