All posts by : İNGEV

As INGEV, we are approaching to the end of HOPES project, conducted with BAUMUS (Bahçeşehir University Urban and Refugee Research Centre) with the support of EU MADAD Fund.

Seminars on the Access of Syrian Refugees to Higher Education continue in cooperation with, SGDD-ASAM, Istanbul Aydın University, TOMER, Avcılar People’s Education Center, Kızılay Bağcılar Community Center.

To the seminars held as a part of “Education is a Must” Call Center Project, young Syrian students have participated.  During these meetings, the barriers on the schooling of refugees and university entrance and the potential solutions were discussed. BAUMUS director, Ulaş Sunata, has given a speech on involving the Syrian youth in the wider and more competitive higher education system, and the importance of comprehensive education.

From SGDD-ASAM Seminar:

From Istanbul Aydın University ve TOMER Seminar:

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From Avcılar People’s Education Center Seminar:

From Kızılay Bağcılar Community Center Seminar:

With the coordination of Istanbul Policy Center (IPC) Sabancı University and Stiftung Mercator Initiative, panel on “Syrians in Turkey” has been hosted, and a report on “The Role of Civil Society on the Encouragement of Pluralism” was introduced at Minevra Han, Karakoy.

During the first part of the panel, the issues on the present situation of Syrian refugees and the policies executed since their arrival were discussed. The panel continued with topics on health, labor, civil society and its relation to the integration of Syrians.

In the session moderated by Mercator-IPM Research Fellowship Program Coordinator Pelin Oguz, IPM researchers Souad Osseiran and Kristen Biehl, and head of INGEV Vural Çakır have given their speeches.

During his presentation, INGEV President Vural Çakır shared data extracted from the “Potential Areas for Companies Established by Syrians” prepared with the cooperation of INGEV-IPM common initiative ActHuman Social Inclusion Hub. At the end of the panel, Mr. Çakır answered questions related to social cohesion and financial integration of Syrians in Turkey.

In cooperation with Building Markets and Habitat Association and within the scope of “Refugee Entrepreneurship Support Project”, INGEV Entrepreneurship Support Center Opening Cocktail was organized with the participation of representatives from civil society organizations, INGOs and Turkish business sector.

Representatives from DEİK, Kızılay, İSTESOB, UNHCR, Sultanbeyli Municipality, UnitedWork, SIAD (Syrian Businessmen Association), SEF (Syrian Economic Forum), Syrian Associations Platform, Save the Children, Refugees Association and our project partners from Habitat Association and Building Markets have participated to the opening cocktail.

INGEV Entrepreneurship Support Center gives consultancy and guidance on mentorship, training, establishment and access to business networks for actualizing the business ideas of Syrian entrepreneurs and increase the capacities of existing enterprises.

Yaşar University hosted an international workshop titled “Integration of Refugees into Higher Education: Comparative Country Cases” on the 5th of December. With the participation of representatives from different countries’ universities, public institutions, and international organizations, INGEV’s “Education is a Must” Call Center Project’s outputs were shared during an international workshop.

Within the scope of EU Regional Trust Fund, “Education is a Must” Call Center Project has been conducted by INGEV and Bahçeşehir University with the cooperation of HOPES Regional Program, Germany Academic Exchange Services, British Council, Campuse France and Nuffic. The ongoing call center aims to provide counseling support to young potential Syrian students applying for admission to the universities’ undergraduate degrees, sharing information about the application procedures, scholarship and dormitory opportunities, language courses and so on.

International Labor Organization (ILO) and INGEV co-hosted a workshop on December 5^th on how to improve new work opportunities for Syrian refugees and host community in the sector of garment manufacturing in Istanbul.

As a part of the project, consulted by Prof. Murat Şeker of Istanbul University, the data driven from the findings of chain analysis research were discussed during the round table meetings with representatives from business sector and civil society.

Associations participated to the workshop:  

-Istanbul Chamber of Industry (İSO) – Mahir Eller

-Textile Employer’s Syndicate of Turkey

-Istanbul Textile & Apparel Exporters Association (İTKİB)

-Turkish Clothing Manufacturers’ Association (TGSD)

-Hosiery Manufacturers’ Association (ÇSD)

-Merter Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association

-United Work

-Boyner

-Suteks Tekstil

-Mirimalist

-Agen Tex.

In the context of Human Development Index-Districts (HDI-D), mayors of districts, which perform “The Highest Human Development”, were awarded. Following the Brand Week conference, the award ceremony took place on the 9th of November.  Before the ceremony, the chairman of the HDI-D project, Prof. Murat Şeker, gave a speech on the process and the features of the work. INGEV chairman Vural Çakır talked about the need for the management philosophy and application strategy for human development, and how he is proud of INGEV’s work supporting human development.

Mayors of Beşiktaş, Kadıköy, Çankaya, Çekmeköy, Ümraniye, Şişli, Nilüfer, Muratpaşa, Karşıyaka, Tepebaşı, Bakırköy, Maltepe, Üsküdar, Yenimahalle, Sarıyer, Ataşehir, İzmit, Avcılar, and Beylikdüzü received awards from INGEV chairman, Vural Çakır.

INGEV hosted an important session at Kartepe Summit convened under the theme “Migration, Refugee and Humanity” on 26-27-28^th of October.

INGEV Chairman Vural Çakır moderated the session “An Overview of Syrian Entrepreneurship and Development Opportunities” addressing refugee businesspersons and entrepreneurs.   Other speakers of the session were Chairman of Syrian Economic Forum (SEF) Tamam Albaroudi, co-founder of Ejadjob.com and Liliom Company Mohammad Kawsara, and CEO of MoreDesign Architecture, a woman refugee entrepreneur Sima Al Kanawati.

At the beginning of the session, INGEV chairman Vural Çakır presented crucial chapters of INGEV’s recent report titled “Potential Areas for Companies Founded by Syrians” and shared 11 key points for increasing the contribution of refugee entrepreneurship to the Turkish economy. Chairman of SEF Tamam Albaroudi, whose organization has supported İNGEV in the writing of the report contributed Çakır’s presentation with updated information on Syrian businesses operating in Turkey.

The session continued with the success stories of two prominent Syrian entrepreneurs in Turkey, Mohamad Kawsara and Sima Al Kanawati.