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ye’nin Balkanlar’da, Kafkasya’da, Orta Asya ve Orta- Evet, Marmara Grubu Vakf›, sivil kimli¤iyle bugün
do¤u’da mevcut olan istikrarl› itibar›n›n ç›tas›n›n da- dünyada kabul gören uluslararas› bir birlikteliktir.
ha da yükselmesini temin etmifl bir sivil toplum ha- On alt› y›lda Avrasya’da oluflturdu¤umuz perfor-
reketidir. mans›, bu y›l ortaya ç›kan kat›l›mlar do¤rultusunda
Avrasya yoluna ç›kt›¤›m›zda alt› ülke yan›m›zday- de¤erlendirecek olursak, ad›m›z›n yaln›z bir simge
d›. Alt› ülke ile Dedeman Oteli’nin salonlar›ndan Kaf- olarak kabul edildi¤i, gerçekte ise Çin’den Peru’ya
kasya ve Orta Asya’ya seslenerek bafllad›¤›m›z yol- uzanan bir çizgiyi kapsad›¤› görülecektir.
culu¤umuz bu y›l on alt› yafl›nda. Bu büyük bir baflar›d›r. Ve bu baflar›da imzas›
Aral›ks›z olarak on alt› y›ld›r bir sivil toplum ku- olanlar›n tamam› idealist düflüncenin sahibi bir avuç
ruluflunun, her y›l artan bir düzeyde yükseltti¤i bu insand›r. Bu bir avuç insan, adeta dünyay› s›rtlarca-
ç›ta bugün Afrika’dan, Latin Amerika’dan ses getir- s›na, elliden fazla ülkenin, iki yüzden fazla yüksek
mektedir. Bu önemli bir birlikteliktir. flahsiyete kendi mütevazi imkanlar›yla ev sahipli¤i
Demokrasi aç›s›ndan, insanlar›n gelece¤i aç›s›n- yapmaktad›r. Bana inanarak, ç›kt›¤›m yolda beni yal-
dan bar›fl ad›na diyalogla gelifltirdi¤imiz Avrasya n›z b›rakmayan dava arkadafllar›m, bar›fl ad›na, is-
Ekonomi Zirveleri’nin karakteristi¤i, sivilin davetine tikrar ad›na refah›n bölüflülmesi ad›na insanl›¤a kar-
icabet eden resmilerin, sivil inisiyatife olan yüksek fl›l›ks›z bir hizmette bulunmaktad›rlar. Kendilerine
itimatlar›d›r. minnettar›m.

Akkan Suver: The Eurasian Economic Summits officials who accept these invitations.
are part of a civil society movement that has provi- Yes, the Marmara Group Foundation, with its ci-
ded for the further advancement of Turkey’s pre- vic identity, is well accepted throughout the world
existing strength and esteem in the Balkans, Cauca- as a symbol of international unity.
sus, Central Asia and the Middle East. If we are to evaluate our performance in Eurasia
When we started out on this Eurasian journey, for the last sixteen years with reference to this ye-
there were six countries alongside us. The trip that ar’s participants, it can be said that our name is ac-
we began in the rooms of the Dedeman Hotel with cepted not just as a symbol, but as a reality that
six countries, reaching out to the Caucasus and stretches from China to Peru.
Central Asia, is now sixteen years old. This has been a great success. And those who
A civil society organization that has operated are signatories to this success are a mere handful
without interruption for sixteen years and each ye- of idealistic individuals. This handful of people
ar has increased its reach today also brings voices has used their own resources to, almost taking
from Africa and Latin America. This is an important the world on their shoulders, host more than two
cooperation. hundred high-level dignitaries from more than
From the perspective of democracy and the futu- fifty countries. As for my dear friends, who have
re of mankind the defining characteristic of the Eu- believed in me and never left me alone on this ro-
rasian Economic Summits, which we have develo- ad I have travelled in the name of peace, in the
ped through dialogue in the name of peace, is the name of stability, and the sharing of wealth, I am
high esteem for civilian initiative of the government grateful to them all.

Nisan 2013 KobiEfor 21