Turkish Image No 1.

This article is published in Turkish Weekly of January 13, 2007.

Branding of a country has become an important issue in the world of today. Whether we like it or not the globalization trend enforces countries to compete with each other.
Self supporting economies, which Turkey was until the beginning of the 1980’s, are an anachronism today. For those who still believe in that, look at Zimbabwe or North Korea and what it became.

Branding a country is not only for the attention, respect and trust of
investors, or for the hard valuation of the tourists, it must tell the story about a country which respects and gains developments throughout its social, political and economical decisions.

The image of a country is also made by the products which they sell abroad
Do we care about what these consumers think? Are they essential for our image? Yes. And are Turkish Vestel, Beko or Arcelik brand names in West Europe? No. In Poland? Maybe.

Read the article here

Less serious

Just back from a short trip to Bodrum, South Turkey. New Year's Eve and Bayram, the Holy religious days for Muslims, started on the same day; December 31st of 2006.
And, my first time in Bodrum and I am living for almost 5 years in Turkey.
I know, you are not supposed to write these (bad) things down; but the colors, the houses, architecture in Bodrum, is all that Turkish, Ottoman or Greek? hm....
Anyway, Istanbul got my heart and I became less seriously sensitive about the hostility between the Greeks and Turks. In the end, they all have to sit around one table...negotiate.

Happy 2007 to all!!! And especially those in Cyprus!