THE AFRICAN BUSINESSWOMEN SUPPORTED “EXPO IZMIR”
Businesswomen from 13 African countries, who came to Izmir invited by Izmir Chamber of Commerce (ITO) Businesswomen Council, performed zeibek dance together with Izmir University of Economics (IUE) Folk Dance Club, and gave their full support for Izmir’s EXPO 2020 candidacy. The businesswomen from Benin, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mauritania, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Uganda, and Niger had a tour of Izmir University of Economics and met with the EXPO Scholarship students at the University.
Ekrem Demirtaş, IUE President of the Board of Trustees, hosted the businesswomen, performed zeibek dance with them and presented them silk shawls as gifts. Me Baich Sidi, spouse of Abidine Sidi, Mauritania BIE (The International Exhibitions Bureau) Member, presented local outfits to President Demirtaş and Asuman Nardalı Tokuş, Chairwoman of ITO Businesswomen Council, at the event that took place at Izmir Konağı. After the IUE Folk Dance Club performance was over, the businesswomen got on stage where, Folk Dance Club Chairman Ali Eren Aslan and club members taught the businesswomen how to dance Zeibek (Harmandalı). Later in the night, Melissa Katanda, EXPO Scholarship student at IUE from Democratic Republic of the Congo, sang local songs and cheered up the guests with her dance performances. After the event, the businesswomen had a tour of the University guided by IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Tunçdan Baltacıoğlu.
President Demirtaş stated that Africa was the key continent of EXPO, and he said, “The candidate holding African votes might win this election. Our goal is to get hold of these votes. We have close relations with Africa. We have students from Africa with EXPO Scholarship. We even graduated a few of them. We are doing the best we can not to regret anything in the end. I will be travelling to Brussels, and then to Paris. We will be in this fast-paced, high-intensity environment until the 27th of November.”
