Turkish mobile phone operator AVEA's CEO Erkan Akdemir received a group of students participating in the 9th International Turkish Language Olympiads on Wednesday.
Akdemir hosted the international students at his office, where students introduced themselves in Turkish and performed their songs and poems. While greeting the students, Akdemir stated that he is happy to see children of the world coming together in Turkey. Akdemir advised the students: “It is important to be in a good community in order to gain good friends. If you love the people around you and enter into a good community, you will definitely be successful.”
The Avea CEO later asked Abdurrahim Musak, a Nigerian student, “What team do you support?” The student replied, “Fenerbahçe.” Akdemir then replied, “Come and join Beşiktaş.” Akdemir also gave the same advice to Georgian Nino Kachivashvili and Afghan Hanifa Hashimi.
Akdemir joked before Abdurrahim started to read his poem, “Are you going to read us the Beşiktaş anthem?” Akdemir then asked students about their career goals, and Hashimi replied “pediatrician,” Musak “bank manager” and Kachivashvili “diplomat.” Akdemir then gave an AVEA bag with a mobile phone in it to each student.
Some 1,000 students from 130 countries have come to Turkey to participate in the 9nth International Turkish Olympiads. The foreign students received much praise as they visited government officials and various organizations in Turkey throughout the past week.
Published on Today's Zaman, 29 June 2011, Wednesday
