AUSTRIA

The relations between Türkiye and Austria are important not only in terms of investment and co-operation but also for the future of our countries. This union expects more entrepreneurs from us.

Marmara Group Foundation attaches great importance to the civil society relations between Türkiye and Austria.

The contributions of the Vienna Economic Forum to the development of these relations are very important. In particular, as a result of the development of our relations, which started with Dr Erhard Busek and Amb. Elena Kirstcheva, with former President Heinz Fischer, the unity over the years has led to the formation of a new vision between Vienna and Istanbul. President of Austrian Alexander Van der Bellen, who highly evaluated the services of the Marmara Group Foundation to the peace of the region, awarded Dr. Akkan Suver the Austrian State Gold Medal of Honour on November 12, 2018. As the

Marmara Group Foundation, we accept this Medal as a gift to the Turkish Nation as well as the Turkish civil society.

With this Medal awarded to Dr. Akkan Suver, the Austrian State has recognized Turkish civil society in front of Dr. Akkan Suver. The following is the speech of Dr. Akkan Suver while receiving the Austrian State Gold Medal of Honor on November 12, 2018 in Ankara.

I would like to start by thanking Her Excellency Ulrike Tilly, Ambassador of Austria to Ankara, for her dedicated and meticulous hospitality.

The Austrian State has honored my humble work in the field of civil society, which I have been carrying out together with my friends at the Marmara Group Foundation in the name of peace and dialogue, with a medal. This is a strong proof of the closeness of the Austrian State to civil society and humanitarian values and a noble example of its support. I would like you to know that receiving this medal has been a source of pride for me and my colleagues as much as it has touched me.

As a debt of loyalty, I would like to add that the Vienna Economic Forum, one of Austria's most important think tanks, with its civil society identity, has been kind enough to honor me with the Achievement Award in 2014, 2017 and 2018 for my peace and dialogue work at the Eurasian Economic Summits. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them here.

The Eurasian Economic Summits, which constitute our efforts to connect civilizations and cultures from people to people in harmony, have no other purpose and belief other than serving to ensure lasting prosperity and peace. With this belief, when the exchange of ideas is ensured under the guidance of dialogue between people, we can reach peace, more precisely, to live humanely. I do not see this medal I have received only as an honor. This medal also brings me responsibility. This responsibility is to work more in the field of service to humanity and to sign more productive projects. Three hundred years ago, on 21 July 1718, after a two-year war, the Pasarofça Peace Treaty was signed between Austrian Emperor Karl VI and Ottoman Sultan Ahmed III. Austrian statesmen wrote in Latin in the introduction to the text of this treaty; ‘Two years ago, after a bloody and destructive war between the Emperor of Austria and the most exalted and mighty sovereign and sultan Sultan Ahmed, in which the peace and armistice were interrupted by new disputes that caused great damage, distress and commercial loss to the subjects as a result of the misfortune of the Emperor of Austria and the most exalted and mighty sovereign and sultan Sultan Ahmed, it has been decided by the wisdom of God to reconcile the two empires, to reconcile the unrelenting hearts, to avoid so much bloodshed, to promote the well-being of the children of both nations and to take the best care of the subjects. ’

In the light of these wise words spoken that day, we can approach the relations between Türkiye and Austria. Austria has a geography that has produced Schubert, Freud, Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Kafka, Zweig, Romy Schneider, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Herbert von Karajan, Gustav Mahler, Nicky Lauda and Bruno Kreisky. Another important figure of this geography is Baron Joseph von Hammer. This person who gave the most realistic historical judgement about the Ottoman Empire is the backbone of our historical culture. Therefore, the spirit that brings us here today is the inheritance of culture and civilization from yesterday to today. Today, this inheritance is taking a new stage between Türkiye and Austria. I believe that this medal, which was awarded to my humble self here today, will pave the way for new associations and unions between Türkiye and Austria. Please do not consider these words as a flowery language (blumige sprache).

And I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to my spouse Müjgan Suver, who has supported me in all my civil society activities and problems, not only as a spouse but also as a true life partner, and to our children, in her person.

Once again, I would like to thank the Austrian State and our host, Her Excellency Ulrike Tilly.’
 

We lost Dr. Erhard Busek We lost Dr. Erhard Busek, one of the leading statesmen and politicians of Austrian and one of the Austrian Chancellors. Dr. Erhard Busek,who was the Chairman of the Austrian Christian Democratic Party for a while, was the pioneer of pro-peace and democracy politics in Europe. Dr. Erhard Busek, who founded the Vienna Economic Forum for the Balkan geography to be included in the European Union, was a participant and supporter of the Marmara Group Foundation and the Eurasian Economic Summits. Marmara Group Foundation will always remain faithful to the cherished memory of Dr. Erhard Busek and will not forget him.