Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The program, which began with an opening speech by D-8 Secretary-General Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, brought together university students from D-8 member countries; Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye, along with expert representatives from various institutions. Aimed at strengthening dialogue and cooperation among young people, the program addressed topics such as entrepreneurship, innovation, artificial intelligence, future skills, and regional cooperation.

In her speech, Deren Öztürk Mataracı, Vice Chair of the TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Council, provided information about the council’s structure and its activities across all 81 provinces; she also detailed the council’s efforts to foster an entrepreneurial culture through education, mentoring, and collaborations with universities and high schools, as well as projects supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Öztürk Mataracı emphasized that youth entrepreneurship requires courage and determination; she encouraged young people to have confidence in their ideas, not to shy away from taking risks, and not to be afraid to take the first step on their entrepreneurial journey.