International Organizations and Festivals

İzmir International Fair

 

  İzmir prides itself with its busy schedule of trade fairs, exhibitions and congresses. İzmir International Fair (IEF), the oldest member from Turkey of the International Union of Fairs is held every year in August–September at Kültürpark, which covers an area of 421,000 m² in the heart of the city with open-air theatres, the Painting and Sculpture Museum, art centers, amusement park, zoo, parachute tower, and other amenities. Aside from this main event, which acts as a central theme for many other secondary events, there are numerous others throughout the year. In 2007, for example, 35 national or international fairs and exhibitions were held in İzmir around the year and in relation to different areas of activity. These fairs have made great contributions to İzmir's social and cultural life.

EXPO 2020

İzmir is a global city that deserves to host the EXPO and is more than capable of doing so. 

1. The EXPO 2020 Izmir would be the first EXPO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. 

2. Izmir is situated on the most western point of the East, and the most eastern point of the West. This characteristic makes it a unique intercultural bridge between countries.

3. İzmir is only 3 hours flight distance away from 48 countries on 3 continents.

The EXPO is an international organization that has maintained its role as the world’s largest social event and that elevates the host city and its country to the international scene. The Turkish Republic has been a constant participant in the 160-year old EXPO organization. Our country’s participation has always been greeted with great interest and respect, but we have so far never hosted the event ourselves.

The EXPOs are organized by the BIE and are international organizations that, despite being associated with their host cities, need the full backing of their respective states. Izmir lodged a bid for the 2015 EXPO and competed with Milan during the voting held on March 31, 2008 in Paris; it lost by only 21 votes. Despite its loss, Turkey’s performance in face of the six-time candidate, four-time host Italy was considered an important success and paved the way for the 2020 EXPO bid.