The Anadoludakiler Cooperative Camp, organised as part of the Anadoludakiler Project, has officially begun at the Mustafapaşa Campus of Cappadocia University. Held under the auspices of Emine Erdoğan, wife of the President of the Republic of Türkiye, and organised by the General Directorate of Development Agencies of the Ministry of Industry and Technology under the motto “The Abundance, Heritage, and Craftsmanship of Anatolia,” the programme brings together cooperative representatives and local development stakeholders from across Türkiye.
The opening ceremony was attended by Ahmet Şimşek, Director General of Development Agencies at the Ministry of Industry and Technology; Prof. Dr. Hasan Ali Karasar, Rector of Cappadocia University; Mustafa Caner Meydan, Deputy Director General of Development Agencies; Dr. Abdulvahap Yoğunlu, Head of the Development Agencies Coordination Department; Bekir Varol, Secretary General of the Ahiler Development Agency; Funda Aktan, Chair of the Board of Trustees; Kaan Aktan, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees; as well as representatives of development agencies and regional development administrations, academics, cooperative representatives, and invited guests.
Bringing together 40 participants from across Türkiye, the camp aims to strengthen the production, branding, and marketing capacities of cooperatives while increasing the added value of local products and contributing to sustainable development. Delivered by Cappadocia University, the five-day programme offers theoretical and practical training on cooperative management, innovative product development, cultural heritage storytelling, experience tourism, digital promotion, artificial intelligence, and e-commerce. The programme is further enriched through field visits, cooperative visits, experience-sharing sessions, and evening networking events.
“Anadoludakiler Is the Second Discovery of Anatolia”
In his opening remarks, Ahmet Şimşek, Director General of Development Agencies, stated that the Anadoludakiler Project, carried out under the auspices of Emine Erdoğan, continues to expand and become increasingly institutionalised. Recalling that Türkiye’s first Anadoludakiler Market was previously established in Nevşehir in collaboration with Cappadocia University, he described the Anadoludakiler Cooperative Camp as an important continuation of this partnership.
Describing Anatolia’s strong production culture and accumulated knowledge as “the second discovery of Anatolia,” Şimşek highlighted the importance of trust, quality, branding, packaging, storytelling, and quality assurance in increasing the value of local products. He also emphasised that the programme extends beyond classroom instruction by encouraging experience sharing, new partnerships, and stronger cooperation among participating cooperatives.
“Cooperatives Are Part of Our Civilisational Heritage”
Prof. Dr. Hasan Ali Karasar, Rector of Cappadocia University, underlined Türkiye’s long-standing tradition of solidarity rooted in its foundation culture and the Ahi tradition. He noted that cooperatives represent not only a model for production and income generation but also a framework for collective learning, governance, branding, and international competitiveness.
Karasar emphasised that Cappadocia University is committed not only to producing knowledge but also to transforming academic knowledge into practical solutions that contribute to local development. He explained that the University works closely with local producers in areas including tourism, gastronomy, cultural heritage, sustainability, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation. Describing the camp as a concrete reflection of this vision, he stated that it brings together universities and producers, academic knowledge and practical experience, tradition and technology, and local heritage and global competitiveness. Referring to the philosophy of the University’s founder Alev Alatlı, he concluded by noting that “Knowledge gains meaning only when it touches life.”
In addition to field visits and cooperative tours, the programme includes evening sessions on design, product development, and e-commerce, and will conclude with a closing session on 24 July.
