SAKIP SABANCI

At a time of great change in the Middle East and Europe, the Turkey Program of the Brookings Center on the United States and Europe announced the launch of an annual lecture series in honor of the late Sakip Sabanci. On May 3, 2005, for the first Sakıp Sabancı Lecture, Madeleine Albright, the former United States Secretary of State gave a keynote speech entitled “America, Turkey and the world”.
Mr. Sabanci was not only the most prominent Turkish business leader of his generation but a visionary supporter of Turkey's democratic and economic reforms and strong supporter of Turkey's efforts to join the European Union. For the inaugural lecture, Sabancı University and Brookings Institution were honored to welcome former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who played a crucial role in improving Turkish-American relations and helping bring Turkey closer to the EU. This event was broadcasted live at Sabanci University in Istanbul, where students had an opportunity to take part in the question and answer session.
Sakip Sabanci was a visionary supporter of domestic and economic reform and progress in Turkey, to which he and his work contributed, and also a strong supporter of Turkey's membership in the European Union, which is something of great interest to us at Brookings in the Europe Center.