top of page

ABOUT PROJECT

We aim to take steps to protect and preserve cultural heritage, to increase the public's interest in this field by emphasizing the importance of handicrafts, to spread a sustainable understanding of art by encouraging the use of digital and recyclable art techniques, to preserve cultural diversity and social memory by remembering professions that are on the verge of extinction and passing them on to future generations, and to increase international cooperation and cultural exchange.

'International Traditional Handicrafts' project is an Erasmus+ Vocational Training project. In the project; handicraft workshops and various activities will be organized in the Netherlands and Macedonia. Within the scope of the project; an international photography competition will be organized and a documentary film will be shot.

This project is carried out within the scope of the European Union, Erasmus, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Presidency for European Union Affairs, and Turkish National Agency.

"The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein." 

Project Number: 2024-1-TR01-KA220-VET-000248507

Project Duration: 01.12.2024 - 30.11.2026

ab başkanlığı yatay ingilizce logo.jpeg
ua_logo.jpg
EN_Co-fundedbytheEU_RGB_POS.png

ABOUT PARTNERS

Project Coordinator:

ESDER - Tradesmen and Craftsmen Association (Headquarters) - Turkey


Project Partner:

MÜSİAD Nederland (Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association Netherlands Branch)
D.K.U.O. Most (Köprü Culture Art and Education Association) - North Macedonia

TRADESMEN AND CRAFTSMEN ASSOCIATION

INTRODUCTION ARTICLE

The Tradesmen and Craftsmen Association was founded in 1997, its short name is ESDER. It has 18 branches in Turkey and 5 representatives abroad, its headquarters is in Ankara, and its chairman is Mahmut ÇELİKUS. It is the only civil society organization representing all of the 10,000-member tradesmen and craftsmen in a civil sense. Our goal is the development of Türkiye, and for this purpose, it helps tradesmen and craftsmen to develop in a democratic and planned order with the ethics of Ahilik, and to reach a higher level by developing their industrial, commercial, social, economic, educational and cultural levels, and providing technology, capital, project, trade, finance and coordination. In order to serve our tradesmen and craftsmen, it provides joint studies, researches, theoretical and practical trainings, establishes collaborations, makes agreements and develops joint projects with schools, universities, local governments, ministries, banks, press organizations, civil society organizations, software, cargo, fuel, e-commerce companies, academics, artists.

For this purpose;

In the field of culture; Ahilik activities have been carried out in our country for 10 years in accordance with the original. These activities are celebrated in bazaars, markets and squares. Ahilik culture is also explained to our students in a practical way by cooperating with high schools and universities. Ahilik culture and tradesmen's holiday celebrations are celebrated both domestically and abroad. In these activities, a series of activities are carried out such as plaques for exemplary tradesmen, Shed siege theater, refreshments, distribution of Ahilik advice tables, panels, short film screenings, and photo exhibitions.

In the field of art; the 8th Altınkepenk short film competitions were organized, which told the value of tradesmen and artists, their lives and problems, sweat, halal earnings, trade, handicrafts and production. 650 short films participated in these competitions, and the discs of the award-winning films were printed and distributed free of charge. An archive of 1800 photographs was obtained with the “Lost Professions” and “Living Foundation Works” photography competitions. The “Şed Donation Ceremony” was exhibited over 100 times with our theater team formed by our ESDER member tradesmen.

In the field of sports; Kepenk Youth Association was established within our organization and this association carried out youth and sports activities. In particular, football and volleyball tournaments, summer camps, theoretical and practical trainings on Ahilik, addiction, cinema, entrepreneurship, handicrafts, traditional sports, presentations, interviews, trips are organized and refreshments and gifts are given for vocational high school students and apprentices.

In the media sector; the voice of the tradesmen is heard and the developments in commercial life are conveyed to its readers with Kepenk Magazine, which has been published bimonthly for 15 years and is distributed free of charge to high-level bureaucrats, company managers, academicians, leading tradesmen, artists, industrialists and businessmen, civil society organizations, political parties and the press in our country. Our chairman; expresses the opinions of tradesmen and craftsmen on current developments and statements about tradesmen, project and activity news, and television and radio programs.

In the field of Education and Trade; projects and activities such as e-commerce book, e-commerce marketplace, e-commerce and product photography training, vocational training, KOSGEB-supported entrepreneurship training, information meetings on grants, vocational training for immigrants, and cinema workshops are carried out.

 

In the field of books; Tradesmen and Trade Idioms with Stories, Ahilik as a Vision of Civilization, Ahilik as a Model of Civil Organization, Professional English, Arabic and Customer Relations, Traditional Handicrafts Magazine, Modern Family Society Without Family, Sweat Photo Catalogue, Lost Professions Photo Catalogue, Entrepreneurship Handbook have been prepared, printed and distributed free of charge.

In the field of film; short films, documentaries, and promotional films have been shot under the names of Ustam, Esnaf Eşleri, Girişimcilik Fikirleri, Ahiler, Ankara Ahiler, and Traditional Sports, which we produced . The Economic Enterprise of our association shoots the activities of our association and projects with the modern cinema equipment it owns.

 

In the field of Youth and Career; Activities such as values, handicrafts, entrepreneurship, reading books, cinema workshops, trips, interviews and symposiums, meetings with decision-makers, e-commerce and social media marketing trainings are carried out for our youth in cooperation with KOSGEB, İŞKUR, Universities and other relevant institutions.

Academic studies; With the participation of public and private institutions, academics, senior managers and bureaucrats, and representatives related to the subject; interviews, panels, symposiums, conferences and workshops are organized on the subjects of social peace, global economy, innovative methods, consumer relations, Ahilik, Ahi Evran, Bacıyan-ı Rum, and problems of tradesmen. Reports and policy documents have been prepared on the subjects of youth and sports, tradesmen's wives, damage assessment after the epidemic, and career 4.0.

Activities such as Iftar tents, sahur and iftar programs, visits to public and civil society institutions, inter-institutional acquaintance and project development meetings, participation in fairs and forms on behalf of tradesmen and our association, visits to tradesmen and craftsmen, meetings of branch presidents, family picnics, musical concerts, and celebrations are carried out for our members and tradesmen.

For women; It organizes workshops, panels, symposiums and conferences on the subject of Bacıyan-ı Rum, the women's branch of Ahilik. It distributes tradesmen's wives certificates, Bacı advice tables, family communication trainings, e-commerce training for young female artists and establishes an e-commerce marketplace.

A poetry, painting and composition competition titled “Tradesmen Through the Eyes of Children” was organized for children and 25,000 students were reached. 10,000 students were awarded in these competitions.

Our social activities include distributing Ashura, Halva, Mawlid candy, Ahi pilaf and sherbet, roses, paintings, celebrations of the holy birth week, programs to commemorate important figures and martyrs, protests to defend Islam and our country, attending rallies, organizing boycotts, and making press statements, and supporting these activities by doing or participating in them.

Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MÜSİAD); is a "Businessmen's Association" founded in Istanbul on May 9, 1990 by sensitive businessmen who set out with the dream of a Turkey where rights and law, justice and equality, peace and trust, prosperity and happiness are ensured; where local and universal values ​​that have become part of history and society are observed, which is whole within itself, effective in the region, economically and politically, and respected in the world.

It is a strong "Non-Governmental Organization" that has become an exemplary education, guidance and consultancy center for the business world as well as other segments of society, bases its practices and studies on professional thought, opens its intellectual accumulation to sharing, and has the status of a "public benefit association".

MÜSİAD's mission is; as a businessmen's association that acts independently and independently at national and international levels, to increase the number of members who share the previously determined principles and values, to develop solidarity among its members and to contribute to the material and spiritual development of our country with this spirit of unity and togetherness it has established within itself.

MÜSİAD Nederland is one of the most effective and strategic branches of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association, headquartered in Turkey, in Europe. Gathering Turkish entrepreneurs and business people operating in different cities of the Netherlands, primarily Amsterdam, under one roof, MÜSİAD Nederland is a strong civil society organization in not only commercial but also cultural, social and educational areas.

This branch, established in the Netherlands as part of the overseas structuring of MÜSİAD, which was founded in Türkiye in 1990, both provides institutional representation to the Turkish business world in the Netherlands and acts as a bridge between Turkey and the Netherlands. Focusing on the principle of "High Morality, High Technology", MÜSİAD Nederland aims to spread a development approach that prioritizes ethical values ​​in the business world and is based on production and innovation.

Fields of Activity and Services
1. Business Network and Networking:
MUSIAD Nederland enables the establishment of a strong business network among its members through regular business forums, breakfast meetings, sectoral panels and special invitations. These organizations bring together Turkish business people in the Netherlands and build bridges with investors from Turkey.

2. Education and Mentoring:
MUSIAD Nederland, which attaches great importance to the development of new generation entrepreneurs, organizes training seminars, workshops and mentoring programs for young entrepreneurs. It aims to increase the knowledge of its members with trainings provided on topics such as financial literacy, digital transformation, marketing, branding and international trade.

3. Support for Women Entrepreneurs:
Promoting women's entrepreneurship and ensuring that women are more visible and effective in the business world are also among the primary goals of MUSIAD Nederland. Special projects, incentive programs and supportive networks are developed for women members.

4. International Collaborations and Representation:
MÜSİAD Nederland contributes to the effective representation of the Turkish business world by establishing strong relationships with official institutions, chambers of commerce, local governments and other NGOs in the Netherlands. It also supports its members in opening up new markets by participating in international fairs organized in Europe and Turkey.

5. Social and Cultural Activities:
The association aims to produce social benefits by going beyond the business world and with social responsibility projects and cultural events. It strengthens social solidarity with events such as Ramadan programs, iftar invitations, aid campaigns and cultural trips for young people.

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

D.K.U.O. MOST is a non-governmental organization operating in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, officially known as "Derneği për Kulturë, Umetnost dhe Arsim MOST", and in Turkish as the Association for Culture, Arts and Education. The word "Most" means "bridge" in Macedonian and other Balkan languages. The name of the association also reflects its vision of being a bridge between cultures, peoples and generations in terms of its meaning.

The association aims to meet the cultural, artistic and educational needs of the Macedonian Turkish community, and aims to create a basis for unity, dialogue and solidarity not only within the Turkish community but also in the multicultural Balkan geography with its activities.

Mission and Vision of the Association
D.K.U.O. MOST was established to protect, develop and pass on the cultural heritage of the Turkish presence in North Macedonia to future generations. At the same time, it operates with an understanding that promotes cultural exchange between different nations and communities and emphasizes common values. The association's main goals include equal opportunities in education, freedom of cultural expression and the promotion of artistic creativity.

Areas of Activity
1. Cultural Activities:
The association organizes folk dance shows, concerts, poetry recitals, theater shows and thematic culture days in order to promote and sustain traditional Turkish culture. Through these events, both Turkish culture is promoted and a multicultural social unity is supported.

2. Artistic Activities:
MOST supports young artists and organizes painting and photography exhibitions, handicraft workshops and art competitions. These activities, which emphasize the unifying power of art, bring together young people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds and reinforce social harmony.

3. Educational Programs and Courses:
The association organizes many educational programs such as Turkish language courses, creative writing workshops, history and literature seminars. In addition, various support courses and exam preparation seminars are organized to contribute to the academic development of students.

4. Youth and Volunteering Activities:
MOST aims to create an active youth group with social responsibility projects, leadership camps, volunteer activities and domestic and international youth exchange programs for young people. Thanks to these projects, young people both develop their social skills and gain awareness of contributing to society.

5. Publishing and Media Activities:
The association supports the strengthening of local Turkish publications, conveys historical accumulation and draws attention to current issues with cultural content bulletins, magazines and social media publications. At the same time, it keeps communication up-to-date with methods that will attract the attention of the young generation with digital content production.

6. Collaborations and International Projects:
MOST develops joint projects with both local NGOs in North Macedonia and international organizations, especially in Turkey. Meetings with cultural delegations from Turkey, in particular, both strengthen the diaspora and contribute to cultural diplomacy.

bottom of page