WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD OF TUREV GIVEN TO BEYHAN BAGIS

Minister for EU Affairs Egemen Bagis and his wife Beyhan Bagis attended the 8 March International Women's Day activity organised by Turkish Foundation for the Handicapped (TUREV) in Atakoy Sheraton Hotel.

Woman of the year award of TUREV was presented to Beyhan Bagis, wife of Egemen Bagis, by Zulfinaz Abedan, the president of TUREV. Receiving her award from the hands of Zulfinaz Abadan and a handicapped child, Beyhan Bagis tendered her thanks to the foundation for deeming her worthy to get this award.

Beyhan Bagis, congratulating Turkish women on their day said, "I wish we had no social or intellectual deficiencies which rendered such a day necessary."

During the activity, a plaque of TUREV was presented to the Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis by Abedan, the president of the foundation. The Minister presented plaques to the persons and institutions who contributed to the projects of TUREV.

Bagiş, in his speech he made there congratulated all women on their special day and said: "As the children of a civilisation where it is believed that heaven is under the feet of mothers we should consider, as a society, the value that we attach to women."

Indicating that important steps had been taken recently with regard to women, Bagis said that this made him happy. Bagis expressed that the establishment of The Commission for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in Turkish Great National Assembly was an indicator of Turkey's progress towards being a modern country. He said: "In the National Assembly, the rate of representation of women has reached the highest amount after the first assembly founded by Ataturk. Mr. Prime Minister is the architect of this situation.

Resource: AA