Istanbul calls: CIOR and CIOMR Congress slated for July 2008
Located at the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia, Istanbul welcomes CIOR and CIOMR July 7-13, 2008. The annual congress will be hosted by Turkey’s Retired Officer’s Association, who are all reservists who retired from active duty.
“We’ll provide hospitality from the moment our guests step off their plane in the airport,” said Col. Cergiz Kurkcu, the lead organizer for the congress. The congress will take place in the Taksim area at the International Congress Center, and all of the hotels are within walking distance.
The CIOR and CIOMR Congress activities fall on the European side of Istanbul, and the CIOR Military Competition will take place at the Infantry School and Training Centre located on the Asian side, about 25 kilometres from the main congress. The swimming portion of the competition will occur at the Naval War College.
The CIOR Language Academy will convene in Istanbul immediately following the congress.
Colonel Kurkcu said Istanbul offers a rich history to CIOR guests. “The city embraces two continents with one arm reaching to Asia, and the other to Europe. The Istanbul Strait goes through the city’s heart near the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn.”
The colonel said the former capital of three successive empires, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman, Istanbul today honours and preserves the legacy of its past while looking forward to a modern future.
“The Mediterranean city is a collection of different religions and cultures,” he said. “And we also have delicious Turkish cuisine.”
The highlight of the CIOR Congress will be the symposium on Civilian Employer Support of reservists returning from deployment. Delegates at large will have the opportunity to tour historical Gallipoli, the Izmir area, the Southern Coast Antalya and the underground cities of Cappadocia.
For more information about the 2008 Congress activities, visit the congress website at www.cior2008turkiye.org