DEIK has always been a special institution for me. During my university education, when I started my career in journalism, one of the first people I interviewed was Yalım Erez, one of the presidents of DEIK. I was very excited, and I still clearly remember Mr. Erez encouraging me by saying, “That’s a great question.” Another phrase that stuck with me was, “We will make the presence of Turkish businesspeople felt all over the world.” At that time, Türkiye’s total annual exports were around $10-12 billion. The market was big, the goal was big, but the belief was limited. Today, our exporters achieve more than double the annual exports of that time in just one month, sometimes even exceeding 1 billion dollars a day. As Turkish exporters reveal their potential more and more every day, DEIK, celebrating its 40th anniversary, has always been by their side. As those who have this publication in their hands know very well, DEIK is an institution that considers it its duty to be present in all corners of the world with 153 business councils, to see the opportunities, and to pave the way before Turkish businesspeople even arrive. From Germany to Zanzibar, from America to Zimbabwe, from Bu rundi to China, DEIK’s business councils, which conduct business diplomacy with 153 countries, serve as a compass for both SMEs making their first export and large companies that are bursting at the seams. Thank goodness for DEIK, here’s to many more years!