We successfully concluded the IŞILDAYANLAR Conference, of which we are a strategic partner, this year as well. After witnessing what can be achieved with the power of women and listening to success stories in last year’s program, this year, at the second IŞILDAYANLAR Conference held on September 25, 2023, we focused on how we can increase our impact for a better future and what we can do better in the future.
Our Founding President Zehra Öney, our Vice President Yasemin Bedir, Eastern Europe Divisional President of Mastercard, our Founding Advisory Board Member Hakan Ateş, CEO of Denizbank, and our Corporate Member Özlem Kahramaner, Co-Founder of Arksigner, inspired the audience with their speeches in various sessions. We would like to thank all the participants who attended the IŞILDAYANLAR Conference.
Shining (Işıldayan in Turkish) women shared new solutions for sustainable transformation and development at the IŞILDAYANLAR Conference, which took place with 56 speakers and 862 participants.The second edition of the IŞILDAYANLAR Conference served as a powerful platform for development in the field of gender equality, hosting new paths and discoveries for the progress in Türkiye. Women who shine in their respective fields and play roles in social, economic, and environmental development shared their inspiring stories at this event. The conference, which also featured leading brands in the field, shared the results of the Işıldayan Kadınlar (Shining Women) Research, shedding light on the perception of women leaders in the business world.
Organized by OGGUSTO, the IŞILDAYANLAR Conference was held for the second time this year with a mission to raise awareness about gender equality, which continues to be a critical issue worldwide. Leading female role models from the worlds of business, art, sports, and civil society shared their views and experiences on creating a better future at the event held at Zorlu PSM.
Prominent speakers included actress Demet Akbağ, Türkiye’s first female swimmer to cross the Bosphorus Aysu Türkoğlu, artist Karsu, food writer Refika Birgül, national athletes Meryem Boz, Ayşe Begüm Onbaşı, and Sümeyye Boyacı, Co-Founder of Needs Map Mert Fırat, Board Member and General Manager of Denizbank Hakan Ateş, Eastern Europe Regional President of Mastercard Yasemin Bedir, and General Manager of L’Oréal Turkey‘s Luxury Division Ufuk Batur. The conference was hosted by Masters of Ceremony Yekta Kopan and Burcu Hakyemez. The conference attracted 862 participants, and the live broadcast was watched by 16,942 people.
Demet Akbağ, who delivered the closing speech as the guest of honor at the IŞILDAYANLAR Conference, was presented with a special award for her outstanding contributions to both art and gender equality, questioning the role of women in social life and making a significant impact in this field as well. In her speech, Akbağ shared her role models, including strong women in her family and artists like Yıldız Kenter, and discussed pivotal moments in her career, expressing her hope that her life journey would inspire the younger generation to shine.
The IŞILDAYANLAR Conference Continues to Empower
Emphasizing that the conference continues its mission by maintaining its mission, OGGUSTO Founder Özlem Güsar said, “A country where half of the population, women, lags behind cannot progress. With this awareness, we have been working tirelessly for two years to make shining female role models for others and to make all women shine for a brighter Türkiye. Our goal this year was to discover new ways to create a greater impact and transformation in the field of gender equality. Our distinguished speakers, who have each shone in their respective fields, have given us important prescriptions in this regard. Thus, we have full confidence in continuing our journey by empowering ourselves. Also, we will launch the IŞILDAYANLAR Awards under the management of an independent and reputable jury next year. This way, we will not only make the best examples in the field of gender equality more visible but also become the ‘Polar Star’ for creating new ones.”
The Impact of IŞILDAYANLAR Continues to Grow
Strong collaborations established after the conference create social, economic, and environmental value. Within this scope, in cooperation with the IŞILDAYANLAR Conference and the Woman in Technology Association, 20 women will receive Robotic Process Automation and Soft Skills training for one month, and they will receive a digital certificate.
In addition, the income obtained from the conversion and sale of the artwork designed by artist Mehmet Sinan Kuran into scarves will be donated to the Yeniden Biz Vakfı (Us Again Foundation).
The IŞILDAYANLAR Conference will also be carbon neutral this year, just like its first year, and the designated amount will be donated to TEMA‘s 100th Year Republic Forest.
The Conference Takes Place with a Strong Strategic Partnership
The IŞILDAYANLAR Conference, organized by OGGUSTO, takes place in strategic partnership with non-governmental organizations that adopt women’s sustainable development as their mission. The Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (KAGIDER), Woman in Technology Association (Wtech), Yeniden Antakya (Antakya Again) Platform, and YenidenBiz Vakfı (Us Again Foundation) adds value to the conference.
The conference, which is supported by Jules Verne, ÜNİTE Edelman, 360+ Media Interactive, and Zenna as solution partners, is also supported by various brands that create value, and work towards addressing the issue of gender equality. She’s Mercedes Platform, Mastercard, Denizbank, Lancôme, Yıldız Entegre, Urban Care, Shell, We Are The Walkers, Kale Group, SuperFresh, Vestel, Lipozone, ArkSigner contributed to the conference, whereas Bahçıvan, Ara Collection, Harem Chocolate, Jumbo, and LifeClub are among the supporters.
