BYEGM celebrates its 89th anniversary

The 89th anniversary of the Directorate General of Press and Information (BYEGM) was marked yesterday with an official reception at its headquarters in Balgat, Ankara. Attending the reception were Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) head Ibrahim Sahin, BYEGM acting Director General Salih Melek, Anatolia News Agency head Hilmi Bengi, Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) head Musa Kulaklikaya, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairman for Promotion and Media Affairs Edibe Sozen, members of the media, many distinguished guests, and BYEGM staff. As part of the anniversary celebrations, an exhibit of photos from BYEGM's nearly 90-year history was also inaugurated by Arinc, along with a media awards ceremony, where top Turkish journalists got their prizes from Arinc, Melek and other top officials. Speaking at the ceremony, Arinc stressed the importance placed by the government on improving Turkey's press, adding that they would continue to support the local media. He also said the upcoming webpage of the Union of News Agencies Using Turkish will bring together various Turkic dialects from across the world. Also speaking at the ceremony, Melek said that BYEGM would continue to serve national and international media members as well as the local press by continually improving the quality and volume of its services. A revamped version of the directorate's official webpage, www.byegm.gov.tr, was also posted yesterday. BYEGM was established on June 7, 1920 at the order of Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, to promote worldwide the Turkish people's rightful struggle for independence. Since then, the directorate has assumed the important responsibility of promoting Turkey and its national interests to international audiences by providing timely and accurate information. It has also brought foreign views of Turkey and Turkish-related issues to domestic audiences, thus helping to establish and improve two-way communication and dialogue between Turkey and other countries, and reshape and develop Turkey's communication efforts towards the international public.