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The Secretary General of the Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE) Vincente Loscertales congratulated Izmir and Turkey for designating the theme of “Health for All” at the symposium being held.

Loscertales said that for the first time in the EXPO’s 150-year history a theme of health was used, speaking at the symposium of “The first International Health for All” organized to promote Izmir’s bid to host EXPO 2015.

“I cannot think of a universal theme, but health. It is the most important issue in our lives. For that reason I congratulate Turkey and Izmir for designating health as a theme. There is a need to create a common synergy about health. And thanks to EXPO, an atmosphere of dialogue between nations can be created. Izmir, with EXPO 2015, has the potential to create a dialogue economically and socially,” he said. Underlining that it was very important to select a theme of health at an international meeting, Loscertales said, “that is because all countries are in agreement about health.”

Noting that Turkey is located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and is a symbol of cultural and ethnic unity and Izmir has been a center of health, said that the city, which is on a crossroad of West and East, North and South, has been home to various cultures.

Speaking at the first session of the symposium, EXPO Consultant Carmen Bueno said that Izmir had a successful theme for EXPO. Stating that she worked with many different themes, Bueno said: “The theme has to be flexible. It has to have capacity. It has to attract attention and concern all. Izmir’s theme of health includes them all. It also overlaps with Zaragoza’s ‘water’ theme for EXPO 2008, and Shangai’s ‘better cities and lives’ for 2010.

Expo Organization Committee member, Frederica Busa, said that 2015 will be unique in terms of its theme. Busa said that people remember the names of the cities where EXPO is held. “No one remembers the theme of EXPO 1970. Therefore we have to put the theme first. The people coming to Izmir should remember that the theme was health. Previously heads of states also used to participate in this event. This would also increase participation. I am now happy to see top level officials in Izmir,” Busa said.

Izmir EXPO 2015 Promotion Committee member, Solmaz Unaydin, said EXPO will cover an area of 370 hectares. About 168 hectares will be the exhibition area and 119 hectares will be parks and car parks. He said approximately 340,000 people were expected to visit daily.

“The number of guests we aim to reach is 39 million. The total number of stands at the fair will be 94. Around 70 countries will have stands and 128 countries are expected to visit,” Ünaydýn said. The event if held in Izmir is expected to see the city make a profit of 95 million euros.

“Natural disasters are increasing in number. Global warming is becoming a bigger threat ever day. New viruses will appear in the future. We should take precautions before it is too late, because we have no other place to go,” said Professor Ziya Kirkali from Dokuz Eylul University. (TDN)

Did You Know That… ? - About Izmir

• Izmir was established at least 5000 years ago.
• Epic poet Homer”(9th century B.C), the author of “the Iliad and the Odyssey” was born in Izmir.
• Three of the “Seven Churches” which were mentioned in Bible are in Izmir.
• One of the Seven Wonders of the antiquity, Temple of Artemis is at Ephesus.
• The symbol of the ancient city of Izmir was a lion’s head.• Parchment paper was first invented in Pergamon.
• The Phokaians built 50- oared boats carrying 500 passengers.
• Phokaians established colonies in the western Mediterranean such as “Velia” in Italy, “Ampurias” in Spain and “Marseilles” in France.
• The earliest temple dedicated to the goddess Athena was constructed in Izmir.
• Izmir was mentioned by famous historian Heredos as” the city under the most sublime blue sky and on the remarkable climate”.
• Alexander the Great was told by Aristo, the philosopher like the following “ If you do not see Smyrna you remain lacking”.
• Xenophanes, philosopher and poet of Colophon lived in the 6th century B.C.
• The famous philosopher Heraclitus(540-480 B.C) lived in Ephesus.
• The famous philosopher Anaxagoras (500-428 B.C) lived in Clazomenae.
• Bucolic poet Bion (3rd century B.C) lived in Izmir.
• Famous physician Galen (131-210.A.D) lived in Pergamon.
• The first church dedicated to Virgin Mary was built at Ephesus
• Virgin Mary’s House where she spent her last days is in Selçuk
• St. John wrote the Bible at Ephesus and died there.
• On his 3rd missionary journey St. Paul preached at Ephesus Theatre.
• Cleopatra spent the winter of the year 188 in Ephesus together with Antonius.
• French poet Lamartine, French authors Chateubriand, Theophile Gautier, and Gustave Flaubert visited Izmir.
• Pope Paul VI and Pope John II visited the Virgin Mary’s House in 1967 and 1979 respectively.
• International Art Festival hosted Ray Charles, Paco De Lucia, Joan Baez, Martha Graham Dance Company, Tanita Tikaram, Jethro Tull, Leningrad Philarmony Orchestra, Christ De Burg, Sting, Moscow State Philarmony Orchestra, Jan Garbarek, Red Army Chorus, Academy of St. Martin in the Field, Kodo, Chick Corea, New York City Ballet, Nigel Kennedy, Brayn Adams, James Brown in Izmir, Ephesus and Çeþme.
• Famous singer Dario Moreno lived in Izmir.
• Bademler is the first and only village which has theatre in Turkey.

The Origin Of The Name “Izmir”

Izmir was written as Smurne in Ionian dialect and Smyrna in Athens dialect. Hellens used to pronounce it as Smirni. The name of Smyrna is not a Greek word but it is originally an Anatolian word as most of the settlement names in Aegean Region. The name of Tismurna was encountered in some of the tablets, which were found in Kültepe- Kayseri, dated back to the beginnings of 2000 B.C. ‘Ti’ is a prefix probably identifying a person or a place. It is obvious that people who lived in Bayrakli before Hellens deleted the prefix and named it as Smurna.