On behalf of the Public Administration Institute for Turkey and the Middle East (TODAIE), on its 56th Anniversary, I have the honour and pleasure to invite you to participate in the 4th International Specialised Conference of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) in Ankara, Turkey from 23 to 27 June 2008.

The theme of the Conference is “International Aid and Public Administration”.  Participants are invited to attend and present their ideas to exchange in an international academic environment at TODAIE with good facilities and highly trained staff to make the Conference successful and enjoyable.

Turkey is a passageway for the old Asian Turkish cultures to reach Europe due to her location and is at the same time the window of the West opening to the East. Turkey’s coastlines, which encompass her on three sides with the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and the Aegean Sea make the country not only a neighbour to the nearby regions, but to the entire world as well. Ankara is the second largest city in Turkey, and it is the heart of the country. Ankara was first founded by the Celts in the 3rd century B.C. The Celts, who came all the way to Central Anatolia from Europe via the Balkans and the Straits, founded the Galatian State, with Ankara as its first known capital. The city later came under the rule of the Romans, Byzantines, Seljucks and Ottomans and is now the administrative and political capital of the modern Republic of Turkey. It is a thriving metropolis of almost 5 million people, and it is historical and yet distinctly western. Ankara is at the crossroads of  main highways, railroads and airline transportation. You can easily reach from Ankara to Capadocia, Istanbul, Antalya and other beautiful parts of the country  by plane, car, bus, or train by taking pre and post conference tours.

The Organising Committee aims to deliver a working conference in Ankara, Turkey by taking the advantage of its being the bridge of two main continents with its monumentous historical background. In keeping with the traditions of previous IIAS conferences, the Organising Committee has arranged a series of interesting and delicate social events both formal and informal with your accompanies.

We would like to share the glamour of Turkey with this event by looking forward very much to welcoming you.

M. Turgay ERGUN

Coordinator of Organizing
Committee