Summaries

“Welcome to the first Summit of International Steel Road organized to contribute to the cooperation and solidarity among the region states regarding steel constructions and constructional steel.
Construction history studies show us that the steel involvement in the sector has carried the design from merely an art form to knowledge and science. This transformation creates a development a revolution and inaugurates the edvanced technology culturi in construction. As we know development can be made possible by education, sharing cultures, and the spreading of research and knowledge. Today, not just the current developmental state but what is to be the herirtage for the future has gained more significance. Savings in spending power and natural resources, when assessed in criteria like the appropriate selection of materials, social requirements, and targets to be reached the susstainabilty of steel as the construction material can easily be conveyed; and steel when assessed according to the past development and the futuristic quality, the percentage of steel buildings clearly is one of the leading indicators for the level of development in that country.
Historically economy, arts, knowledge, ideas, and culture all have connected the world together through “roads” this way the sharing and the globalisation has come into being. The lands of Anatolia, where common perspectives have formed the cultures, where thousands of years ago the most important routes of the Silk Road crossed today is the main link between the East and the West in development and trade. Silk Road is a significant bridge from the past to the day not just for the trades but which has carried the knowledge, ideas, cultures, arts to the world and accentuated the sustainability.
Today, one of the indispensible essentials of globalisation which eliminates borders in a way is “change”. In this context when the economic and technological changes are evaluated in a very expansive arena of the world like Turkey, Caucasus, Western Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe, and North Africa the 21st century Silk Road will be the Steel Road and Turkey will be once again in the heart of this key position at this historical conjunction.
TUCSA, at the meetings organized on September 21-23, 2010 in İstanbul where cultures and roads converge, at the International “Steel Structures: Culture & Sustainability 2010” Symposium and the Steel Structures Week had anticipated the formation of a new platform by the approach of sustainability and culture together with the concept of “historical Silk Road is becoming the Steel Road”. The basis for this objective was to remind once again embracing the fact that Anatolia is the stategic and economic bridge between East and West. We assume the synergy created at the “STEEL ROAD” platform will be the way to strengthen international relations and connections and the universal gateway starting from Turkey; the events we have accomplished are assessed in this aspect. “FIRST INTERNATIONAL STEEL ROAD SUMMIT” is the apex of this effort which will prove to be successful in its continuity.
We considered these common points in the organization of the summit:
• The residential and substructural requirements of the region (are paramount)
• Safe housing design for especially the earthquake prone areas, and
• Buildings of basic comfort with easily attainable prices
We know that Education and Standardization, Collaboration in R&D, Quality and Innovation are the solution to these common issues; and believe that a common platform for discussions to be beneficial achieving appreciation in the sector for the Steel Road.
With its annual production of 20 million tons of steel, and 3 million tons of constructional steel manufacturing Turkey is at a cross roads in steel construction and constructional steel and is ready to share the opportunities and its experience and knowledge among the region’s countries. Besides TUCSA as the ECCS member of 2 decades and the presidential office for two periods, know-how and experience is sufficient enough to achieve coordination in the regional sector and if demanded will undertake this responsibility with pleasure.
As association we would like to thank our esteemed Minister for his trust and support for the organization of this summit. I wish you all an enjoyable sojourn in İstanbul and the summit to be beneficial for the region”.