Speech by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen at Harran University in Sanliurfa, Turkey on 30 March 2011

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Speech by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen at Harran University in Sanliurfa, Turkey on 30 March 2011

I am delighted that my official visit to Turkey includes a visit to Sanliurfa and to your university. Sanliurfa has a long and rich history; several centuries ago this was the meeting point of trade routes between the Occident and the Orient. Today, your province continues as a meeting place for peoples, cultures and religions. You have every reason to take pride in Harran University's traditions, which are founded on the historical university located in this area, one of the oldest universities in the world.

Viewed from here, Finland, located far in the north, may appear a distant country. However, there are several links between our countries and peoples. The friendship between people is genuine, and the relations between our countries are outstanding. Even our trade relations are again on the increase after the economic recession; many Finnish companies have a strong presence in Turkey.

Operators in various sectors - including forestry, education, culture and the media - have established close ties with each other. I was pleased to learn that the top administration of the City of Sanliurfa and the Rector of Harran University have visited Finland to familiarise themselves with our innovation systems and the operations of Finnish technology centres.

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Finland and the four other Nordic countries are known across the world for their high standard of living, welfare and equality. The Nordic welfare state model has certainly proved its advantages in several international comparisons - whether focusing on economy, the state of the environment or social equality.

Finland has also fared well in international education comparisons, including the PISA surveys carried out in the OECD countries. The Finnish education system provides all children and young people with equal opportunities for learning, regardless of gender, social status or place of residence. Education is free of charge.

Women and men also have equal opportunities for access to university-level education. Student places are granted on the basis of performance at school and in the entrance examination. Currently more than half of Finnish university students are women.

Finnish women have also climbed to powerful positions in politics and the public sector. Currently not only the President, but also the Prime Minister and more than half of Government Ministers are women. A parliamentary election will be held in Finland this coming April, followed by the forming of a new Government, which always involves changes. I am confident that women will continue to occupy key positions.

Equality must also be respected in working life. Discrimination on the basis of political views, ethnicity, religion and gender are prohibited by law. We have also sought various ways to facilitate the reconciliation of work and family life. Continued effort is required, however, to achieve equality in practice. Women are only now beginning to be widely represented on the Boards of listed companies or in managerial duties.

The rapid pace of changes in today's world has caused Finland to place specific emphasis on lifelong learning. Without highly trained workers, Finnish business life will lose its competitiveness and the public sector will not be able to produce high-quality services efficiently. Education and supporting individual know-how are vital tools for society in responding to economic changes and the challenges of globalisation.

Moreover, education and basic research are also paramount for creating innovation and new technology.

Dear students, you are the architects, not only of your own future, but of the future of your country and Europe. Various exchange programmes - including Erasmus, Sokrates and Comenius - provide thousands of young people with the opportunity to study abroad and to discover new countries, people and cultures. Student exchange between Turkey and Finland is active, which is only positive.

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Turkey was officially accepted as a European Union candidate country during the Finnish EU Presidency in 1999. I remember the talks well; dramatic as they were at times, as I was the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs at the time. Accession negotiations with Turkey were commenced in 2005.

A long time has passed since then, during which economic integration has progressed well. Forty per cent of Turkey's foreign trade is with the European Union; eighty per cent of direct foreign investments in Turkey come from the EU. The overall relations between the EU and Turkey are diverse and strong.

The Union provides concrete support for Turkey's EU membership preparations. This is a form of support that grows each year; there are currently over one thousand projects in progress with an estimated value of 780 million euros. Here in Sanliurfa, EU funding has been used, for example, for improving the availability of clean drinking water.

Finland joined the European Union in 1995, when there were twelve Member States. Today the Union is a community of 27 states. A larger Union with deeper cooperation has improved stability in Europe and increased the political and economic importance of the EU - also in the global arena.

The European Union is not only a union of states; its aims also include the strengthening of the rights of EU citizens. The primary tool for this is the development of democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the Member States. The citizens of the Union are also entitled to submit complaints to the European Ombudsman if they are dissatisfied with the Union's administration. As a member of the Council of Europe, Turkey already has experience of this type of system.

The EU is home to nearly 500 million inhabitants, represents around one fifth of world trade, and is the world's largest provider of humanitarian and development aid. A strong Union will be increasingly able to respond to global challenges, including climate change, financial, energy and food crises, and the reduction of poverty.

Finland is a proponent of EU enlargement, with the provision that all aspiring members satisfy the membership criteria. Finland is a strong supporter of Turkey's EU membership ambitions.

The road to EU membership is not straightforward, nor are there any shortcuts. Membership preparations, and membership itself, will require significant reforms to be carried out. This is a process that may at times seem arduous. It is worth remembering, however, that the reforms are geared towards promoting the welfare of the country and its citizens.

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The recent events on the southern shores of the Mediterranean are a demonstration of how democratic deficit, social inequality and unemployment may lead to a series of unforeseen events. Finland has expressed her wish for any social changes to be achieved through non-violent means and democratic processes.

The United Nations Security Council decided that the situation in Libya required intervention, particularly to ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian aid. So strong a Resolution by the UN Security Council was made possible by the support of the region. Cooperation among the UN, the Arab League, the African Union, the EU and the international community at large must continue to be close.

Finland is pleased that the UN Security Council approved the Resolution on Libya. We join with Turkey in hoping that we will soon find the way to a peaceful solution. Turkey has a key role in the Mediterranean region and the Middle East, one that is vital to the positive development of the region.

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We live in an increasingly global world, in which countries and regions are more and more interdependent. Climate change, terrorism, human trafficking and communicable diseases recognise no boundaries. The only way to address common challenges effectively is through strong international cooperation.

One of the greatest tasks of our time is guaranteeing sustainable development for future generations. The notion of three dimensions of sustainable development - economic growth, distributed on socially equal terms and within the limits of the environment - was accepted by the so-called Brundtland Commission more than 20 years ago; we do not need to redefine the concept of sustainable development. Once again, the challenge is in reaching the objectives. The work nonetheless continues in various ways.

I currently co-chair the UN Secretary-General's High-level Panel on Global Sustainability with President of the Republic of South Africa Jacob Zuma. Ali Babacan, your Deputy Prime Minister, is a member of the Panel.

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I thank you for your interest and will be happy to answer any questions you may have. But before I do, allow me to take this opportunity to wish the best of success to Harran University and to you - its teachers and students.