Social Events

• A Welcome Reception will be held at the Hilton Hotel starting at 7.00 p.m. on 25 May. Join us to meet old friends and make new ones.
• There will be a Social Evening on Thursday, 27 May. This will be held at a palace and, wearing the costumes of palace inhabitants, guests will feel like sultans and sultanas. Belly dancers and delicious Turkish wine will take them to the realm of dreams.
• At the end of the Conference, at 3.00 p.m. on 28 May, a City Tour will provide relaxation and offer participants the opportunity to see a selection of Istanbul’s sights.

All these events are covered by the conference fee. They are also part of the Accompanying Persons’ Programme, which in addition to the Social Events will consist of sightseeing and shopping tours on May 26 and 27, lunch on these days, and the Farewell Lunch on May 28.

The cost of the Accompanying Persons' Programme is € 250,-

The following sights will be visited:

BYZANTIAN RELICS - HALF DAY

HIPPODROME, centre of the great marvels of architecture, constructed as a Basilica in the 6th century by the emperor Justinian.

BLUE MOSQUE facing St. Sophia, famous for its blue Iznik tiles and unique with 6th minarets built in the name of Sultan Ahmet.

TURKISH & ISLAMIC ART MUSEUM, built in 1524. This was the grandest private residence ever built in the Ottoman Empire. Today, it holds a superb collection of ceramics, metalworks, miniatures as well as some of the oldest carpets in the world.

ST. SOPHIA, one of the greatest marvels of architecture. Constructed as a Basilica in the 6th century by the emperor Justinian.

GRAND COVERED BAZAAR, most attractive shopping centre and the biggest ‘souk‘ in the world with nearly 4000 shops selling antiques, jewellery, gold, carpets and leather wear.

OTTOMAN RELICS - HALF DAY

TOPKAPI PALACE, an imperial residence of Ottoman Sultans exhibiting treasures, Chinese porcelain, weapons, calligraphy section, etc.

SÜLEYMANIYE MOSQUE, a masterpiece of the famous architect Sinan built in the name of Süleyman the Magnificent during the 16th century.