The  II. International Clustering Conference “Clusters 2007” was held on 25-26 October 2007 in İstanbul. Among the issues that were taken up at the conference were the impacts of clusters on economic growth and competition, clustering policies, strategies and implementation examples that are being applied in other countries, contribution of clusters to regional and national development policies and development and encouragement of clusters.

The conference was attended by State Minister Kürşad Tüzmen, as well as Holger Schroeder, Counselor at Delegation of European Commission to Turkey, Ulrika Richardson-Golinski, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Muammer Yaşar Özgül, President of the South Eastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Regional Development Administration, Muhsin Altun, Head of Central Finance and Contracts Unit and Süleyman Orakçıoğlu, Chairman of İstanbul Readymade Garment Exporters’ Association.

During the two-day conference, sessions were conducted on creative business environments, cluster governance, national and regional approaches and fashion networks as well as sector-specific sessions on tourism, automotive, agriculture and nutrition and logistics. In this context, experiences, practices, results and best examples were shared with participants.

The II. International Clustering Conference themed “Clusters 2007” is being financed by the European Union. Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade South Eastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Regional Development Administration, General Secretariat of İstanbul Textile and Clothing Exporters’ Associations and Central Finance and Tender Unit are the supporting institutions of the conference that is hosted by Entrepreneur Support Centres (GAP-GİDEM) Project, Fashion and Textile Cluster Project and Development of National Clustering Policy Project.

The clustering approach that was identified as an innovative and successful method to increase economic competition has become widespread especially in the last decade. During this period, several local and regional initiatives that take the clustering approach as a base have been realized and similar initiatives are expected to be realized in the coming years. In this context, national and international clustering maps are being prepared in order to develop recommendations at the political level and central and local administration units are establishing clustering policies to increase the competition of their regions.