The closing session of the training programme, held with the contributions of the Directorate General for Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation of the Presidency of EU Affairs, was attended by ILC President Ali Yalçın, ILC General Secretary Hamza Öksüz, Director General for Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation Bülent Özcan, and Training Coordinator Dr. Anıl Müge Seyrekbasan.

Yalçın: We attach great importance to professional development and institutional capacity

ILC President Ali Yalçın underlined the importance of making trade union activities more systematic through international funding mechanisms and project-based cooperation.

Stating that the ILC should develop a more effective, productive, and project-oriented institutional structure in the international arena, Yalçın noted that such training programmes are not merely technical achievements, but also strategic steps that strengthen the international vision of the trade union movement.

Yalçın stated that the ILC and its affiliated organisations already carry out significant activities in many areas, including social policy, working life, education, youth, digitalisation, occupational health and safety, and international trade union solidarity. He emphasised that these activities have the potential to be supported through European Union projects, development agencies, and various international funding mechanisms.

“In the period ahead, as the ILC, we aim to reach a level of capacity where we can carry out such work through our own trained human resources. This training will truly serve its purpose to the extent that you transform the knowledge and competencies you gain here into concrete projects,” Yalçın said.

Yalçın also stated that they attach great importance to the professional development of employees and the strengthening of institutional capacity. He added that the ILC holds an important position in the trade union field with its international institutional structure, intellectual accumulation, and global vision.

Emphasising that achievements on international platforms are the result of determined, patient, and consistent efforts, Yalçın recalled that previous international trade unionism and social policy training programmes had produced important outcomes.

“I believe that this programme will also make a significant contribution to the development of new projects and the strengthening of our institutional capacity,” Yalçın said.

Öksüz: We aim to create new value through international projects

ILC General Secretary Hamza Öksüz expressed his satisfaction with the implementation of such an important training programme under the organisation of the ILC and with the contributions of the Directorate General for Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation of the Presidency of EU Affairs.

Öksüz stated that the ILC is not merely an organisation that maintains existing trade union activities, but also aims to become a confederation that develops projects, builds cooperation networks, and creates new value at the international level.

He noted that the training programme aimed to enable participants to learn the universal language of project writing, gain competence in project cycle management, and prepare stronger applications for international funding mechanisms. Öksüz added that, in the coming period, the ILC aims to develop more qualified projects in different countries and across various thematic areas.

“With this programme, we are not only providing technical training; we are also developing the human resources that will strengthen the ILC’s international project development capacity. Our goal is to implement prestigious, sustainable, and effective projects at international levels in the field of trade unionism,” Öksüz said.

Özcan: It is highly valuable for organisations with strong institutional capacity to develop projects

Bülent Özcan, Director General for Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation, stated in his remarks that they consider it highly valuable for organisations with strong institutional capacity to take a more active role in project development processes.

Özcan emphasised the importance of organisations such as the ILC and Memur-Sen, which have extensive organisational networks, institutional experience, and strong human resources, becoming more involved in European Union projects. He also noted that cooperation in the field of project development could continue in the coming period.

The training programme, coordinated by Dr. Anıl Müge Seyrekbasan, aimed to provide participants with knowledge of European Union financial assistance and Union Programmes, while strengthening their project development capacities in the areas of project cycle management, the logical framework approach, the Erasmus+ Programme, and cross-border cooperation programmes.

At the end of the four-day training programme, certificates were presented to the participants who successfully completed the programme.