BNP Paribas is a Sponsor of Season of Turkish culture in France and thereby pays homage to Turkey's vast expertise and know-how in cultural, scientific, industrial and economic areas. The Season of Turkish culture in France, which will run from July 2009 to March 2010, seeks to make Turkish culture better known in France and encourages cooperative programmes between the two countries.
This major cultural sponsorship action is another of the activities and partnerships that BNP Paribas has been involved in for many years, especially through the BNP Paribas Foundation. It bears witness to and serves to strengthen the group's commitment to the cultural and social life of the countries in which it operates.
In retail banking, BNP Paribas has greatly expanded its networks in the Mediterranean basin, which is a particularly dynamic business zone for the group. With its two domestic markets, i.e. France and Italy, its historical offices in the countries of North Africa, and the equity stake acquired in Turk Ekonomi Bankasi (TEB) in late 2004, BNP Paribas today has a network of more than 3,000 branches to serve and support its clients throughout the Mediterranean.
The partnership between BNP Paribas and TEB has enabled the bank to grow in its market and to become one of the very top banks in Turkey. Particularly driven by the spirit of innovation and the dynamism of youth, TEB has also succeeded in exporting its technological know-how and its sales initiatives to other countries where the group is present.
In 2007, BNP Paribas and TEB made a joint commitment to a Programme for the education of young Turkish women from rural areas, initiated by the [Association for the Improvement of Quality of Life (CYDD). That important expression of solidarity for education will enable 1,250 teenagers to continue their schooling for three years.
BNP Paribas' support for Season of Turkish culture in France, which is in the amount of 100,000 euros for all programming, will be rolled out in many cities in France.
In Paris, BNP Paribas will contribute its support for the exhibition “From Byzantium to Istanbul” organised by the Réunion des Musées Nationaux starting on 10 October 2009 at the Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais. That exhibition is an opportunity for BNP Paribas to invite its employees to discover the history and culture of Istanbul and Turkey.
In Marseilles, BNP Paribas will be particularly attentive to the four Turkish contemporary dance companies hosted by choreographer Michel Kelemenis, supported by the BNP Paribas Foundation, at the fourth Question de Danse Festival from 27 October to 7 November 2009.
In Nantes, BNP Paribas will provide support for production of the Recital “The Harps of the Sultan” on 1 July at the Musée des Beaux-Arts. This first-time collaboration between the Turkish harpist Sirin Pancaroglu and the Ensemble XVIII-21, under the direction of Jean-Christophe Frisch, another partner of the BNP Paribas Foundation, is an opportunity to take a trip into the imaginary past to the sounds of the double harp and the çeng, a Turkish instrument similar to the harp.
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas (www.bnpparibas.com) is a European leader in global banking and financial services and is one of the 6 strongest banks in the world according to Standard & Poor's. The Group is present in 85 countries, with more than 173,000 employees, including 132,700 in Europe. The Group holds key positions in three major segments: Corporate and Investment Banking, Asset Management & Services and Retail Banking. Present throughout Europe in all of its business lines, the bank has two domestic markets in retail banking – France and Italy. BNP Paribas also has a significant presence in the United States and strong positions in Asia and the emerging markets.
About the BNP Paribas Foundation
Under the auspices of the Fondation de France, the BNP Paribas Foundation seeks to preserve and publicise the rich holdings of museums, encourage artists and performers in disciplines that are undersupported by corporate sponsorship and finance medical research programmes in cutting-edge sectors. The BNP Paribas Foundation also supports projects supporting education, social insertion, and disabilities. Extending beyond mere financial aid, the Foundation supports its partners the way the bank supports its customers: depending on what each customer is looking for, it provides customised assistance, offers advice and carries out its programmes in close liaison with all its networks, in France and abroad.
News of all these actions of the BNP Paribas group in the area of social responsibility is reported and regularly updated on the website pourunmondequichange.com