After hosting a delegation of Turkish business representatives in Baton Rouge in April, Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden leaves today to meet with a larger group in Houston as the guest of Consul General Akil Öktem.

Holden will address The Turquoise Foundation, a Houston based organization of 200 businessmen with ties to businesses in Turkey and who also operate businesses in the Houston area.  The group has expressed an interest in working with Mayor Holden to both establish connections with businesses in Turkey and possibly expand Houston based operations into the Baton Rouge area. The group is dedicated to advancing and promoting interaction between American and Turkish people and businesses.

The Mayor is also scheduled to attend a breakfast meeting at the residence of the Consul General and visit the Cosmos Foundation which operates charter schools in the Houston.

“For Baton Rouge to become a global city, we need to strengthen our ties with international business representatives,” Holden said.  “We signed a sister city agreement with Malatya in April, but visits like this are aimed at producing real economic benefits.”

Holden said when he hosted the Consul General in Baton Rouge, the two discussed introducing Baton Rouge businesses to opportunities with business and manufacturing interests in Turkey.

“This is my third visit in less than a year that is intended to bring Baton Rouge and Turkish businesses together,” Holden said.   “We’ve had a lot of interest among our local companies in the business opportunities that exist in Turkey.   The friendships we are developing will help both cities — that’s the goal of a successful sister city agreement.”

Malatya, a city of about 400,000 in eastern Turkey, produces 65 percent of the world’s dried apricots and hosts a thriving textile industry.