At the Bastille Day (France’s National Day) reception held in İzmir, emphasis was placed on the longstanding friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Türkiye and France. Hosted at Arkas Mattheys Mansion under the auspices of French Ambassador Isabelle Dumont, by Bernard Arkas, Honorary Consul of France in İzmir and Vice President of Arkas Holding, and his wife Funda Arkas, Founder of FD Architecture and FAMM Urla, the reception brought together representatives from the diplomatic corps, public institutions, the business community, and civil society.
The reception marking Bastille Day on 14 July was held at Arkas Mattheys Mansion. Attendees included Nadia Fanton, Consul General of France in Istanbul; Colonel Nicolas Presson, Defence Attaché at the Embassy of France in Türkiye; Colonel Olivier Chrisostome, Head of the French Military Mission to NATO; Zeliha Toprak, Former Honorary Consul of France in İzmir; Lucien Arkas, Chairman of Arkas Holding; and Merve Arkas, Chairperson of the Board of Monreve Group, together with representatives of diplomatic missions, public institutions, local authorities, the business community, and civil society organizations.
In his speech, Bernard Arkas, Honorary Consul of France in İzmir and Vice President of Arkas Holding, emphasized the importance of the long-standing friendship and cooperation based on mutual trust between Türkiye and France, stating: “We are delighted to come together today on the occasion of Bastille Day. This day, which holds great significance in French history, gave rise to values such as liberty, fraternity, and equality, laying the foundation for a society built on mutual respect, solidarity, and tolerance.”
In her speech, Nadia Fanton, Consul General of France in Istanbul, highlighted the importance of further strengthening the diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties between the two countries, stating: “This evening, we celebrate the anniversary of Bastille Day. In fact, what we are celebrating is the sovereignty of the people, as well as liberty, equality, and fraternity. Another thing we celebrate is the friendship between Türkiye and France. You are the architects and builders of that friendship. We are carrying out partnerships in the field of culture that make us proud. Works from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the beating heart of modern art, will be exhibited in İzmir over the next five years. We owe this extraordinary collaboration to Lucien Arkas, to his passion for art, his vision for the future, and his deep affection for both countries.”
French Ambassador to Türkiye Isabelle Dumont underscored the shared values, strategic cooperation, and common vision for the future that unite Türkiye and France, stating: “For the past three years, following in the footsteps of my predecessors, I have been working to strengthen relations in Türkiye. Whatever the challenges may be, we stand on solid foundations: a shared history and a shared geography – the European continent and the Mediterranean. Here in İzmir and along the Aegean coast, these efforts cannot be considered separately from the work of our consular network. On behalf of France and personally, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our Honorary Consul Bernard Arkas, to Lucien Arkas, to our Consul General in Istanbul Nadia Fanton, as well as to Zeliha Toprak and their entire teams.”
Following the speeches, the national anthems of Türkiye and France were performed. The reception continued with a cocktail gathering.
Traditionally hosted at Arkas Mattheys Mansion, the Bastille Day reception once again served this year as an important gathering that reinforced the friendship and cooperation between Türkiye and France while further strengthening diplomatic and cultural ties between the two countries.
