SFA-AGR-032-08                                                                                                                                                 

CALL OF MANISA MAYOR ON AMBASSADOR GUINOMLA

01 February 2008 – The Mayor of Manisa (left) a city in Southwestern Turkey, called on Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Bahnarim A. Guinomla in his office in Ankara recently to extend an invitation to the Ambassador and his staff to attend the 467^th International Manisa Mesir Festival in March 2008.  Mayor Bulent Kar, who is also the President of the Aegean Municipalities Association, also conveyed to the Ambassador the desire of his city to enter into a sisterhood agreement with a suitable city in the Philippines to enhance cultural, tourism, and trade relations.  Manisa was the training ground for crown pinces (sehzades) during the Ottoman period.  During the Festival the mesir munuca spiced candy, which is supposed to restore health, youth and potency, is distributed in the grounds of the Sultan mosque which was built in the 16^th century by Suleyman the Magnificent in honor of his mother Hafsa Sultan.  Manisa City has a population of 1,319,920 and hometown of the former Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA). END

/wingret