International IstanbulLight Lighting and Electrical Materials Exhibition and Congress ended with the intense interest of its exhibitors and visitors. Organized by UBM Turkey with the strategic partnership of the Association of Lighting Equipment Manufacturers (AGİD) and the Turkish National Committee for Lighting (ATMK), the 11. IstanbulLight International Lighting and Electrical Materials Exhibition and Congress ended with the broad participation of sector representatives. At the fair, which hosted both local and global players of the sector, the latest technologies and products were exhibited, while the future of the sector and the points open to improvement were discussed in the events held. IstanbulLight Fair, which took place at Istanbul Expo Center between 19 – 22 September; hosted 230 national and international exhibiting companies. In addition to Turkey, a total of 6,341 professional visitors, 850 of whom were international, were hosted from 106 countries, including the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the CIS countries and the Far East. IstanbulLight Lighting Forum, IstanbulLight Lighting Design Summit and Trade Stage activities held within the scope of IstanbulLight Fair and agenda issues were discussed by experts and added value was created for the sector. "Together we have shaped the future of the lighting industry." Stating that all stakeholders of the sector had the opportunity to come together with IstanbulLight 2018 Fair, UBM Turkey IstanbulLight Brand Director Mehmet Dükkancı pointed out that speeches were made to strengthen the lighting sector in Turkey at the events held. Noting that the lighting sector is experiencing a transformation in which technology is at the forefront both globally and on a Turkish scale, Dükkancı continued his words as follows: "Technology-based transformation directs the well-established companies of the sector to new searches, while pointing to a period in which new initiatives are also mentioned. In this period, IstanbulLight Fair hosted the negotiations that shaped the future of the sector. At IstanbulLight Fair, which increases the value it adds to the sector with the trade volume it creates, we hosted important names from both Turkey and abroad with our IstanbulLight Lighting Forum, IstanbulLight Lighting Design Summit and Trade Stage events. The meetings held during the fair contributed to the development of new commercial channels. In addition, we have created a platform where various problems in the sector are discussed and steps are taken for their solutions." Lighting Forum supported the development of legislation IstanbulLight Lighting Forum, organized with the support of OSCE and ATMK within the scope of the fair, was organized with the managers of non-governmental institutions in the sector and especially with the participation of T.C. Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and T.R. It brought together the managers of various public institutions, including the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. IstanbulLight Lighting Forum, where issues such as domestic product production, R&D studies, energy efficiency and financing of the sector were discussed, ensured that the studies on legal legislation were transferred to the sector representatives. The Forum, where sector representatives had the opportunity to convey their views and expectations to public administrators, laid the groundwork for a wide range of topics to be discussed in five different sessions over two days. Inspiring design examples were at the Lighting Design Summit The IstanbulLight Lighting Design Summit held at the fair was marked by local and global project examples. The summit, where the details of the projects signed by lighting designers in Turkey both in our country and abroad were conveyed, was one of the most popular events of IstanbulLight 2018. From Galata Tower to Cappadocia Museum; Many projects, from the Heydar Aliyev Modern Study Complex in Baku, Azerbaijan, to numerous works carried out in various countries of Africa, were conveyed in detail at the IstanbulLight Lighting Design Summit. Moderated by Emre Güneş, the founder of PLD Turkey and August Technology, IstanbulLight Lighting Design Summit was attended by the famous designer Daan Roosegaarde, who offers creative solutions to smart urbanization in harmony with nature, and Canan Baba, one of the independent lighting designers from Turkey, S. Funda Ataylar, Faruk Uyan, Nergiz Arifoğlu, Zeki Kadirbeyoğlu, Korhan Şişman, Dilek Şahin, Ali Berkman, Onur Yiğit, Ömer Selçuk Baz and Mustafa Seven participated. What do lighting designers expect from the industry? At the IstanbulLight Lighting Design Summit, the expectations of lighting designers in Turkey for the sector were emphasized. It was noted that lighting design in Turkey has not yet been sufficiently assimilated and is in the process of being accepted by companies. Together with the important projects presented by the lighting designers at the summit, the benefits and solutions that a good lighting design can provide to companies and the public were revealed. Preparations for IstanbulLight 2019 have started Preparations for IstanbulLight 2019, the international meeting point of the lighting sector, have already begun. The fair will bring its exhibitors and visitors together under the same roof between 18-21 September 2019 at the Istanbul Expo Center as it did this year.