Dear Colleagues and Friends!

The İzmir branch of the Chamber of the Geological Engineers invited me to serve as honorarychairman while organizing a series of scientific events from October 26 to 28 2023 to commemorate the100th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in İzmir where the War of Independencewas crowned. I was pleased to accept this esteemed duty.The 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic deserves a big celebration, as it was founded fromthe ground up and began to progress rapidly and steadily in the same direction by embracing the valuesshared by rapidly developing nations. However, our aim should be to accomplish this goal as swiftly aspossible. We know this can only be achieved through nationwide dedication and diligent efforts.Although they began relatively late in Türkiye, geosciences are among the scientific fields that havemade rapid and significant progress. Their development aligns with the establishment and growth of theTurkish Republic. Promising advances have been achieved within a short time. The geographic distributionand the number of institutions offering geoscience education and research have also increased significantlyduring this period. However, our priority should always be the simultaneous advancement of quantity andquality. The notable rise in international joint projects and conferences strongly indicates progress in thisdirection. Therefore, I believe that the Earth Sciences Colloquium to commemorate the 100th anniversaryof the Turkish Republic will provide a valuable contribution. I am also confident that the participation ofnumerous colleagues from all over the country ensure the success of this meeting.I want to extend my warmest regards to all participants for a collaborative and warm gathering.

With affection and respect

Prof. Dr. Yücel YılmazEmeritus Professor of Geology