ISTANBUL.- The former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, and his wife, Nane Marie Annan, visited the Sabanci University Sakip Sabanci Museum in Istanbul. They were welcomed upon their arrival by Guler Sabanci, who accompanied the couple during their viewing of the Sakip Sabanci Calligraphy Collection.

Kofi Annan and his wife Nane Marie Annan explored the collection with great interest and admiration. The deputy general manager of the Sabanci Foundation, Zerrin Koyunsagan, and the programme director of Sabanci Foundation, Filiz Bukmen Bugay, were also in attendance. Following the viewing, Guler Sabanci informed Kofi Annan of the Sabanci Foundation’s “Joint Program to Promote and Protect Human Rights of Women and Girls,” which was started five years ago by the foundation, and is currently run jointly with the United Nations. Following the visit, Annan signed the memorial book of the museum, and stated that he very much enjoyed visiting the museum and the collection of Ottoman calligraphy, noting the humanitarianism that inspired the exhibition.

Guler Sabanci presented Annan and his wife catalogues of the Aga Khan Exhibition which was recently shown at the Sakip Sabanci Museum.

The Sakip Sabanci Museum has been visited by many a prominent figure since its inauguration. Among the luminaries were Madeleine Albright, the first female Secretary of State of the United States, former Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Yevgeni Primakov, TV host Martha Stewart, American author Gore Vidal, architect Zaha Hadid, author and film producer Hanif Kureishi and musician Michael Nyman.