I awake to hear that 6 Turkish soliders have been killed and eight more injured by a mine blast in Hakkari province. We call first on the Governor - an early chance to offer condolences and hear first hand about the local security situation here. With the Mayor, we talk local politics. Then we attend the official opening of a new EU information office and visit a mobile "library bus" which has come all the way from Brussels to share litirature from around Europe with people across Turkey. On board I meet Mustafa, an eleven year old shoe shiner who has never looked at a book before. We sit and flick through what's on offer, but it's a bit high brow - for both of us.  

EU Ambassadors meet the Governor of Sanli Urfa

Over lunch we talk to the Chamber of Commerce about investment opportunities and incentives. They are determined to join the EU but say the public is becoming apathetic and losing trust in the painfully slow process. We go with them to join the Minister of Trade at the official opening of a new industrial zone, and then on to a new control centre for clean drinking water - both supported with EU funds.

Then some media interviews and a lengthy meeting with NGOs to hear about the challenges of overcoming a nearly 50% illiteracy rate among women - way worse than the Turkish average. Some photo opps for the local TV,  and we leave that evening.

with accompanying media at the  Hizir Ibrahim Halilullah in Sanli Urfa

Harran, near the Syrian border 

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