World Energy Congress — Opening ceremony & event design

In October 2016 the World Energy Congress came to Türkiye for the first time: some five thousand delegates from over 150 countries, fifty-six ministers and four heads of state. The opening ceremony had to introduce the host country to all of them at once. Working as BİŞEYLER, OKYU’s founding team created the congress’s event design, its visual and spatial identity, and the ceremony at its heart. The idea: not a host introducing itself, but a crossroads remembering everything that has passed through it. Historical figures, heritage and memory moved as one continuous sequence of story, live performance and large-scale image. Four presidents were waiting to speak. The ceremony spoke first.

Sculptural stage architecture lit blue, rising above the musicians, the congress audience in silhouette

Actors in period costume around wooden tables, playing a scene from Türkiye's history

A lone figure in a spotlight raises his arm as hand-built wings hang above the stage

Two aerial performers flying on wings against a pale blue sky

The ceremony stage with a radiant orange starburst projected across its full width

The full story

Some five thousand delegates from over 150 countries, fifty-six ministers, four heads of state — and an opening ceremony asked to introduce the host country to all of them at once. The 23rd World Energy Congress was held in Türkiye for the first time. OKYU’s founding team designed how the congress looked and felt, and opened it.

The World Energy Congress is the energy sector’s longest-running global congress, held every three years since 1924. The 23rd edition came to Istanbul in October 2016 under the theme Embracing New Frontiers: 266 speakers across five days, and an opening day addressed by the presidents of Türkiye, Russia, Azerbaijan and Venezuela.

Working as BİŞEYLER, the founding team conceived and delivered the congress’s complete event design — its visual and spatial identity across the venue — and the opening ceremony at its heart.

The ceremony was built as a narrative journey through Türkiye’s identity — its historical figures, its heritage, the names from these lands that shaped world history — told through storytelling, large-scale visuals, live performance and stagecraft as one continuous sequence. Not a host country introducing itself; a crossroads, remembering everything that has passed through it. It played to a room where four presidents were waiting to speak. The ceremony spoke first.

Disciplines: Opening show design · Event design · Stage design · AV & event content · Show direction

Not a host. A crossroads.