There is no other city in the world which over thousands of years is an example for change/urban revitalization like Byzanz (Greek Empire), Konstantinopel (Roman Empire), Stanbul (Osman Empire) and today called Istanbul - being the bridge between Orient and Okzident as like as it was already in the times of the historical SILK ROAD .

The biggest Shopping Centers in Istanbul are according to Dr.Cebrayil Valiyev the Forum Istanbul (176.400/2009), Mall of Istanbul (135.000/2011), Istanbul Javahir (110.000/2005), Torium (90.000/2010), MetroCity (51.000/2003), Olivium (35.000/2000), Akmerkez (34.000/1993) and Airport Outlet (32.000/2008). For Galleria (77.000/1988) and Atirus (56.000/2005) data reflect the total area of the facility.
 

According to CBRE the cities of China are the champions completing shopping malls. Among the Top 20 China is listed with 10 cities with the following square-meters completed in 2016:

Among these key-players are listed Mexico City with 684.540, Moscow with 468.200, Melbourne with 408.645, Brisbane with 379.463, Kuala Lumpur with 337.595, and Guadalajara with 336.921 square-meters.
 

The European Retail Academy welcomes the opening of the Expo Astana with the topic of Future Energy! By this contribution of Kazakhstan devoting its focus to CO2-emissions and the Global Climate Change it demonstrates its leadership for a better Global House of Harmony.

The European Retail Academy started its Global Green University (Link) after a student trip from Yekaterinburg/Russia to Kazakhstan's Astana Economic Forum in 2013. The students of the World Economic Youth Forum demanded in an official declaration - drafted together with Prof.Dr.M.Fedorov and Prof.Dr.B.Hallier - from politics more attention to green issues. In 2013 the first Peace Nobel Laureate to sign also that declaration was Prof.Dr. Rae Kwon Chung from Korea. Prof.Hallier will promote in 2017 those ideas by a speech at the Astana Economic Forum about a necessary new equilibrium for economics - connected with ecology and ethics: even giving the ECOLOGY the dominant role in that triangle (Presentation).
 

China will invest 900 billion US$ to modernize its railroad tracks as a revitalization of the traditional Silk Road. Mongolia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kirghistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Iran will benefit from the South Route - the North will increase traffic via Moscow, Warsaw, Prague and the harbor of Hamburg.

One of the railroad tracks is ending at the moment at the Slovak city of Kosice. If that lane would be expanded by only 420 km to Vienna/Austria also this Gate of Central Europe could become a Silk Road Hub!
 

In 1887 the deparment-store "Au Bon Marche' " in Paris was designed by Gustave Eiffel; its 25.000 square meters sales area were described by the famous French writer Emile Zola as "The Paradise for Ladies". It was the start of strong competition between Paris, London, Berlin and other big cities to attract high-level international consumers. Still today department stores are traffic builder for cities and for shopping centres.

In 2017 the top of the top of the department stores will meet at the 5th World Department Store Forum (WDSF), this time in Toronto/Canada. In that event two Awards will be handed over: one honours outstanding performances by sales associates in serving and fulfilling customer expectations, commitment beyond duty, product knowledge, team work and commercial results: its three finalists are Al Tayer / Harvey Nichols - UAE
; Brown Thomas - Ireland; Neiman Marcus - USA
. The second Award recognizes the important role of in-store campaigns for department stores in creating footfall, increasing conversion rates and sales, as well as connecting with both loyal and new customers. Here the three finalists are 'Enjoy the Front Row' by LaRinascente - Italy; 'The Give Registry' by Myer - Australia and 'EveryBODY' by Selfridges & Co. - England.