In June 2015, the Global Exhibition Association (HKF Fuarcılık A.Ş.) hosted the UFI (Union of International Fairs) Europe Summer Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey. This seminar, attended by 144 participants from 34 countries, focused on the theme 'Competition Budget for Marketing - The Future Role of Fairs in Marketing Mix.' HKF Fuarcılık A.Ş. served as the Silver Sponsor of the UFI Europe Summer Seminar.

The UFI, founded in 1925 by 20 leading exhibition organizations from across Europe, has since grown to include over 532 members from 80 countries across six continents. In November 2008, Turkey hosted the 75th UFI Congress for the first time in its history, marking a significant milestone for the Turkish exhibition industry. The congress was officially opened on Thursday, October 13th.

In addition to its success in hosting major international events, HKF Fuarcılık A.Ş. also joined EURASCO (European Agricultural Exhibition Organizers Federation) in 1972. EURASCO is a federation of companies organizing agricultural exhibitions and aims to provide advisory services to its members while bringing them together annually to offer suggestions.

Bekir Şakir, a prominent figure in the Turkish exhibition industry, has been a member of the UFI Management Committee for seven terms since 2006. In 2017, he was elected as the European Region Vice President of UFI for a second time and will hold this position until 2020.