Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Dr. Serdar Çam drew attention to the permanence of civil society organizations and explained the strategic vision in public diplomacy at the 20th Anatolian Gatherings held in Ankara Kızılcahamam.
The 20th Anatolian Gatherings, organized by the Anatolian Federation and bringing together representatives of civil society, are continuing at full speed in Ankara Kızılcahamam. In one of the most noteworthy sessions of the program, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Dr. Serdar Çam delivered a speech titled “Culture and Public Diplomacy in the Century of Türkiye,” addressing in detail the reflections of the foundation civilization in today’s world. Stating that civil society organizations should cease to be merely an area of aid activities and become a much more strategic element of diplomacy, Çam offered participants an in-depth perspective on the future missions of institutions.
OFFICIAL AUTHORITIES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Deputy Minister Dr. Serdar Çam emphasized that the power of states and governments is directly linked to the success of civil society movements. Reminding that official positions may change over time, Çam stated that the structures that form the true foundation of institutions and transmit culture from generation to generation are civil society organizations. Çam expressed this in his speech with the following words: “Governments, government officials, and official institutions may always be in a process of change and transformation. Of course, NGOs will also change and transform, but what endures are civil society organizations, foundations, and associations.” Explaining that civil movements have major responsibilities in the process of preserving the power of the state, Çam pointed to the importance of increasing the institutional capacity of civil society by saying, “In order to have a powerful state, you also need to have powerful NGOs.”
OUR MOST IMPORTANT STRENGTH IS SINCERITY
Assessing the new world order, the successive crises, and Türkiye’s stance in the face of these crises, Çam shared with the participants the role of international aid in new-generation diplomatic relations. Drawing attention to Türkiye’s approach centered on compassion and justice, Çam summarized the country’s greatest advantage with the following words: “Türkiye’s most important strength is its sincerity. When we sincerely attempt to share what we have, and when we believe in the concept of abundance, no one can stop us, God willing.”
LET US PUT AN END TO THE DEBATES OF THE PAST
Çam stated that he had also benefited greatly from the insightful speeches of Turgay Aldemir, President of Bülbülzade Foundation and the Anatolian Federation, and noted that they closely follow with appreciation the specific and specialized work carried out within the federation. Saying that the future must be built quickly without getting stuck in the sterile debates of the past, Çam expressed that they expect civil society organizations to take much more innovative steps. Once again, it was emphasized that in today’s world, shaped by technology and artificial intelligence, there is a need for more profound, innovative, and focused work by going beyond classical methods.
