Turgay Aldemir, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bülbülzade Foundation and Anatolian Federation, emphasized the constructive power of civil diplomacy against the deadlocks in the current global order at the 20th Anatolian Gatherings.
The 20th Anatolian Gatherings, organized by the Anatolian Federation, began with an important session titled "The Century of Türkiye and Civil Diplomacy." Addressing the participants at the session, Anatolian Federation Chairman of the Board of Directors Turgay Aldemir pointed out that the modern international system is inadequate in resolving crises and explained the complementary role of civil society in this process. Stating that conflicts, injustices, and humanitarian crises occurring on a global scale trigger one another, Aldemir said that civil initiatives must step in as an essential necessity in matters that states cannot overcome on their own.
SOLUTIONS MUST ALSO BE DIVERSIFIED
Aldemir stated that the world is changing rapidly and that problems are becoming more complex in parallel with this change, emphasizing that the international system has lost its predictable structure. Recalling that the Russia-Ukraine war and the destruction caused by Israel have triggered an energy and food crisis on a global scale, Aldemir said that solution methods must also be diversified in this environment of multiple crises. Stating that the public sector, universities, think tanks, and voluntary movements have become central to international interaction, Aldemir continued: "These multiple crises we are facing have unfortunately narrowed the areas in which states can produce solutions on their own. The picture before us presents to all of our minds that international issues can only be managed with the joint contribution of different actors."
OUR FIRST CONDITION IS TRANSPARENCY
Aldemir stated that civil diplomacy aims to rebuild trust between societies and establish lasting relations around common values, drawing attention to Türkiye's historical experience in this field. He recalled that the culture of foundations and experience in humanitarian aid are among Türkiye's greatest social capitals in the international arena. Referring to the fundamental principles that civil structures should uphold in order to manage this potential properly, Aldemir summarized the minimum requirements that institutions must comply with in the following words: "If we want to be a legitimate and lasting actor in the field of civil diplomacy, our first condition is transparency. The second condition is competence, the third condition is humility, acting with the awareness that we do not replace the state, and the fourth and final condition is consistency, which determines what we say and how we speak."
GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES FALL ON INTELLECTUALS
Emphasizing that a strong intellectual foundation is needed for the vision of the Century of Türkiye to find an international counterpart, Aldemir stated that intellectuals, universities, and international student mobility have great responsibilities. Referring to the fact that the short terms of governance in democratic systems make it difficult to sustain permanent state policies, Aldemir stated that strong civil structures are the element that ensures institutional memory and strategic continuity.
WE SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD'S COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE
Referring to the importance of building bridges between societies and expanding common wisdom, Aldemir concluded his speech with an outward-looking and inclusive call: "We must now stop talking to ourselves and interpreting the world from our own neighborhood. We must open up to the world, listen to the world, and contribute to the world's collective knowledge. In a period when societies in which truth has been damaged are being thrown to opposite sides of the abyss, finding a way forward depends on our ability to build bridges to both sides of that abyss."
