At the consultation meeting organized by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Türkiye, the field experience of civil society organizations was heard. Turgay Aldemir, President of the Bülbülzade Foundation and the Anatolian Federation, presented a strategic report prepared to transform migration into an opportunity.
At the "Migration with Civil Society Organizations" Consultation and Evaluation Meeting held in Istanbul under the chairmanship of Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi, senior government officials and civil society representatives came together to discuss critical decisions. Deputy Minister of Interior Dr. Mehmet Cangir, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, and President of the Directorate of Migration Management Muhammet Selami Yazıcı also attended the summit, where the future of Türkiye’s new migration policy and the roadmap for the coming period were evaluated. More than thirty civil society organizations active in the field of migration took the floor to contribute effectively to the process by sharing their opinions and presenting the reports they had prepared. Minister Çiftçi stated that the accumulated experience of civil society would be highly beneficial and would make a significant contribution to transforming existing challenges into opportunities. Turgay Aldemir, President of the Bülbülzade Foundation and the Anatolian Federation, also delivered a comprehensive presentation and directly submitted their report titled "Strategic Policy Recommendations" to the ministry’s leadership.
MIGRATION IS NOT A PROBLEM, BUT A MATTER OF OPPORTUNITY
Speaking at the meeting, Turgay Aldemir expressed his appreciation for the great effort and dedication demonstrated by the migration bureaucracy to date. Emphasizing the need for a visionary approach in the coming period, Aldemir stated that migration should not be regarded as a problem but as a regional opportunity. He underlined that the foreign policy initiatives implemented under the leadership of the President should be supported domestically through cooperation between relevant ministries and civil society organizations. Stressing the importance of restructuring the process within a legal framework, Aldemir also noted that the bureaucratic burden should no longer be concentrated solely in Ankara.
WHEREVER THERE ARE PEOPLE IS WITHIN OUR SPHERE OF RESPONSIBILITY
Aldemir stated that new policies must be developed beyond the boundaries drawn by global powers, saying, “We are not on the periphery of the new world; we are at its very center. For countries like ours, borders do not begin with barbed wire fences. In this era, where the security of ideas is far more critical than border security, wherever there are people is within our sphere of responsibility.”
Highlighting that the new migration policy should prioritize the ontological existence of individuals rather than merely their physiological needs, Aldemir said that policy should be guided by the principle, “Let people live so that the state may live.” He also stated that rebuilding the conceptual framework of this new era, while remaining faithful to the nation's founding values and working together with intellectuals, scholars, and opinion leaders, is a historic responsibility.
GOODWILL AMBASSADORS SHOULD NOT BE VICTIMIZED
In his speech, Turgay Aldemir also devoted special attention to the situation of international guest students studying in Türkiye. He stated that universities had recently increased tuition fees for guest students through unilateral decisions, causing many visionary young people from Syria and other countries to discontinue their education. Aldemir emphasized that tuition policies should not be left entirely to the discretion of university administrations and called for urgent action to resolve these grievances, stressing that these young people should be regarded as goodwill ambassadors between nations.
THE "CENTURY OF TÜRKİYE AND CIVIL DIPLOMACY SYMPOSIUM"
The strategic report presented at the meeting highlighted the need to clearly define the authority and responsibilities of local governments, establish permanent inter-ministerial coordination beyond temporary circulars, and create a transparent public communication system. The report also proposed launching a new era of social reconstruction through public institution–NGO cooperation to support stability across the Syrian border and argued that Türkiye’s qualified human capital and international graduates educated in Türkiye should be transformed into actors of civil diplomacy. In addition, it was announced that an international "Century of Türkiye and Civil Diplomacy Symposium" will be held in August.
You can access the full report submitted by Turgay Aldemir to the Ministry of Interior here.
