New Actors of the Foreign Policy Get Together in İstanbul

The think tanks of the member states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) get together in Turkey within the concept of “Civilization of Peace and Cooperation“. Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies (TASAM) brings together the think tanks of the member states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference between the dates of 28-30 January 2010 in Istanbul for the “Think Tanks Forum of the Islamic Countries“.

The “Think Tanks Forum of the Islamic Countries“ organised under the main theme of “Civilization of Peace and Cooperation“ by the Institute of Islamic Countries of TASAM, will be held by the participation of the President of Turkish Republic Abdullah Gul, the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan*, Secretariat General of the Organisation of Islamic Conference Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Foreign Minister of Guyana Carolyn Rodrigues - Birkett, Foreign Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu*, State Minister Cevdet Yilmaz, the President of the EU Harmonization Commission of TGNA Yasar Yakis, Chairman of TİKA Musa Kulaklikaya, Chairman of TASAM Suleyman Sensoy and the representatives of think tanks over forty countries.

In his declaration about the Forum, Suleyman Sensoy, the Chairman of TASAM, stated that as an investigation and research unit established by academicians, researchers and strategy experts working on Islamic countries, the Institute of Islamic Countries of TASAM is the one and only institution founded by a civil society organization in Turkey regarding these matters. He stated that “The Institute emphasized on its attempts related to Islamic countries starting right after its foundation, and ever since it has continued its activities, which have been accelerated by the Congress of Education in Islamic Countries, held in September 2007, with the Congress of Vocational and Technical Education in Islamic Countries, held in June 2009 in Istanbul.“

Süleyman SENSOY Chairman Of TASAM

Declaring that the Institute would always continue its activities by focusing on other problems of Islamic countries, with the problem of education being in the first place, Sensoy stated that “The Think Tanks Forum of the Islamic Countries was planned for this aim. There are many political, sociocultural and economical changes and interactions experienced in the Islamic countries as in the whole world.“ And according to him, Islamic countries face various problems in the world of the 21st century, and the solution of these problems will only be dependent to the promotion of tolerance and decency, modernization, reforms in many areas such as education, science and technology, improvement of trade, popularization of good governance, amelioration of human rights and the protection of the family structure that is envisaged by the Islamic perception. And he continued as follows; “The success of Islamic countries in the aforementioned activity areas is dependent to the defense of common interests and legal rights, cooperation and coordination in the efforts towards finding a solution to those problems which leave Islamic countries in bad situation, active participation of Islamic countries in global political, economic and social decision making mechanisms and the increase in economic and commercial cooperations towards an economic integration.“

Chairman of TASAM Sensoy indicated that the protection of the real image of Islam is possible through developing the dialogue between civilizations, resolving the disagreements and battles between Islamic countries through pacifist ways and ameliorating the good governance, democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms at national and international levels. He also stated that the activities and efforts to be carried out within the framework of the unique disciplines of think tank organizations, which are the new actors in the domestic and foreign policies in this new understanding of public democracy, and the constructive dialogues towards the conditions of today and future will contribute a great strategic deal to this process, and he mentioned that as a result of all, they feel the honour of signing under an initiative first in the history of Turkey. He stated that their aim is to gain a common sustainable institutionalization following the declaration to be published at the end of this Forum.

In the seven sessions of the Forum which will all be held in the first two days of the organization, the topics of “Civilization of Peace and the New Vision of the Organization of Islamic Conference“, “Security Issues in Islamic Countries, Common Security Policies and Perspectives“, “Islamophobia and Islamic World - West Relations in the post-September 11 Era“ “Conflict Resolution and Peace Building Process in the Islamic World“, “Democracy, Good Governance, Human Rights and New Security Approaches in the Member Countries of OIC“ and “Cooperation and Institutionalization among the Think Tank Organizations of Islamic Countries in the Perspective of Public Diplomacy“ will be discussed in detail. In the third and last day of the Forum, the guests will be taken to tours around the historical spots of Istanbul.

*To be confirmed

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