Do Islamic Countries have a “Soft Power”?

Do Islamic Countries Have A “Soft Power“?

“Hard Power“ Replaced by “Soft Power“

“The Key Unlocking Hearts : Public Diplomacy“ Will Be Discussed In Istanbul

Think Tanks of the OIC Countries will discuss in detail about the Public Diplomacy,which is an effective concept of the post-cold war era, for three days in Istanbul.

The second Think Tanks Forum of the OIC (Organisation of the Islamic Conference) Member Countries will be held in the Barcelo Eresin Topkapı Hotel in Istanbul between 30-31 March 2011. Presidents of the think tanks, experts, academicians, diplomats, high ranking officials and press s from almost 50 coutries member of the OIC will participate to the Forum entitled “Public Diplomacy“.

The Forum which the opening speeches will be made by Suleyman Sensoy, President of TASAM, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, General Secretary of the OIC, Momodou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Gambia, Dr. Maitha AlShamsi, Minister of State of UAE, Chotonov Duishonkul, Minister of Kyrgyz Emergency Situtations, Hüseyin Özgürgün, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the TRNC and H.T. Imam, Minister of State of Bangladesh, will be held in Barcelo Eresin Topkapı Hotel.

In the Forum organized by the Institute of Islamic Countries affiliated with the Turkish Asian Centre for Strategic Studies TASAM, topics are determined as “Teoric-Conceptual Framework and Actors of the Public Diplomacy“, “Security and Public Diplomacy“, “Education, Cultural activities and Public Diplomacy“, “Foreign Policty and Public Diplomacy“, “Economic and Cultural Activities and Public Diplomacy“ and “Civil Society Movements, Democracy and Crisis Management in Islamic Countries“.

President of TASAM: The Islamic World is Unaware of The Capacity Building of the Public Diplomacy

Suleyman Sensoy, President of TASAM, who mentioned that the economic, political and cultural results of the globalization are directly affecting the new international system, that many tools and technics used in the monopolar world order during the Cold War and afterwards are not working in this new international system and is remaining ineffective, said: “the multipolar ‘New World Order’ which is appearing is built on communication, informatics, thought, strategy and technology“.

Suleyman Sensoy said that the “public diplomacy“ is standing out as an important method in order to increase the efficiency and welfare of countries in the new multipolar international system, to achieve the aims in the domestic and foreign policies and to implement the strategic vision as a country.

“Hard Power“ Replaced by “Soft Power“

The President of TASAM also added: “ the concept of “hard power“ used in the Cold War Era and in the monopolar world order by most of the countries is replaced by the concept of “soft power“ in the international system. The countries succeeding to use the soft power efficiently can win more than what they obtain from the hard power, at the same time, can perpetuate long term cooperation. The second Think Tanks Forum of the OIC Countries that we are planing as TASAM aims at making the OIC countries benefit preeminently from the opportunity and potential that they possess, at making them build public diplomacy capacity and at contributing to the use of soft power efficiently“.

The Session Leaders are From Bangladesh, Egypt, TRNC, Tunisia And Bosnia Herzogevina

The session in the Forum will be presided by Ambassador Humayun Kabir from the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, Ambassador Hicham Youssef from the Arab League General Secretary Office in Egypt, Ambassador Sayed Almasry from the Egypt Foreign Affairs Council, Hakki Atun, Former Speaker of the Parliament and Prime Minister of the TRNC, Ambassador (R) Kerkeni Ezzedine from the International Studies Association in Tunisia and Nusret Cancar, Special President from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia Herzegoniva.

In the end of the second day of the Forum, a General Assessment Meeting concerning the Forum will be held between 17:45-19:00.

For detailed information and program, you may use the following link:

http://www.tasam.org/en/etkinlik/7/-ikt-uyesi-ulkeler-dusunce-kuruluslari-forumu.html

Kindly contact for press member participation:

0212 635 61 51