Türkiye will convene experts in Istanbul on Oct. 23-24 for the ninth mediation conference, tying the gathering to a peace initiative launched with Finland at the United Nations (U.N.) in 2010.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Thursday that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will host the two-day gathering. Its official theme is “Partnerships and New Perspectives for Peace: Mediation in a Changing World.” The ministry links Türkiye’s peace-promotion work to Mediation for Peace, a joint effort with Finland launched at the U.N. in 2010.
The ministry traces the Istanbul conference series to 2012 and describes it as one of the world’s leading forums for mediation and conflict resolution. It says Türkiye pursues mediation in several regions and Turkish officials share leadership of mediation-focused Groups of Friends at the U.N., the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
According to the ministry’s program, sessions are expected to examine national mediation experiences, humanitarian work in conflict settings and ways to sustain peace. The listed contributors include diplomats, international organizations, academics, specialists and think tanks. EconoTimes’ earlier conference preview covered the announced sessions and schedule.
Turkish Foreign Ministry sources told Anadolu Agency that opening proceedings are expected to include recorded messages from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Fidan is slated to speak afterward.
The meeting is scheduled to conclude Oct. 24.
