The preparation meeting of the World Turkic Forum which is planned to be organized by TASAM between 20-22 October 2010 in Mardin, was held in the Grand Cevahir Hotel and Congress Center on 9th June 2010. Some important associations attended to the preparation meeting of the Forum whose main theme is “Turkic Council, Turkic Diaspora and Socio-Economic Cooperation”. Here are some of these important associations;
The International Carriers Foundation, East Turkestan Culture and Solidarity Association, Ayaz-Tahir Turkistan Idil-Ural Foundation, Turkish World Human Rights Association, Union of Municipalities of the Marmara Region, Khoja Ahmed Yesevi Foundation, Friendship, Culture & Solidarity Association of Gagauz Turks, Kazakh Turks Foundation, East Turkestan Culture and Solidarity Association, Eurasian Turkic Associations Federation, Eastern Turkestan Refugee Committee, Turkish World Culture & Human Rights Association, Eastern Turkestan Foundation, Friendship and Culture Association of Kirghizstan, Education, Culture & Social Solidarity Association of Ahiska Turks, Eurasian Application and Research Center, Okan University, Marmara University - Institute of Turkic Studies, Turkestan Science Circulation Society, KTU.
Here are the ones who couldn’t attend to the meeting because of their excuses;
Istanbul Chamber of Industry, Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association, Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation, Japan Turkey Central Asia Friendship Association, Culture House Foundation, Turkish Education Association (TÜRKÇEDER), Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV), Coordinators of Turkic World and Relation Societies, Governorship of Istanbul, The Republic of Turkey, The Journalists and Writers Foundation, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, UBCCE.
About the “World Turkic Forum” activities whose first is going to be held in Mardin, during his opening speech Süleyman Şensoy, The President of TASAM, expressed that they prepared the project in 2003 but put into practice today as the process was grown. Şensoy said that as a main point of the Forum, he aimed at getting institutionalization instead of motto levels on identity-focused projects; realizing an institutionalization in basic opinion, producing politics intended to solution. Şensoy also added that the Forum was too far to make intellectual fantasy in some way. Süleyman Şensoy indicated that the attendance of opinion leaders from many different parts of the world, Turkic Republics, Turkic Diaspora was expected to the Forum by pointing the fact that they chose Mardin as the meeting place and they believed that they were going to institutionalize the meeting.
By the way, Mardin Vice Governor Şenol Koca who attended to the meeting, thanked present nongovernmental organizations for their attendance and he marked that he was proud of doing the honors. Moreover he wished success for the World Turkic Forum which is going to be held by TASAM.
After the opening speeches Seyit Tümtürk, East Turkestan Culture and Solidarity Association General Secretary, explained his excitement about the Project of the World Turkic Forum, then he emphasized on a subject about how East Turkestan matter could take a part within the project. He pointed out his worries about what can be the contributions on the subject to be able to get results of the studies which they have done so far and the subject to get expectations about this case of the Forum. He exclaimed that according to the related chambers of service and working principle of the project, they were going to determine the offers, projects and supports to be demanded which are to be proposed.
İsmail Cengiz, President of East Turkestan Solidarity Association, said that there were supposed to be evaluated as an international law and dialogue about East Turkestan matter, but it was not that platform what they were present for. Cengiz who underlined that to be political of the World Turkic Forum should be prevented, expressed that the Forum would be more effective if it was held under different subjects each year. He connected that hence the Forum could take an important role to guide the mind of government as the time gets advanced. He also added that because of the importance of the project’s continuity, the opponent cases should be considered while the participants of the Forum were determined.
Assist. Prof. Göksel Öztürk, Academic Member of Marmara University Institute of Turkic Studies, signed that Turkic societies in Russia were supposed to be taken to the process. Öztürk who expressed that to know Turkic world in the best way was to know its language, literature and culture, underlined that hence there was supposed to be searched political, social, demographic, economic and cultural situations of the publics from Turkic ancestry.
Assist. Prof. Fethi Ahmet Yüksel, President of Eurasian Turkic Associations Federation, marked on the integration problems of educated people on the Turkic World. Yüksel who pointed out the importance of culture and language, emphasized on lack of knowledge about the Turkic World in Turkey. Yüksel expressed that people who comes from the Turkic World to Turkey, was not hosted well. Then he added that brain drain was not prevented and it was a big loss. He finally said that as a solution, there should be integration on the cultural, social, historical and economical way.
Erdoğan Aslıyüce, President of Khoja Ahmed Yesevi Foundation, emphasized that there was lack of knowledge about Turkics who live on earth. Aslıyüce expressed that Turkey gains nothing if it keeps trying to lead governments of Turkic Republics instead of making equal connection with those governments. He also pointed out that the matter was establishing the unity on languages, ideas and business.
Derviş Yücel, Vice President of Friendship, Culture and Solidarity Association of Gagauz Turks, suggested that the World Turkic Forum which is going to be performed in Mardin, could be reproduced in book format. He expressed that he believed the fact that forming the public bulletin of the World Turkic Forum - in order to have more qualified Forum studies - was useful as they were to be sent to people and institutions on Central Asia and Diasporas for creating a public opinion and agenda about the Forum. He noted that the meeting which is going to be held in Mardin, was going to develop all cultural and social relations between Turkic diaspora and the whole Turkic World.
Mehmet Dönmez, General President of Turkestan Science Circulation Society, wished good luck to the Forum, then he suggested that each of the associations should prepare an official report about what it can do for the World Turkic Forum.
Rafet Ulutürk, Vice President of Bulgarian Turks Culture and Labor Association, underlined that firstly, what has been lost about the Turkic World so far, then what are supposed to be done in the future, should be determined. At last, he emphasized on finding out the historical handiworks and making studies about the population of the Turkic World.
By the way, Erol Şahingil, President of Turkish World Culture & Human Rights Association, expressed that human rights case should be included in the Forum and to make workshops on human rights in Turkic Diasporas was a point which makes performing socio-economic cooperation privileged.
Murat Daudov, Director of International Relations, Union of Municipalities of the Marmara Region, pointed out that within the World Turkic Forum local governments shouldn’t be ignored and it was an important point for keeping an effective public diplomacy up.
In the conclusion speech, Ambassador (R) Murat Bilhan, Vice Chairman of TASAM, stated the necessity of generating real politics away from cheap rhetoric and animosity, in order to continue this process with high success. And he emphasized on performing public diplomacy to overcome this process. Bilhan pointed that a public diplomacy was supposed to be performed, which was depending on earning allies and improving ally circles. He completed his speech by these sentences; “By making empathy, we should get results. I think these meetings will be more effective as long as new ideas and variants appear.” As a final decision, each of the nongovernmental organizations should prepare an official report in 10 days.
