The forum in İstanbul brought together students from 30 nationalities for crisis-focused panels and multilingual ministry simulations, while TRY 1 million was donated through the Turkish Red Crescent for delivery to Gaza.
-- The Türkiye-based Youth Diplomacy Association (GDD) organized the second Bosphorus Diplomacy Forum (BDF), held in İstanbul from August 10 to 16, 2026, under the theme “Humanitarian Diplomacy in the Age of Crises.”
The program brought young people together to address diplomacy and global crises through panels, special sessions and multilingual ministry-based simulations. TRY 1 million, brought together through delegate and participant fees and a contribution from GDD, was donated through the Turkish Red Crescent to be delivered to Gaza.
International arrivals and opening panels
On August 10, 74 international students joined an Istanbul tour supported by the Istanbul Governorship. A gala dinner was attended by İstanbul Governor Davut Gül, while a Democracy and Freedoms Island tour brought together 132 delegates and the forum’s 70-member team.
On the second day, more than 600 students representing 30 nationalities came together. Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan joined the first panel on education diplomacy. Dr. Babatunde Ahonsi (United Nations Resident Coordinator in Türkiye) and Christian Mensah (Former Secretary to the Governing Bodies & Chief, Inter-Governmental Relations at UN-Habitat), followed in a session on humanitarian diplomacy. Ahmet Burak Dağlıoğlu (President, Investment and Finance Office), Dr. Ali Taha Koç (CEO, Turkcell), and Kerem Kızıltunç (Chairman, Turkish Technology), then discussed artificial intelligence and economic development.
Special sessions and ministry simulations
Special committee sessions on August 12 and 13 included İlhami Giray Şahin (Deputy Head of Communications, Directorate of Communications), Paolo Marchi (UNICEF Representative to Türkiye), Mehmet Güllüoğlu (Vice President, Green Crescent), Mahmut Özdil (President, Turkish Maarif Foundation), Prof. Cihat Yaycı (Retired Rear Admiral), Prof. Dr. Ramazan Erdağ (President, Center for Strategic Research, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye) and Can Acun (Researcher in Foreign Policy Studies, SETA Foundation).
Ministry-based diplomacy simulations also began August 12 in English, Arabic, French and Turkish. The six committees assigned 132 delegates to represent ministries of different countries.
The Heads of State Committee addressed Palestine; the Defense Ministers Committee, the war in Sudan; and the Finance and Economy Ministers Committee, Lebanon’s economic collapse. The Foreign Affairs Ministers Committee addressed Syria’s diplomatic reintegration; the Energy and Strategic Resources Ministers Committee, Eastern Mediterranean energy policies and sovereignty; and the Social Policies and Human Rights Ministers Committee, Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis.
Energy, education and history panels
On August 13, Dr. Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye, addressed delegates on energy diplomacy. Prof. Dr. Yusuf Tekin, Minister of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye spoke on education on August 14, followed by Prof. Dr. Erhan Afyoncu, Rector at the Turkish National Defence University, on diplomacy and history on August 15. Each speaker addressed delegates and answered participants’ questions.
The closing ceremony included Numan Kurtulmuş, President of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Fuat Oktay Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Davut Gül, Associate Professor Emrullah Tuncel, Mufti of İstanbul. Delegates representing different ministries of the same country then prepared a joint press statement. Heads of state subsequently presented their countries’ statements before all delegations.
A parallel emphasis on youth participation and climate action
A parallel emphasis on youth participation and people-centered action also emerged during the Global Zero Waste Forum 2026, where the Zero Waste Foundation and the Youth Diplomacy Association (GDD) collaborated on youth-focused workshops. The Forum’s declaration places people and communities at the center of solutions while emphasizing youth as active participants in decision-making, implementation and innovation.
The Zero Waste Foundation also positioned the 2026 Forum as a strategic step on Türkiye’s road to COP31. Under the theme “The Road to Antalya - Zero Waste as Climate Action,” the Forum focused on turning zero-waste principles into concrete climate action and implementation ahead of COP31.
Youth participation provides another link between the Forum’s priorities and the COP31 process. The Zero Waste Foundation’s COP31 initiatives seek to increase young people’s direct participation in environmental policies through training, workshops, field activities and volunteering, moving their role beyond representation and toward implementation.
Contact Info:
Name: Ahmet Musa Bala
Email: Send Email
Organization: Zero Waste Foundation
Website: https://sifiratikvakfi.org/en
Release ID: 89201404
Should you come across any errors, concerns, or inconsistencies within this press release's content, we urge you to reach out without delay by contacting error@releasecontact.com (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our committed team will promptly address your feedback within 8 hours and take appropriate measures to resolve any identified issues or guide you through the removal process. Providing accurate and dependable information remains our utmost priority.
