The key facts

  • The 9th Istanbul Conference on Mediation will be held on October 23–24 under the auspices of Minister Hakan Fidan
  • The theme is 'Partnership and New Perspectives for Peace: Mediation in a Changing World'
  • Turkey has been holding the conference since 2012 and is the only country simultaneously co-chairing the groups of friends of mediation at the UN, OSCE and OIC

Conference Announcement

Turkey will hold the ninth Istanbul Conference on Mediation on October 23–24 under the motto 'Partnership and New Perspectives for Peace: Mediation in a Changing World,' Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday. The conference will take place under the auspices of Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan against the backdrop of, in the ministry's wording, rapid and profound changes in global dynamics.

Turkey's Role in Mediation

The ministry recalled that Turkey, which actively promotes the peaceful settlement of conflicts, launched the 'Mediation for Peace' initiative at the UN in 2010. According to the ministry, Turkey is the only country simultaneously co-chairing the groups of friends of mediation at the UN, the OSCE and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The Istanbul conferences have been held since 2012 and are positioned as a leading international platform for conflict settlement, preventive diplomacy and mediation.

Panel Program

The ninth conference is expected to bring together interested participants to develop dialogue, discuss current challenges of mediation and develop promising approaches. It will open with two panels: 'Mediation in a Changing World: Restoring Space for Diplomacy' and 'Partnership and New Perspectives for Peace: Shaping the Future of Mediation.' The sessions will focus on how the international community can expand space for diplomacy and how mediation can more effectively prevent conflicts. Other panels — 'Shared Commitment to Peace: Experience and Perspectives,' 'Humanitarian Efforts in Conflict Situations' and 'From Prevention to Sustainable Peace' — will concentrate on the experience and challenges of countries engaged in mediation, various approaches to mediation processes, as well as the expertise of scholars, specialists and representatives of think tanks.