The Stratcom Public Forum, organised by the Directorate of Communications in various countries, was held under the theme "A Fairer World Is Possible." The event, which was held for the first time in Vienna, the capital of Austria, focused on the problems of global governance, the crises of the international system, and the role of international institutions and organisations in establishing a sustainable and fair system.
At the initial round of the panel series held in Vienna, the event commenced with the screening of the "Stratcom Public Forum Themed" video, followed by the presentation of a message from Head of Communications Professor Fahrettin Altun, which was sent specifically for the panel.
Ambassador Levent Eler, Türkiye's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vienna Office, delivered the opening speech of the panel, which was moderated by Professor Giray Sadık from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University. The panel featured retired diplomat Klaus Wölfer, Associate Professor David Campbell from the University of Vienna, journalist and retired diplomat Dr. Harvey Dzodin, UN Correspondents Association Vienna Office Secretary-General Hermann Kroiher, and National Defence University Associate Professor Emrah Aydemir as speakers.
During his opening speech, Ambassador Levent Eler, Türkiye's Permanent Representative to the UN Vienna Office, underscored the importance of the world's current challenges, particularly wars and conflicts, and also noted that the United Nations, a critical body for addressing these challenges, was unable to achieve a consensus because of the countries with the veto power.
Klaus Wölfer, the first speaker of the panel moderated by Professor Giray Sadık, stated that the steps required to ensure global peace and justice imposed a responsibility on nations, and he emphasised that the Grain Corridor Agreement served as a tangible illustration of this sense of responsibility, citing Türkiye's mediation role during the Russia-Ukraine War.
In his speech, Associate Professor David Campbell emphasised that the current global challenges also present global opportunities and that he believed that these opportunities would ultimately lead to global justice. The speaker emphasised Türkiye's geographical and cultural characteristics as a bridge, citing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's motto, "A fairer world is possible," as a significant step in reinforcing this role.
This structure of the UNSC is an old model from the past
Regarding the veto power of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), journalist and retired diplomat Harvey Dzodin said, "This structure of the UNSC is an 80-year-old model from the past; five nations with the power to veto wield their national interests and will on the majority of the world population."
Herman Kroiher, Secretary General of the UN Correspondents Association Vienna Office, emphasised the necessity for changes within the UN Security Council for a fairer world and shared his reform proposals about the decision-making processes of the Security Council.
Associate Professor Emrah Aydemir from the National Defence University was the last speaker of the panel. He highlighted the need for a universal civilisation and agreement to reshape the world and that the states and non-state actors should work together to achieve it in line with a shared goal. Aydemir emphasised the significance of the notion of global citizenship for the entire world, asserting that it could only be developed by organisations like the UN.
Stratcom Public Forum "A Fairer World Is Possible" Roundtable Meeting
At the roundtable meeting, held on the sidelines of the Stratcom Public Forum panel series in Vienna under the theme "A Fairer World Is Possible," the problems of the international system, global crises, solution proposals for them, and the international organisations' role, particularly that of the United Nations (UN), were discussed with a particular emphasis on strategic communication, media, and information.
During the meeting, where the threats posed by the crises in the international system to global governance and the issues that the international community has failed to find solutions to, with the humanitarian crisis in particular, were discussed at length, proposals for building a fair international system and increasing the effectiveness of international organisations were discussed.
The roundtable meeting, which was closed to the public, was attended by academician Professor Giray Sadık, retired diplomat Klaus Wölfer, academician and Associate Professor David Campbell, journalist and retired diplomat Harvey Dzodin, Secretary General of the UN Correspondents Association Vienna Office Hermann Kroiher, Vienna Communications Counsellor Orhan Ocakdan, academician Associate Professor Emrah Aydemir, communication expert Nikolaus Tuschar, journalist Christine Ojo, academician Professor Thomas Bauer, Anadolu Agency Austria Representative Aşkın Kıyağan, TRT Deutsch News Editor Yunus Mazı, academician Assistant Professor Hüsnü Yavuz Aytekin, journalist Mag. Elgün Niftali and doctoral candidate Ayten Aliyeva.
A photo exhibition titled "Century of Türkiye" was organised as part of the Stratcom Public Forum panel series, which focused on the theme "A Fairer World Is Possible." Additionally, a documentary was screened, chronicling the life of painter Devrim Erbil, which spanned over 60 years. Numerous guests attended the screening.
