The overseas event series organised by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications ahead of the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, to be held in Ankara on 7–8 July, has concluded. The initiative was launched to inform international public opinion ahead of the Summit and to share Türkiye's perspective on its role within NATO and on the Alliance's current security challenges.
The series came to a close with the programme held in Zagreb on 2 July, following events organised in the capitals of 13 NATO Allied countries: Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Poland, the United States, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Croatia.
The events provided a comprehensive platform for the exchange of views ahead of the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Ankara, addressing a broad range of issues including security, defence, strategic communication, public diplomacy, hybrid threats, countering disinformation, and transatlantic cooperation.
As part of the series, nine panel discussions, four roundtable meetings, two seminars, and eleven press briefings were organised.
The programmes, which featured a video message by Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran, brought together 18 speakers representing Türkiye, including senior officials, politicians, academics, and representatives of think tanks.
A further 49 participants from the host countries contributed to the programmes as moderators, keynote speakers, and panellists.
The panel discussions, roundtable meetings, and seminars were organised in cooperation with 14 think tanks and research institutes.
Through these engagements, the initiative contributed to strengthening dialogue and institutional cooperation among think tanks, strategic research centres, and policy circles in Türkiye and Allied countries. As an integral component of the series, the press briefings were hosted by the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Türkiye in the respective countries.
The briefings were attended by 142 journalists representing 99 media organisations.
The meetings provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions with international media representatives on the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit to be held in Ankara, Türkiye's preparations as host, and the Alliance's priority agenda items.
Through this overseas event series, the Presidency's Directorate of Communications sought to strengthen cooperation with Allied countries in the fields of strategic communication and public diplomacy; ensure that the international public was informed accurately and effectively ahead of the NATO Summit; establish a multidimensional platform for consultations on the agenda of the Ankara Summit; and reinforce channels of dialogue to enhance the visibility of Türkiye's constructive and active role within the Alliance on the international stage.
