The Stratcom Public Forum, organised by the Directorate of Communications in various countries, was held under the theme "A Fairer World Is Possible." The 19th edition of the event held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, 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.
Prior to the panel, a roundtable meeting titled "A Fairer World Is Possible" was held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, as part of the Stratcom Public Forum. Leading figures from academia, the media, and public institutions took part in the roundtable meeting. Under the theme "A Fairer World Is Possible," the problems of the global system were examined in historical, economic, and political contexts.
At the 19th round of the panel series held in Tashkent, 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.
The panel opened with a keynote speech by Ufuk Ulutaş, Türkiye's Ambassador to Uzbekistan, and was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Fatma Kurt Sarıaslan, a faculty member at Istanbul Medeniyet University. The panel featured the Dean of Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Prof. Nur Çetin, Executive Director of the Center for Development Strategy Dr. Eldor Sobirjonovich Tulyakov, political expert Kamoliddin M. Rabbimov, faculty member at Webster University Farhod Tolipov, and political analyst Fazliddin Madiev as speakers.
In his keynote speech, Ufuk Ulutaş, Türkiye's Ambassador to Uzbekistan, thanked the participants and all of the guests for attending the event, adding that the important event provides a good platform to explore the root causes of global injustices and find solutions to these issues. Ambassador Ulutaş highlighted that the motto "The world is bigger than five" articulated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of the Republic of Türkiye, serves as a challenge to imbalances in the global system. He described the motto as a global appeal that reinforces the struggle of the oppressed around the world. Ambassador Ulutaş regarded the panel discussion as a significant advancement towards the formation of a just international order and expressed gratitude to the participants and all contributors to the organisation.
Assoc. Prof. Fatma Kurt Sarıaslan moderated the "Stratcom Public Forum," which highlighted Türkiye's active role in global justice and peace. Assoc. Prof. Sarıaslan underscored the UN Security Council's ineffectiveness in addressing long-term crises, particularly in crises like Syria, Ukraine, and Palestine, where veto powers were abused and the global order generated injustice. She stated that Türkiye has assumed the role of a defender of international justice in accordance with President Erdoğan's principle that "The world is larger than five." She emphasised the panel's significant role as a forum for fostering global discussion.
The first speaker of the panel was Farhod Talipov, a lecturer at Webster University, who stated that he has been conducting scientific research in this field for a long time. Talipov asserted that he has been involved in theoretical research within the realm of international relations, and thus, he personally embraced President Erdoğan's motto, "The world is bigger than five". He argued that international efforts seek to establish a just global system; however, the proposed theoretical concepts do not correspond to reality. He underscored that, despite all nations issuing anti-war statements, the global community becomes polarised when actual conflict occurs. At this juncture, Talipov stressed the supremacy of international law. He emphasised the importance of maintaining discussions about the UN's unjust structure on international platforms.
Prof. Nur Çetin made critical assessments during her speech at the "A Fairer World is Possible" panel. Prof. Çetin underscored that no country should remain idle waiting for a solution, noting that each country should shoulder the responsibility to find solutions for global issues. Stating that Türkiye has been providing aid worldwide through its institutions such as the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and the Turkish Red Crescent Society, Prof. Çetin cited Uzbekistan's cooperation initiatives launched in Central Asia since 2018 as a notable example. Prof. Çetin stated that the cooperation between Türkiye and Uzbekistan was reaffirmed with the Order of Honour awarded to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and called for increasing such cooperation in response to the evolving global landscape.
Faruk Hakimov underlined Uzbekistan's initiatives to establish itself as a major player on international platforms. Underlining that Uzbekistan seeks to enhance its alliances and transform its traditional partnerships into strategic ones as part of its foreign policy goals, Hakimov noted that Uzbekistan and Türkiye have a strong leader-to-leader relationship and robust ties between their citizens. In addition, he emphasised Uzbekistan's full membership in the Organisation of Turkic States and the importance it places on the organization's development. Criticising the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), he highlighted the unjust attitude of the current structure of the Security Council. Hakimov argued that Uzbekistan must address this issue on various international platforms.
Political Scientist Kamoliddin M. Rabbimov stated that a new global order was created with the establishment of the UN in 1945. He pointed out that of the five members of the UNSC, China is the sole representative of the Eastern countries, while Western countries have four. Rabbimov underlined the postcolonial past of the UK and France and emphasised that the UNSC has no countries representing the Muslim or Turkic world. He stated that, despite its presence across a wide geography, from Siberia to Albania, the Turkic world has no representation in the UNSC. Rabbimov highlighted the significance of Türkiye's efforts in eradicating this injustice.
In his remarks during the panel, Fazliddin Madiev stated that Türkiye and Uzbekistan support each other on international platforms such as the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and that the strategic partnership between the two countries is growing deeper with each passing day. Madiev noted that in recent years, significant collaborations have been established between the two countries, particularly in the fields of economy, culture, education, and industry. He emphasized that tourism, craftsmanship, and construction projects in Uzbekistan have gained momentum. He highlighted that Türkiye has provided substantial support in the field of education by offering thousands of scholarships to young Uzbeks. Madiev noted the increase in trade volume and investment cooperation, stating that a strong partnership has been established between the two countries in industrial and infrastructure projects. Madiev stated that over the past seven years, the leaders of Türkiye and Uzbekistan have met 11 times, further strengthening bilateral cooperation. He emphasised that the two countries have taken significant steps toward the integration of the Turkic world and are building a strong model of partnership for a shared future.
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.