Head of Communications Fahrettin Altun attended the launch event of "Citizen Diplomat" Project and delivered the following speech:
Esteemed panellists who have honoured our country with their presence,
Respected members of the academia and media,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Welcome to the launch event of the "Citizen Diplomat" project, which was prepared by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications.
I would like to thank all the participants and panellists for their valuable contributions to this event in advance.
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The citizen diplomat project is essentially a public diplomacy project.
And it is a new generation public diplomacy project.
Public diplomacy, as you may be aware, came into existence when it became clear that communication between states alone was not enough for communication between societies, and that states needed to engage with the peoples of other countries.
Public diplomacy has established a position within the analogue communication system and has become a formalised practice.
Numerous countries have engaged in public diplomacy activities within the media ecosystem, encompassing various analogue mass media platforms such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television.
These were times when civil society organisations, whether implicitly or explicitly, had a significant influence on the international stage and actively engaged in public diplomacy activities.
However, due to the impact of globalisation, the movement of people, ideas, and commodities has increased significantly. As a result, direct interaction between individuals has become a crucial aspect of communication between societies.
Thanks to advancements in communication technologies and the digital media eco-system, people from different countries can now easily connect and interact with each other, playing a significant role in global inter-communal relations.
With the addition of the systemic crises affecting the international order, inter-state communication practices have turned into invalid processes where parties transmit unidirectional messages in a hierarchical manner, often leading to a lack of trust.
In such a setting, citizen diplomacy has emerged as an effective and innovative form of new generation public diplomacy.
As Türkiye, we strive to contribute to resolving international crises through the leadership of our President on the hand, and on the other hand, through this new generation public diplomacy project, we aim to showcase the power, expertise, diversity, richness, history and potential of our country to the entire world.
Citizen diplomacy serves as an example of "person-to-person public diplomacy".
• It is an effective and strategic method to ensure direct communication and empathy with the target public,
• to develop long-term relationships between the peoples of different countries,
• to promote cultural exchange and cooperation,
• to promote the country in a peaceful, everyday manner that builds a positive image
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In the process of citizen diplomacy;
• Non-governmental organisations
• Think tanks,
• Educational instiutions, particularly universities,
• Opinion leaders, academics, scientists, artists,
• Media outlets,
• Private companies and many other actors have the potential to serve as cultural ambassadors and make valuable contributions to citizen diplomacy.
We have a strong commitment to citizen diplomacy and are dedicated to fully harnessing our potential to raise awareness in our country about this important field.
That is why we are launching this project, the Citizen Diplomat project.
Distinguished participants...
I would like to present some recent data to showcase our capabilities in the field of citizen diplomacy.
-As of 2024, Türkiye is among the nations with the most extensive network of diplomatic and consular missions in the globe, with nearly 300 locations.
On the other hand, today over 6.5 million of our citizens live abroad, with 5.5 million of them living in European countries.
When this number is taken into account along with the 3 million citizens who have returned to Türkiye, it becomes evident that we have a substantial citizen diplomat network of 9.5 million.
Furthermore, there are numerous institutions and non-governmental organisations that are actively involved in the filed of education, cooperation, and development.
TIKA, Yunus Emre Institute, Turkish Maarif Foundation, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), international student associations, universities, chambers of commerce, professional organisations, academics, and students who study abroad with the scholarships of our state, as well as those who go abroad through exchange programmes, are all important actors in citizen diplomacy.
And surely, every citizen who engages in interactions with every visitor to our country is both an actor and stakeholder in citizen diplomacy.
Dear participants,
Distinguished Guests,
We are confident that all of our citizens have the ability to share their values, culture, and the opportunities and richness of Türkiye with the world in a way that truly represents them.
Various types of interactions, whether our people travel abroad or citizens from different countries visit our nation, contribute to cultural enrichment and help promote awareness of our country's potential among other nations.
What steps shall we undertake to capitalize on these opportunities and transform them into added value to our public diplomacy endeavours?
As the Directorate of Communications, we view all of our citizens, particularly those residing or frequently travelling abroad, as heartfelt ambassadors as part of the Citizen Diplomat Project.
For this reason, we will strive to educate our citizens about our country's history, basic foreign policy theses, industry, tourism, culture and arts, and educational opportunities, as well as to promote awareness that each of our residents is a citizen diplomat.
We are committed to ensuring that our citizens are actively engaged in public diplomacy activities through domestic and international meetings, as well as through the use of written and visual materials equipped with the most current data.
We will gain from the diversity of cultural interaction while also setting a good example for the rest of the world in forging relations based on peace, justice, and tolerance.
Our "Citizen Diplomat Handbook", which we are unveiling to the public today as part of the launch event, will serve as a valuable reference in this context.
Furthermore, I am pleased to inform you that our digital platform, www.aboutturkiye.gov.tr, has been launched.
Our platform will play a crucial role in creating an environment of honest communication and facilitating the smooth flow of information to enhance the Türkiye Brand.
I am delighted to announce that our "aboutturkiye" digital platform distinguishes itself from other examples worldwide through its design structure that prioritises engaging with stakeholders.
Thanks to this platform;
• Our stakeholders who are interested in contributing to the promotion of Türkiye and producing content will be able to provide data and visual / written content in many areas.
• Our fellow citizens who wish to share their unique perspectives on Türkiye, as well as individuals from other countries who have an interest in our nation, will have the opportunity to contribute to our public diplomacy efforts by sharing their own content.
• Our executive institutions will be able to immediately promote their projects and operations on the way to the Century of Türkiye.
• These institutions will have the opportunity to input data and content across 178 diverse categories on our "aboutturkiye" digital platform.
• Our platform will serve as a crucial reference source to foster a unified discourse within the framework of our Türkiye's Communication Model.
Distinguished Guests,
Our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has a book titled "A FAIRER WORLD IS POSSIBLE", where he provides a clear and insightful perspective on the need for a reform of the United Nations and outlines the steps to implement this reform.
Regrettably, in a world marred by injustices, we find ourselves immersed in a global environment where the powerful are deemed correct rather than those who are right.
In this particular setting, as Türkiye strives for justice and truth, it faces both direct and indirect assaults from the prevailing colonial system on the global stage.
Undoubtedly, it is clear that the black propaganda and disinformation campaigns our nation has endured for an extensive period stem from a longing for exploitation, similar to colonial ambitions.
Utilising all the resources and abilities of our nation, we are actively opposing this policy of exploitation for a fully independent, strong, and prosperous Türkiye.
And we say that Türkiye is no longer a Western-dominated country incapable of formulating its own autonomous politics and strategy.
Nevertheless, Western media outlets, social media companies, and the film and television series industries persist in functioning as agents of the war of attrition against Türkiye.
Notwithstanding their attempts to distort and falsify the truth, we continue to demonstrate to the world that you cannot cover the sun with mud, meaning the truth cannot be hidden.
Distinguished guests
In this context, the citizen diplomat project aims to engage all of our citizens in Türkiye's global struggle for truth and justice.
Because when citizen diplomacy is conducted with the right strategies and with truth and justice at its core;
• Disruptive activities, such as disinformation, can minimise the damage and neutralise these malicious attempts.
• An environment of mutual tolerance and respect among societies attains a more extensive presence.
• Empathy flourishes among people with various cultural identities.
• Connections between various people can exert constructive pressure on governments.
• This could pave the way for maintaining good relations and developing peaceful solutions to many regional and global issues.
• Numerous challenges that have escalated into global impasses are amenable to resolution via international cooperation and solidarity.
Distinguished Participants...
These opportunities in the field of Citizen Diplomacy are in line with the Republic of Türkiye's public diplomacy perspective.
Under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, contributing to regional and global peace and justice has always been our top priority.
Through our public diplomacy activities, we aim to complement the "stabilising role" we play in addressing regional and global issues and challenges.
Looking only at the last ten years, we see very concrete examples of this situation:
Syrian civil war, irregular migration, humanitarian crises, pandemic, supply crisis, Russia-Ukraine war, food crisis, and others...
In almost all of these regional and global problems, Türkiyehas kept peace and justice at the forefront of its foreign policy vision, and it has not hesitated to use every opportunity to benefit humanity.
Türkiye's position on such issues and challenges is quite clear:
To spread truth, peace, stability, and justice throughout the world, beginning with its immediate region, and to work towards a sustainable future for humanity.
Citizen diplomacy shall be among the initiatives that we undertake in light of this perspective.
Through our endeavours in this domain, we aim to enhance Türkiye's approach, which is founded upon justice and equity, and expand it globally.
I believe that citizen diplomacy efforts will make significant contributions to our country.
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As I conclude my remarks, I would like to congratulate all of my colleagues for their contributions to the development of our project.
I would like to thank our esteemed academicians and experts for their contributions.
I extend my best wishes for the success of this event and I hope that the Citizen Diplomat Project will be long-lasting and beneficial to all of humanity.
Thank you.