In his speech at the "Turkish-German Media Forum" organised by the Directorate of Communications at the Conference Hall of the Directorate, Presidency's Head of Communications Fahrettin Altun reminded that the first forum was held in February with media members from the African continent.
With the aim of strengthening cooperation in the field of media, building a platform for strategic dialogue, discussing the direction and transformation of the world and the media, and seeking solutions to problems, we will continue hosting these meaningful events throughout 2025, Head of Communications Altun said, and continued:
"The media forums we host under the auspices of the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications rest on a more meaningful basis in an environment of global uncertainty, chaos, and instability. Indeed, one could even refer to it as a 'new world disorder.' Understanding disorder is even more difficult than understanding order. This is precisely where media professionals fulfil a vital role. When media operates in its true spirit, it offers society the opportunity to comprehend and interpret developments. I am referring to the media’s duty to convey developments to society truthfully by placing local, regional, and global dynamics in context. We are witnessing a time when each new day brings new developments, trade wars are entangled with perception wars, security concerns are spreading across the globe, crises follow one after another, international institutions fail to provide solutions, and all the balances we once knew are being reshaped."
"210 journalists striving to tell the truth have been killed"
Head of Communications Altun stated that, in such a period where the entire world is tested by chaos, uncertainty, and crises, Türkiye stood as an actor striving to ensure peace, stability, and security. Altun continued as follows:
"Türkiye has consistently demonstrated this stance in the face of both regional and global crises. For example, the Russia-Ukraine war... The war, now ongoing for over three years, has caused immense destruction and suffering, displacing millions of people. In fact, under the leadership of our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye made great efforts to prevent the crisis between Russia and Ukraine from escalating into war. Right after the war broke out, we brought together Russian and Ukrainian delegations first in Antalya, then in İstanbul. By hosting the Grain Corridor Agreement, we helped prevent a major global food crisis. To this day, as a country that continues dialogue with both sides and strives for a fair solution, we support all peace initiatives. As our President has repeatedly stated, Türkiye stands ready to host further negotiations and to assume any role, including mediation, in the path toward peace. Our country is also exerting the same effort to end the genocide committed by the Israeli government in Palestine. The entire world should support the struggle Türkiye has been carrying out for the past year and a half. This tragedy unfolding in our region must be stopped, and the spread of this fire that is destroying humanity must be prevented. This is now the most urgent issue before humanity."
Head of Communications Altun noted that the Israeli government had killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, including babies, children, women, healthcare workers, and journalists, since October 7, 2023, and continued to do so. Altun said, "It condemns the survivors to starvation, severing the very veins of justice and truth in the world." So far, 211 journalists striving to tell the truth have been killed in the line of duty. Just a few days ago, Israel bombed a tent of journalists standing vigil for truth near a hospital in Gaza, causing one journalist to burn alive."
Emphasising that it was not only journalists who were killed but also the truth, Altun said, "To grasp the severity of the situation in Palestine, let us consider the words of Jewish scholar Norman Finkelstein: 'More children have been killed in Gaza in 6 months than the total number of children killed in all other war zones worldwide over 3 years, multiplied by 4. Do you hear what I’m saying?' To this rightful question, we must add another critical one: Is there any value, norm, or rule that the Israeli government has not violated in the past 18 months? There is not a stone left standing in Gaza. This persecution, this utter disregard for rules, which is the greatest obstacle to global peace and stability, must be brought to an end immediately."
"A security architecture that excludes Türkiye cannot generate solutions for Europe"
Head of Communications Altun underlined that, just as Türkiye has been the key to peace and resolution in Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, the Caucasus, and the Balkans, it will continue to assert its will for ending the war in Palestine and continued:
"Our country’s great struggle for all crisis zones, guided by the vision that “A fairer world is possible,” is becoming more meaningful with each passing day. Unfortunately, the current international system is losing credibility and altitude. Today, the United States’ shifting priorities under its new leadership, its approach to NATO, an essential pillar of the international system, and its trade decisions are having a significant impact on Europe.
We are undergoing a period in which the balance between prosperity and security is being shaken, and growing security vulnerabilities are voiced more than economic concerns. The European Union is increasing its defence budget in its pursuit of security. However, it is obvious that a security architecture that excludes Türkiye cannot generate solutions for Europe. In our President's words, 'It is becoming increasingly impossible for Europe to maintain its existence as a global actor without Türkiye taking its rightful place. To put it bluntly, European security is unimaginable without Türkiye'. With its NATO membership, advances in the defense industry, strong military, and substantial human resources, Türkiye is an indispensable partner for its allies. Within this framework, it has become a necessity, especially from the perspective of our counterparts, to further strengthen our relations with the EU and Germany."
"It is critical that Turks in Germany feel safe and equal"
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that the friendship and relations between Türkiye and Germany dated back centuries, that the two countries withstood many trials, experienced ruptures, and fought on the same front during the First World War.
Indicating that Germany faced immense devastation in the Second World War, Head of Communications Altun said:
"During the clearing of the rubble, the reconstruction of the country, and its recovery, Türkiye and Turkish citizens played an active role wherever needed. Since then, Turks have been living in Germany for four generations. Today, their population exceeds three and a half million. The presence of Turks in all aspects of daily life in Germany, from politics to the arts, from trade to culture, and from the economy to sports, is a source of great satisfaction.
However, it is of critical importance that Turks who have long lived, established lives, and taken root in Germany feel safe and equal. Undoubtedly, economic hardships, migration and refugee crises, the spread of marginal discourses via digital platforms, nationalism sharpened by populism, political polarisation, and ideological conflicts have all contributed to the global rise of racism. Regrettably, Europe has not been immune to these developments. Painful incidents that occurred as a result of unfortunate political rhetoric and a marginalising media discourse lacking in self-restraint remain vivid in our collective memory. Let me state this in the clearest terms: Racism is a crime against humanity. Racism is a common problem of humanity. We have to develop common solutions against racism. It is our common duty to fight, resolutely and without compromise, against the normalisation and dissemination of racism and its portrayal as an innocent political stance."
"We prioritise the joint production of content such as TV series, and films"
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that Türkiye and Germany should reflect their cooperation in all fields in the fight against racism as well and strengthen the ties between the two countries, stating the following:
"We are ready to offer our full support and contribute to Germany in the fight against racism. The bonds between us are very strong. Indeed, the fact that nearly 7 million German citizens choose Türkiye each year for their holidays, a trade volume between the two countries reaching 50 billion USD, and the increasing frequency of diplomatic contacts in response to geopolitical developments and contemporary challenges and ruptures are all strong indicators of the deep bond between our nations and peoples. The official visit of our President to Germany, as well as the visits of President Steinmeier and Chancellor Scholz to Türkiye, are of great value in terms of strengthening bilateral relations. When we add to these important visits the Turkish-German Energy Forum, the Joint Economic and Trade Commission Meetings, and the Labour and Social Security Working Group Meetings, the nature of the diplomatic relations between our two countries becomes even more apparent. I firmly believe that the close cooperation and the shared will to act jointly between Türkiye and Germany will play a facilitating role in resolving both regional and global issues. It is our greatest hope that the inclusive friendship between the two countries will further strengthen our cooperation in the field of communication and media. No matter what, we are ready to enhance the quality of our relations. We are establishing this forum as a platform for dialogue and direct engagement. We are not afraid to speak, nor do we shy away from dialogue."
When we consider the activities of our public broadcasters and private media outlets, it is clear that we already possess the necessary infrastructure for deepening our collaboration, Head of Communications Altun said, and continued:
"Anadolu Agency, TRT Deutsch, TRT World, and TRT Türk contribute to media pluralism in Germany, just as they do in every country in which they operate. While our media institutions continue their broadcasting activities in various countries, particularly Germany, we provide all necessary support to foreign journalists who are either based in or temporarily assigned to our country to carry out their professional duties. We attach great importance to promptly addressing requests from foreign members of the press that aim to facilitate their accreditation and working conditions. In this context, between 2022 and 2024, we accredited approximately 6 thousand temporary and nearly 750 permanent foreign journalists.
Specifically in Germany, 31 journalists from 18 media outlets were granted permanent accreditation in 2024, and 41 journalists from 21 outlets in 2025. We consider members of the media operating in both countries as an asset for cooperation in the field of communication and media. To further deepen this cooperation, as the Directorate of Communications, and within the framework of the Türkiye Communication Model, we prioritise the joint production of content such as news reports, documentaries, TV series, and films; the enhanced and qualified representation of the Turkish diaspora in the media; the mutual encouragement of adherence to ethical principles in journalism; cooperation in the fight against disinformation; and the expansion of joint media literacy and journalist exchange programs. I believe that these cooperative efforts will make meaningful contributions to ensuring truth and fair representation in the media.
"Disinformation under the guise of press freedom cannot be tolerated"
Head of Communications Altun noted, "Undoubtedly, alongside all these, it is of paramount importance that the media uphold the public interest and never allow extremist factions, criminal entities, marginal groups, or even terrorist organisations to dominate the public agenda.
"It is imperative, both in the name of truth and for the sake of global peace and collective conscience, that the media refrain from becoming an instrument of emotionally provocative, divisive, inciting, and generalising ideologies that exploit race, religion, language, and culture, such as Islamophobia or xenophobia. The presence of the aforementioned malevolent movements and organisations in the media landscape, and even the use of media platforms to disseminate their propaganda, undermines public trust in the media, fuels disorder and chaos, and weakens the representation of truth in the media. Giving a platform to individuals who spread terrorist propaganda under the label of 'expert' in the media is an outright act of hostility toward the truth. It is an absolutely unacceptable situation.
Providing a platform for terrorist organizations to spread propaganda is a violation of human rights, an act of hostility against humanity, and a threat to public order. For this reason, we firmly believe that terrorist propaganda should never have a place in the media. Of course, freedom of the press, within the framework of ethical principles, remains one of humanity’s greatest achievements and a cornerstone of democracy across the world. However, under the guise of press freedom, we must never tolerate the spread of disinformation, black propaganda, or perception management operations. If press freedom is invoked when it comes to the media representation of anti-social elements or terrorist groups, yet conveniently ignored in the face of the Israeli government’s genocide in Palestine, then this principle is clearly being abused. If baseless, fabricated news and manipulative narratives are recklessly circulated under the banner of press freedom, landing like stray bullets in the minds of the public, then the very essence of the concept is being hollowed out. If malevolent actors are able to disseminate disinformation across digital platforms under the pretext of press freedom, then the value of this principle is being diminished. Today, it is our shared responsibility to prevent press freedom from being exploited as a tool or a mask for disinformation and to defend the truth with all our might. Against the structure of new technologies that often devalue accurate information and the truth, institutional media frameworks provide us with remarkable opportunities. I firmly believe that we can benefit even more effectively from these opportunities through international cooperation."
In a post shared on his social media account, Head of Communications Altun expressed his gratitude to Akif Çağatay Kılıç, Chief Advisor to the President on Foreign Policy and Security, the panellists, and all those who contributed to the organisation of the forum.
