Turkey to host two mediation conferences in Istanbul

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey is set to host two mediation conferences in Istanbul this week to raise awareness and build capacity for mediation, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

The 6th Istanbul Mediation Conference will convene under the theme of International Peace Mediation: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead, the ministry said in a statement.

The conference aims to discuss the role of regional and international organizations in the field of mediation and strengthening avenues of cooperation among them, it said.

Various main aspects of the practice of mediation as well as the connection between emerging technologies and peace efforts are also among the topics which will be discussed during the event.

The conference will be attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and members of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation, according to the statement.

- OIC Member States Conference on Mediation

Istanbul is also due to host the 3rd Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States Conference on Mediation on Friday, according to the statement, which said 60% of conflicts worldwide are currently taking place in the OIC area.

The timely conference will focus on “effective mediation approaches and preparations for a code of conduct on culturally sensitive mediation.”

Held under Turkey’s enterprising and humanitarian foreign policy, the two events “will help reinforce efforts to raise awareness on peace mediation in which Turkey plays a vanguard role,” said the ministry.