Stratcom Public Forum in Budapest: charting a path to a fairer global system

The Presidency’s Directorate of Communications held the “Stratcom Public Forum: A Fairer World is Possible” panel in Budapest, Hungary.

Stratcom Public Forum in Budapest

At a time when the international system is facing increasing uncertainties, injustices, and global challenges, international organisations are struggling to develop effective solutions to contemporary challenges, and multilateralism is losing ground. In this context, Türkiye’s entrepreneurial and humanitarian foreign policy approach continues to strive firmly for the establishment of an inclusive, transparent, responsible, and multilateral system to create a fairer world. As part of Türkiye’s objective, the “Stratcom Public Forum: A Fairer World is Possible” panel, which was pioneered by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the motto, “The World is Bigger than Five” and held in Budapest, Hungary, by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, hosted discussions about ways to make the international system fairer by putting international law, human rights, legitimacy, and dialogue at the forefront.

A sizeable international audience, including academics, journalists, representatives of non-governmental organisations, and bureaucrats, attended the event.

Ambassador of Türkiye to Budapest Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu delivered the opening remarks at the panel, which received a message from the Presidency’s Head of Communications Fahrettin Altun as well. Karanis Ekşioğlu stressed in her address that the institutions of the past are inadequate to fulfil the requirements of the present and that regional cooperation is a useful way to overcome these shortcomings. Highlighting the injustices brought about by the international system, Ekşioğlu stated that Türkiye has a multilateral and diverse agenda based on President Erdoğan’s motto, “A Fairer World is Possible.”

The panel “Stratcom Public Forum: A Fairer World is Possible” commenced following the opening remarks. The panel, moderated by Kırıkkale University faculty member Prof İslam Safa Kaya, featured Prof László Vasa from the Hungarian Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Rodrigo Ballester from the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), Dr Zoltán Egeresi from the Ludovika University of Public Service, and coordinator İdris Kardaş from the Centre for Combating Disinformation as keynote speakers.

“International system must be multilateral and inclusive”

Prof Kaya conveyed significant messages regarding the preservation of global justice during the panel discussion. According to Kaya, President Erdoğan’s motto, “A fairer world is possible,” is a beacon of hope for equality and justice on a global scale rather than merely a call. Kaya emphasised that justice needs to be guaranteed on a societal and international level in addition to on an individual one. He also underlined that everyone should have equal rights and that equality and human rights are the cornerstones of global justice. He said that issues of inequality in fields such as health and education pose an obstacle to ensuring justice at the local level. Kaya stated that the existing international systems are unfair to developing nations and that justice should be served in a more inclusive manner. Kaya continued by stating that international collaboration and solidarity are essential for a fairer world and ended his speech by saying, “A fairer world is possible; we must act together to achieve it.”

“Connectivity is essential in solving existing problems”

According to Prof László Vasa, market demands and globalisation have raised the demand for quickly evolving communication technologies, necessitating the development of digital infrastructure and more reliable solutions. He said that investments like smart transport networks and 5G corridors are essential to Europe’s ability to compete. He also noted that the demand for global connectivity is growing due to security risks and climate change.

He underlined that connectivity is influenced by economic and security needs in addition to geopolitical factors. Prof Vasa pointed out that countries are on the path to generating greater international impact by building stronger collaborations and emphasised the importance of inclusive infrastructure investments, digital collaborations, and programs that promote interpersonal connections. He concluded his remarks by adding that adapting to the rapidly evolving world requires a constant flow of communication and flexibility.