2nd Diaspora Forum of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and the 2nd Experience Sharing Program among the OTS Diaspora Institutions were held on 28-30 March 2022 in Bursa, the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World.
Hosted by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and the Secretariat of the OTS, the 2nd Diaspora Forum was attended by the Secretary General of the OTS Baghdad Amreyev, Chairman of the Council of Elders of the OTS Binali Yıldırım, Governor of Bursa Yakup Canbolat, Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Alinur Aktaş, President of YTB Abdullah Eren, as well as heads and other high-level authorities in charge of diasporas from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Around 200 participants, including prominent diaspora representatives, academics, diaspora business people, members of press and students from the Member and Observer States participated in the Forum.
Addressing the Forum, Secretary General of OTS Baghdad Amreyev touched on the potential of the common diaspora that can produce great benefits politically, economically and socially for the Turkic States and stated that the aim of the diaspora activities undertaken by the OTS is to create a united, well-informed and organized Turkic diaspora across the world as mentioned by the Heads of State at the OTS Summits.
Chairman of the Council of Elders Binali Yıldırım also expressed the importance of establishing efficient cooperation and coordination among the over 20 million strong diaspora members of the brotherly Turkic States. Chairman underlined the necessity of protecting and maintaining the diaspora’s contact with their homeland, culture and language.
After the opening, Forum continued with three main sessions namely; Head of Diaspora Institutions Session with the topic of “Contemporary Status and Future Perspective of Diasporas of the OTS Member Countries” chaired by the Deputy Secretary General of the OTS Gismat Gozalov; Academic Session witj the topic of “Historical Process of the Diasporas of the OTS Member States”; and Civil Society Session devoted to the topic of “Capacity Building of NGOs in Diaspora – Challenges”.
On March 29, 2022, the Forum continued with the "2nd Experience Sharing Program among the OTS Diaspora Institutions" where the institutional experience of relevant Turkish authorities dealing with diaspora affairs was shared with the experts of participating Diaspora Institutions from the OTS Member States. During the sessions, Parties shared their knowledge and experience, as well as discussed the diaspora issues with its legal, social, economic and cultural dimensions.
Alongside the sessions, the Heads of Diaspora Institutions and the Deputy Secretary Generals of the OTS were received by the Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Alinur Aktaş.
The program will end with the Nowruz celebrations and inauguration ceremony of Bursa-2022 Cultural Capital of the Turkic World, to be co-organized by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality and TÜRKSOY on March 30, 2022.
Hosted by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and the Secretariat of the OTS, the 2nd Diaspora Forum was attended by the Secretary General of the OTS Baghdad Amreyev, Chairman of the Council of Elders of the OTS Binali Yıldırım, Governor of Bursa Yakup Canbolat, Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Alinur Aktaş, President of YTB Abdullah Eren, as well as heads and other high-level authorities in charge of diasporas from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Around 200 participants, including prominent diaspora representatives, academics, diaspora business people, members of press and students from the Member and Observer States participated in the Forum.
Addressing the Forum, Secretary General of OTS Baghdad Amreyev touched on the potential of the common diaspora that can produce great benefits politically, economically and socially for the Turkic States and stated that the aim of the diaspora activities undertaken by the OTS is to create a united, well-informed and organized Turkic diaspora across the world as mentioned by the Heads of State at the OTS Summits.
Chairman of the Council of Elders Binali Yıldırım also expressed the importance of establishing efficient cooperation and coordination among the over 20 million strong diaspora members of the brotherly Turkic States. Chairman underlined the necessity of protecting and maintaining the diaspora’s contact with their homeland, culture and language.
After the opening, Forum continued with three main sessions namely; Head of Diaspora Institutions Session with the topic of “Contemporary Status and Future Perspective of Diasporas of the OTS Member Countries” chaired by the Deputy Secretary General of the OTS Gismat Gozalov; Academic Session witj the topic of “Historical Process of the Diasporas of the OTS Member States”; and Civil Society Session devoted to the topic of “Capacity Building of NGOs in Diaspora – Challenges”.
On March 29, 2022, the Forum continued with the "2nd Experience Sharing Program among the OTS Diaspora Institutions" where the institutional experience of relevant Turkish authorities dealing with diaspora affairs was shared with the experts of participating Diaspora Institutions from the OTS Member States. During the sessions, Parties shared their knowledge and experience, as well as discussed the diaspora issues with its legal, social, economic and cultural dimensions.
Alongside the sessions, the Heads of Diaspora Institutions and the Deputy Secretary Generals of the OTS were received by the Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Alinur Aktaş.
The program will end with the Nowruz celebrations and inauguration ceremony of Bursa-2022 Cultural Capital of the Turkic World, to be co-organized by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality and TÜRKSOY on March 30, 2022.
