International Balkans Cooperation Congress, co-founded by Istanbul Medeniyet University, was successfully held in Istanbul between May 13 and 15, 2026. Aiming to address the cultural, social, and economic future of the Balkan region on an academic foundation, the congress featured an intensive three-day program.
The opening ceremony of the congress was held on Tuesday, May 13, 2026, at Istanbul Ticaret University. Attracted by high-level participation, the opening ceremony drew intense interest from academic circles, bureaucrats, and civil society representatives. As part of the opening program, the Balkan Music Concert performed by the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Istanbul State Turkish Folk Music Chorus was highly acclaimed by the participants.
Organized in cooperation with Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul Ticaret University, Istanbul University, Marmara University, Trakya University, and the International University of Sarajevo, the congress brought together academics, researchers, bureaucrats, businesspeople, and students from 10 different countries, including Türkiye, on a common platform. Throughout the congress, parallel sessions were held under the headings of culture, tourism, education, industry, commerce, and employment. Sixty academic papers were presented under six different thematic headings.
Cooperation with Balkan Countries Emphasized in Opening Speeches
The opening program of the congress was attended by Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu, Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs during the 60th and 65th Governments; Elif Canan Tuncer, Deputy Governor of Istanbul; Prof. Dr. Mustafa İsen, former Secretary General of the Presidency; Şekib Avdagiç, President of the Executive Board of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce; S. Selim Şimşek, Deputy Speaker of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Assembly; Anguel Tcholakov, Ambassador of Bulgaria; Faruk Berat Akçeşme, Director General of Higher Education and Foreign Education; Dr. İsrafil Kuralay, President of the Board of Trustees of Istanbul Ticaret University; Prof. Dr. Gülfettin Çelik, Rector of Istanbul Medeniyet University; Prof. Dr. Necip Şimşek, Rector of Istanbul Ticaret University; Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin Okur, Rector of Marmara University; Prof. Dr. Mustafa Hatipler, Rector of Trakya University; Prof. Dr. Osman Bülent Zülfikar, Rector of Istanbul University; Yahya Coşkun, Vice President of TİKA; Erdal Cesar, Secretary General of Istanbul Ticaret University; Mehmet Sıddık Akşit, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gaye Foundation; Dr. Lütfi Akça, President of the Turkish Water Institute; and Prof. Dr. Faruk Bal, Chairman of the Congress Organizing Committee, as well as vice-rectors, deans, faculty members, representatives of public institutions and organizations, academics, and many invited guests.
Taking the floor first in the opening speeches, Prof. Dr. Faruk Bal, Chairman of the Congress Organizing Committee, emphasized that the event aimed to address the historical, cultural, and economic potential of the Balkans in a multidimensional manner. Stating that human cooperation on the axis of culture, tourism, and education, alongside economic cooperation on the axis of industry, commerce, and employment stood out during the congress, Bal noted that the event was shaped around three main objectives: encouraging interdisciplinary academic research, establishing permanent academic cooperation networks, and strengthening the exchange of knowledge and experience among Balkan countries.
Prof. Dr. Necip Şimşek, Rector of Istanbul Ticaret University, expressed his pleasure in hosting the congress and emphasized that the relationship between the Balkans and Türkiye forms a strong bridge of hearts between their peoples.
Şekib Avdagiç, President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, underlined that Türkiye and the Balkan countries can only reach a stronger future through robust cooperation built upon the pillars of culture, society, and economy. He stressed that Balkan countries must go beyond being a transition zone between developed Europe and Eastern countries rich in underground resources.
Dr. Serdar Çam, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, stated that the congress is a valuable and meaningful initiative, noting that the academic world and cultural figures have demonstrated cross-border cooperation throughout history, guiding states and the business world. He emphasized that this congress is a reflection of that deep-rooted tradition.
Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu, Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs during the 60th and 65th Governments of the Republic of Türkiye, reminded that participants from 10 Balkan countries gathered at the congress, described Istanbul as the "pearl of the world," and advised the guests to explore the city. Drawing attention to the strong progress Türkiye has made in many areas such as the defense industry, transportation, health, and energy, Eroğlu said, "In this state, Türkiye is ready for friendly and brotherly cooperation with all countries, especially the Balkans." Eroğlu added that Türkiye views cultural and linguistic differences not as a threat but as wealth.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa İsen, former Secretary General of the Presidency, pointed out that the geography of the Balkan region, consisting of mountains, deep valleys, and rivers, directly shapes the linguistic and ethnic diversity of the local peoples. Stating that this multicultural structure could pave the way for conflicts if not managed well, İsen emphasized that one of the biggest problems in the region is the emigration of the young population to Europe in search of employment. İsen expressed that, at the current point, the European Union presents an image that weakens the region economically by absorbing the working population of the Balkans.
Congress Completed Productively
Following three days of intensive academic work conducted in the fields of culture, tourism, education, industry, commerce, and employment, the congress concluded with the closing and evaluation session held on Friday, May 15, 2026.Delivering the closing and evaluation speech of the congress, Prof. Dr. Gülfettin Çelik, Rector of Istanbul Medeniyet University, stated that the congress was completed productively. Noting that the event, held with the participation of numerous academics and experts from 10 countries including Türkiye, brought a significant momentum to academic studies regarding the Balkan region, Prof. Dr. Çelik underlined that the scientific outputs generated and the communication networks established throughout the congress have laid a solid foundation for future endeavors.
International Balkans Cooperation Congress was successfully completed with the intense interest and academic contributions of its participants, making a significant contribution to building permanent bridges of cooperation among Balkan countries.