Publicity meeting for Global Public Diplomacy Network Yunus Emre Enstitüsü was appointed as term president for three years in June and term presidency was held in Istanbul Pera Palace on October 7^th, Friday.

Meeting started with a short video of experiences of GPDNet member who visited Turkey for the first time throughout the Anatolian Civilizations tour organised by Yunus Emre Enstitüsü.

Following the video screening, Yunus Emre Enstitüsü President Prof. Dr. Şeref Ateş made an opening speech and informed the audience on establishment story of GPDNet and its activities to date.

Ateş continued his speech as follows:

“In this period we encounter a brand new concept, different from usual means as classical diplomacy, which works towards common interest of humanity overcoming diversities, borders and countless obstacles between countries. We have no doubt that Our Enstitü that got organised in 5 continents, 38 countries and 46 cities despite having a short background, and carries out operations with a personnel exceeding 450 to introduce Turkish language and culture, will considerably contribute in the network throughout its term presidency with the experience it has acquired. Simultaneously to further the institutionalisation of the network, to realise projects with concrete outcomes which suit public diplomacy spirit in the next three-year term. Hopefully, in the second half of 2017, we will convene GPDNet's 4^th General Council in Istanbul with numerous new member states. The goal of GPDNet is not only to contribute in cultural diversity but to establish a platform that enables equal and fair representation of cultural diversity.

“GPDNet will serve to a cultural diplomacy understanding that aims to create an unprecedented garden of civilizations where products of different regions, near and far, are brought together freely instead of linking the world to concepts as Far East, Middle East and West that are in fact geographical but have long been politicized. We have no doubt that we will join hands and carry out this heavy responsibility in line with establishment philosophy of the organisation. We wish that our Global Diplomacy Network term presidency between 2016-2019 will be beneficial for all countries, and thank each and everyone of you for your previous and future contributions to the field of public diplomacy for all nations to achieve an ultimate peaceful world on the basis of righteousness, morals and respect to diversity.”

Following the opening speech, Prof. Dr. Ateş presented GPDNet members with gifts.

Anatolian Civilizations Tour Project

The first Global Public Diplomacy Network event organised by Yunus Emre Enstitüsü, was GPDNet Anatolian Civilizations Tour Project. As part of the project, various events were organised in Nevşehir, Ankara and Istanbul between dates October 2-9 2016. Prominent public diplomacy figures of member states and senior Turkish official representatives attended Anatolian Civilizations Tour accompanying GPDNet representatives.

What is GPDNet?

Global Public Diplomacy Network-GPDNet was founded by public and cultural institutions of nine countries (Philippines, Sweden, Korea, Taiwan, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Singapore and Turkey) including Yunus Emre Enstitü, in Seoul capital of South Korea in 2014. The number of countries reached to 10 as Hungary joined the network. GPDNet was established with the aim of enabling the knowledge exchange in theoretical and practical fields and making bilateral or multilateral projects between cultural and public diplomacy institutions across the world on October 23^rd 2014, as institute representatives signed “Global Public Diplomacy Institutions Memorandum of Understanding”.