NEU Near East Institute has conducted public diplomacy meetings in Ankara

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Umut Koldaş, Director of NEU Near East Institute [see], paid a visit to Mr. Sinan Kürün, the Chairman of the Information Office of TR Prime Ministry, Directorate General of Press and Information, in Ankara.

During the visit, Mr. Koldaş and Mr. Kürün discussed the systematic and coordinated activities that carried out in the field of public diplomacy and evaluated the cooperation possibilities of conducting such studies in TRNC. They also exchanged ideas on issues concerning steps that can be taken jointly towards generating projects required for laying the foundation of scientific and practical applications in the field of public diplomacy. 

According to the press release issued by the Diectorate of Press & Public Relations Office of the Near East University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Umut Koldaş provided Mr. Kürün with information on national and international short-term training and certificate programs that organized by Near East Institute in TRNC on public diplomacy, strategic communication and perception management.

Underlining that public diplomacy has become a significant component of the promotion of one country’s public attitudes and opinions to the public of other countries in an accurate and objective way, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Umut Koldaş noted that public diplomacy was a key mechanism through which nations foster mutual trust and productive relationships. Mr Koldaş also highlighted that training programs regarding public diplomacy had a crucial role in creating awareness at all levels of society as these programs endorsed a global approach and encouraged a set of perspectives for the interaction of the public in one country with those of other countries. Touching upon the guiding role of TR Prime Ministry, Directorate General of Press and Information and the Public Diplomacy Coordinatorship in determining and implementing the general principles of Turkey’s public diplomacy, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Umut Koldaş granted special emphasis on the importance of benefiting from the experience and expertise of these institutions for public diplomacy activities and studies that they had planned to actualize in TRNC. Stating that positive outcomes can only be obtained by implementing public diplomacy within systematic and certain principles consistent in itself, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Koldaş indicated that failure in giving right messages with right timing can lead to serious inter-communal misunderstandings and degradation of perceptions. Touching upon the significance of the well established relationships between Turkey and TRNC, Mr. Koldaş underlined that these relations are based on deep rooted historical ties that encompass a unity in culture, values and feelings. Mr. Koldaş drew attention to the crucial role of teaching public diplomacy properly with appropriate training programs to eliminate misunderstandings between two communities and to describe this unity to the public of other countries in a right manner. Mr. Koldaş added that TR Prime Ministry, Directorate General of Press and Information and the Public Diplomacy Coordinatorship with their experience and expertise could provide them with significant contributions to actualize such training activities in TRNC.

Voicing his happiness of welcoming the delegation of NEU Near East Institute in his office, Mr. Sinan Kürün, the Chairman of the Information Office of TR Prime Ministry, Directorate General of Press and Information, indicated that Public Diplomacy Coordinatorship was established to actualize very important and big goals such as the determination of Turkey’s public diplomacy strategies and the principles of implementing these strategies. Underlining the importance of cooperation between institutions in conducting coordinated and common purpose-oriented systematic studies aimed at successful public diplomacy, Mr. Kürün emphasized that they would be happy to provide support to the studies; particularly to educational activities carried out in TRNC. Stating that they would take necessary initiatives to provide contributions in areas where they could by examining the projects forwarded to Directorate General of Press and Information, Mr. Kürün expressed his satisfaction due to the emerging awareness on such a significant issue in TRNC.

During the meeting in Ankara, a file comprising public diplomacy and other field studies that carried out by NEU Near East Institute was presented to Mr. Sinan Kürün, the Chairman of the Information Office of TR Prime Ministry, Directorate General of Press and Information.