Fuat Oktay, Chair of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) Foreign Affairs Committee, and AK Party Ankara Member of Parliament, met with students and academics at our university for the fourth session of his “Foreign Policy Talks,” the first of which was held at Georgetown University in the United States in February. The talk program titled “Türkiye as a Pole in the Quest for a New International System” was held at the Mimar Kemaleddin Hall of the Rectorate Building.

The program was attended by Fuat Oktay, Chair of the TBMM Foreign Affairs Committee, and Ankara Member of Parliament; our Rector Prof. Uğur Ünal and the university’s senior administration as well as deans, directors, academics, students, and guests.

Delivering the opening speech of the program, our Rector Prof. Uğur Ünal emphasized that the topic to be addressed today under the title “Türkiye as a Pole in the Quest for a New International System” was highly critical not only for current foreign policy discussions but also for understanding the world order taking shape in the 21st century. He recalled President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s statement, “The world is bigger than five.” Prof. Ünal stated that Türkiye’s approach was not merely a political discourse, but rather the fundamental expression of a reform vision emphasizing the need for a fairer, more inclusive, and more representative international system. He noted that Türkiye advocates that peace and security should not be left to the initiative of only a few countries and that decisions concerning the future of humanity should be addressed on a fairer basis.

Prof. Ünal underlined the significance of the program by stating: “As Gazi University, we regard it as a fundamental duty to educate our young people, who will shape the future of our country, as individuals capable of accurately interpreting international developments, possessing historical awareness, and analyzing global dynamics. This is also the most important aspect of today’s program: not only to present you with a current foreign policy assessment, but also to provide you with the opportunity to make sense of the changing world order.”

Highlighting that Fuat Oktay has made valuable contributions to the country both through the significant duties he undertook in the Turkish bureaucracy and the Presidency, and through his efforts to strengthen Türkiye’s foreign policy objectives institutionally as Chair of the TBMM Foreign Affairs Committee, Prof. Ünal thanked him for his participation in the program.

In his speech, Fuat Oktay, Chair of the TBMM Foreign Affairs Committee, and AK Party Ankara Member of Parliament, focused on why the current international systems are being questioned, why international institutions such as the United Nations, the United Nations Security Council, and the World Bank have become insufficient in producing solutions to global problems, and how Türkiye has gained importance in this regard.

Giving the example of the United Nations Security Council becoming unable to make decisions or produce solutions due to its current veto mechanisms, Fuat Oktay underlined that new wars in the world could not be prevented and that effective protection could not be provided to the international community. Stating that international systems have shifted toward prioritizing the superiority of power rather than the rule of law, Oktay noted that this situation has evolved into a crisis of legitimacy.

Emphasizing that Türkiye has become a center of trust and a pole in the search for a new international system through its understanding of global responsibility, Fuat Oktay argued that this trust stems from the country’s political stability, principled stance in foreign policy, and social dynamism.

Oktay stated that Türkiye’s consistent stance regarding the Gaza genocide, the Russia–Ukraine war, the annexation of Crimea, and the Iran war, together with its leading democracy, geopolitical importance, achievements in the defense industry, and its persistent call for “a fairer world,” have made it a reliable partner.

Addressing our students at the end of his speech, Fuat Oktay stated that “university youth are the diplomats, scientists, and administrators of tomorrow, representing a leading country.” Referring to the compass metaphor, he said, “You will keep one foot firmly planted in Anatolia while traveling across the entire world with the other.”

Following the opening speeches, the program continued with a talk moderated by Prof. Bülent Aksoy. After the talk, Fuat Oktay answered questions from our students.

Following the question-and-answer session, our Rector Prof. Uğur Ünal presented plaques of appreciation to Fuat Oktay. The talk program concluded after a group photograph session.