Organized through the partnership of Üsküdar University and the Center for Turkish Economic, Political and Strategic Studies (TESAM), the Organization of Turkic States Simulation TDTS’25 concluded with a closing ceremony. Bringing together prominent figures from bureaucracy and academia, the event focused on the geopolitical position of the Turkic world and its historical trajectory.
The three-day simulation training began at the Şehit Duha Beker Conference Hall on Üsküdar University’s South Campus. During the program, students gained hands-on experience by directly simulating the countries they represented.
The closing ceremony was held at the Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall on the Main Campus. The program was attended by Prof. Deniz Ülke Kaynak, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Amb. (Ret.) Halil Akıncı, Former Founding Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States, Dr. İlyas Bozkurt, President of TESAM, Prof. Havva Kök Arslan, Director of ÜSSAM, Prof. Ahmet Taşağıl, Head of the Department of History at Yeditepe University, as well as many academics and students.
Prof. Deniz Ülke Kaynak: “The world cannot be interpreted solely through a Western-centered lens”
Delivering the opening speech, Prof. Deniz Ülke Kaynak emphasized the strategic importance of organizing the simulation specifically around the Organization of Turkic States.
Stating that “the world cannot be interpreted solely through a Western or European-centered perspective,” Prof. Kaynak said: “If you try to understand the world only through the map and status quo drawn by the victors of the Second World War, you will fall behind. New worlds are being formed, and Türkiye will undoubtedly take its place within these emerging structures.”
Dr. İlyas Bozkurt: “Your generation will govern the world”
Highlighting the critical role of simulation trainings in young people’s career journeys, Dr. İlyas Bozkurt, President of TESAM, stated: “In the future, meaning 10 to 20 years from now, your generation will govern the world. If we consider today’s university students to be around 20 to 25 years old, roughly a quarter century later, you will be the ones shaping the world. I firmly believe that the future leaders of Türkiye will emerge from among those sitting in this hall today. Young people preparing for major responsibilities must begin discovering themselves with this motivation during their high school and university years.”
Panel session held
Following the opening speeches, a special panel session was held focusing on the present and future of the Turkic world.
The panel was moderated by Prof. Havva Kök Arslan, Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Üsküdar University and Director of ÜSSAM. Speakers included Amb. (Ret.) Halil Akıncı, Former Founding Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States, and Prof. Ahmet Taşağıl, Head of the Department of History at Yeditepe University.
Prof. Havva Kök Arslan: “Turkic states are now in a position to cooperate”
Opening the panel, Prof. Havva Kök Arslan drew attention to the increasing rapprochement within the Turkic world. “For the first time in history, Turkic states are this close to one another and in a position to cooperate. The peoples of the region view Türkiye and the Turks as a balancing force. Sharing the same religion and culture places a great responsibility upon us,” she said.
Amb. (Ret.) Halil Akıncı: “Keeping them all together is a great success”
Referring to the establishment process and diplomatic background of the Organization of Turkic States, Amb. (Ret.) Halil Akıncı stated: “For the first time in their history, Turkic states have come together voluntarily. The organization’s core principles are sovereign equality and respect for existing commitments. This is almost a miracle, because one of us is a NATO member, while others are members of the CIS or the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Despite this, keeping them all together is a great success. Turkic states form the core, and around this core we should cooperate with all actors who can contribute to our shared interests.”
Prof. Ahmet Taşağıl: “We are experiencing a golden era”
Sharing his field observations and a historical perspective, Prof. Ahmet Taşağıl stated that the Turkic world is currently experiencing its strongest period in history in terms of both population and quality.
Providing examples from past unifications, Taşağıl said: “For the first time in history, Turkic peoples have reached such a large population. In terms of quality, we also have a well-educated and dynamic young generation. I believe we are living in a golden era. Similar unifications occurred during the era of Mete Han and during the reign of Mukan Qaghan in the Göktürk period. Today, we are going through a comparable process. What matters most is being able to explain Turkic migrations scientifically and not losing this young population, this golden era.”
The program concluded with the presentation of certificates to the speakers and to the students who successfully completed the simulation, followed by a group photo session.