The Cihannuma Association for Solidarity and Cooperation will host next month’s Istanbul Forum, bringing together prominent leaders, thinkers and academics to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the Islamic world, Anadolu Agency reports.
Speaking to Anadolu, Riza Yorulmaz, who heads the group, which is based in the Turkish capital, Ankara, said the forum aims to provide innovative solutions and nuanced analyses for issues confronting Muslim communities globally.
Yorulmaz stressed the need for specialised platforms to encourage intellectual dialogue.
“Current platforms often prioritise political leaders and politicians, neglecting diverse voices and experience of the wider world from fields such academia, business, the arts and civil society,” he said.
The forum seeks to address this gap by fostering collaboration and discussion of the Islamic world’s contemporary challenges and opportunities, he explained.
The platform will explore topics such as justice, migration, economic development, alleviating poverty, digitisation, mental health and the situation of Muslim minorities.
Discussions will also focus on the family, culture, arts and civil society, Yorulmaz said, adding that participants will address these issues through a variety of formats, including panels, debates, keynote speeches and hackathons.
Bridging communities
The forum will stress unity and cooperation among Muslim communities, Yorulmaz said, adding that it aims to develop practical solutions and roadmaps, build bridges between Muslim groups, and enhance mutual understanding.
The forum’s primary themes will include contemporary Islamic thought, with discussions centred on contemporary issues of the Islamic world.
The event, to be held at Halic University in Istanbul on 13-15 December, will feature approximately 50 participants, including leaders, scholars and opinion leaders from across the Islamic world.
Numerous academics and intellectuals from Turkiye will also attend. Anadolu will serve as communication partner for the forum.