Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKÜ) hosted “The International Conference on the Middle East and North Africa: Pheno-MENA (MENA)” in collaboration with the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) and the participation of universities and various think tanks from 11 countries, aiming to discuss steps towards enhancing peace, security, and stability in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The conference, held online, was coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Aslan and Dr. Pelin Aliyev from the Department of Political Science and International Relations at HKÜ.
The opening speeches of the conference were delivered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Aslan and Prof. Dr. Burhanettin Duran, the General Coordinator of SETA. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Aslan emphasized the pursuit of lasting peace and stability in the region, while Prof. Dr. Burhanettin Duran provided an overview of the recent developments in the Middle East and North Africa, highlighting the fragility of the region.
The conference, consisting of four panels, addressed the question of whether the MENA region is moving towards long-term stability. Discussions revolved around the challenges contributing to instability in the region, concrete steps for achieving regional prosperity, and the contradictions experienced at regional or global levels in addressing the problems facing the Middle East.
In the first panel moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Keser, speakers including Prof. Dr. Hind Kabawat, Prof. Dr. Magdalena Kumelska-Koniecko, Amina Khan, Prof. Dr. Konstantinos Filis, and Dr. Ammar Al Qadi discussed the sources of instability in the North Africa and Middle East (MENA) region. The second panel moderated by Prof. Dr. Yücel Acer examined the challenges in the MENA region in depth with contributions from Prof. Dr. Patrice Brodeur, Dr. Samir M. Saifan, Ambassador Prof. Dr. Heinrich Kreft, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Keser, and doctoral student Müjgan Güneş.
The third panel, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Aslan, focused on the contradictions in contemporary political thought when addressing the Middle East, with contributions from Romanian Ambassador Doru Costea and Prof. Dr. Murat Yeşiltaş.
Lastly, in the panel moderated by Dr. Pelin Aliyev, scientific studies conducted at the Department of Political Science and International Relations of HKÜ’s Graduate School of Social Sciences were presented.
