SESRIC participated in the International Strategic Communication Summit (StratCom) 2026 under the theme “Disruption in the International System: Crises, Narratives, and the Search for Order”, organised by the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications in Istanbul on 27–28 March 2026. The Summit brought together 11 ministers from 10 countries and more than 60 senior officials from around the world.

In his message to the Summit, H.E. Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN, President of the Republic of Türkiye, expressed his hope that StratCom 2026 would produce beneficial results for humanity and thanked the participants and the Presidency of Communications for organizing it. President ERDOĞAN stated that the international system established after the World War II is experiencing a legitimacy crisis, and that institutions and rules have lost their function. He emphasized that power competition has spread to energy, technology, and trade; that weapons are resorted to instead of dialogue; and that wars, genocides, and crises are escalating, with Gaza being a painful example. He stressed that the re-establishment of peace and stability is vital, and that communication and cooperation mechanisms should be strengthened to overcome false narratives in the face of truth. H.E ERDOĞAN called for more initiative from academia, civil society, and think tanks, as well as other states. He concluded his speech by stating that Türkiye will continue its resolute and peace-oriented stance centred on humanitarian values and justice and will mobilize all its resources for global peace.

The Opening Session was also addressed by H.E. Dr. Cevdet YILMAZ, Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye. H.E. YILMAZ stated that rising instability, overlapping crises, and eroding post-WWII institutions are fundamentally reshaping global politics. He identified the tensions in the region as a critical threat, criticised the attacks across Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, and called for an immediate ceasefire through diplomatic efforts. The Vice President of Türkiye also flagged disinformation and AI-generated content as growing dangers to reliable information. He positioned Türkiye as a unique bridge between East and West, citing mediation roles from Ukraine to Africa. He concluded his speech by calling for stronger cooperation among governments, media, academia, and civil society around strategic communication.

Following the remarks of the Vice President YILMAZ, H.E. Burhanettin DURAN, Head of Communications at the Turkish Presidency, addressed the StratCom Summit. He articulated that strategic communication, crises, and conflict can no longer be treated as separate domains. He argued that information has become a direct instrument of power, with modern threats advancing through manipulation rather than military force. H.E. DURAN stressed that disinformation represents a national and global security threat, not merely a communication challenge. He ended his remarks by calling on the states to build trust-based information ecosystems and strengthen institutional capacity to govern information and counter perception management operations.

Across two days, discussions focused on the future of global order, mediation and leadership diplomacy, digital public opinion, AI and strategic communication, security architecture, and climate diplomacy while highlighting the growing role of narratives in shaping global affairs.

The StratCom Summit, launched in 2021, has become a key international platform on strategic communication, with the 2026 edition marking its 5^th Summit.

For more information, please visit: https://www.stratcomsummit.com

Photos