The fourth edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was held on April 11-13 in Antalya, Türkiye. This year’s theme was “Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World.” There is an urgent need for such a platform at a time of the return of power politics, the growth of geopolitical conflicts and global rivalry, and the erosion of international institutions. The international order has collapsed and no global power is making an effort to maintain the system. As mentioned by Hakan Fidan, the chief Turkish diplomat, the main aim of the ADF was to bring together representatives of states and international organizations to find permanent solutions to regional and global conflicts and disagreements through diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation. In a period of global uncertainty and instability, the ADF aims to encourage dialogue among states and to discuss regional and global issues.
In ADF 2025, Türkiye hosted over 6,000 guests, including 21 heads of state of government, 64 ministers and about 450 high-level national or international bureaucrats from 155 countries. Almost all high-level Turkish officials and representatives of the private sector have attended the forum.
The ADF, which is quite different from its peers, offers an alternative diplomatic forum for many states. While Western platforms are largely dominated by Western countries, Türkiye invites guests from all continents, embracing all parts of the world. Representatives of 155 countries, most of which were non-Western countries, have attended the forum. In other words, the ADF is much more inclusive and comprehensive.
Second, the ADF offers a free discussion environment for every state, especially for the states with regional power. It has gathered not only state leaders, policymakers, academics and business experts, but also representatives of international media and civil society organizations. At the ADF, participants discussed alternative peaceful means and ways how to make diplomacy effective in international politics.
The ADF underlined real threats and risks in international politics. It has brought to light issues and topics often overlooked or avoided by Western powers. For example, the most discussed issues at the ADF were the Palestinian-Israeli question and the Syrian state. The Gaza genocide committed by Israel with the support of the Western global powers and the Syrian restructuring process were largely discussed at the forum. Western states or states that are dependent on Western support do not bring the Gaza genocide to the agenda of their forums. Problems in the non-Western part of the world and/or universal threats and concerns, especially those which are largely in Africa and Asia, were raised at the forum.
At the same time, the ADF represents an alternative world order. The majority of the participants have underlined the reform of the international system. Participants have largely emphasized the need for reform of the declining international system and/or asked for the introduction of a new and just international system. Within this context, Erdoğan has revised his motto “the world is bigger than five” into “the world is bigger than five, because humanity is bigger than five” in his speech.
The ADF offers Türkiye important opportunities and provides many gains. It indicates that Türkiye is a global actor that can bring together representatives from nearly every nation. In a sense, Türkiye attempts to set the agenda of the world. On the one hand, it contributes to the international recognition of Türkiye. Dozens of bilateral and multilateral meetings held during the forum were watched by the international community. Numerous international media outlets have attended the forum and covered the event closely.
On the other hand, the ADF introduces Türkiye’s political perspective to the world. Turkish representatives discuss their country’s expectations and concerns about the international system. Furthermore, it provides an atmosphere to improve its relations with other international actors, states and non-state actors. Turkish decision-makers and bureaucrats find a chance to discuss related issues with their counterparts.
In addition, the ADF provides a platform for the representatives of other states to meet with the representatives of third parties. For example, Ankara has contributed to the international recognition of the new Syrian government. Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has met with several heads of state at the ADF. Also, some multilateral meetings were held during the forum. State and non-state representatives socialize at the forum. Furthermore, the participants discussed and offered regional and global problems.
