Journalists, academics and politicians will gather in Istanbul from Oct. 21-22 for the annual TRT World Forum. This year's theme is "Globalization in Retreat: Risks and Opportunities." The session will be opened by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Other participants include U.N. General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, former Brazilian President Dilma Vana Rousseff, Malaysian People's Justice Party Leader Anwar Ibrahim, Greece's main opposition leader Yanis Varoufakis, Romanian Minister for European Affairs George Ciamba, former Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, former Finnish Prime Minister Esko Tapani Ahowill and former Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Farid Hijab.

İbrahim Eren, chairman and general manager of public broadcaster TRT, stated the world forum greatly impacted international public opinion.

"TRT is a media service provider as well as a public service broadcasting platform that also offers solutions to global problems," Eren said.

"Although the TRT World Forum is only in its third year, TRT has become an ambitious world brand and will continue its success in the same way," he added.

The forum will be held for two days with more than 30 sessions to discuss issues that occupy the world agenda such as right-wing terrorism, the rise of populism and nationalism, the future of the Middle East, trade wars, the future of the EU and cooperation between emerging powers.