Near East University hosted a major academic event on December 9, 2024, bringing together scholars, researchers, and students to address some of the most pressing global issues. The Human Rights Congress, themed “The Wars and Global Politics: Regional and International Dimensions,” provided a platform for examining the intersections of geopolitics, human rights, international relations and conflict resolution. The Congress was organized by the University’s Faculty of Law and Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and attracted significant attention from the academic community.

 

The event began with an opening speech by Prof. Dr. Şerife Zihni Eyüpoğlu, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. In her address, Prof. Eyüpoğlu emphasized the growing urgency of addressing global and regional political challenges through informed academic dialogue. She highlighted how wars and conflicts continue to destabilize societies, threatening not only regional but also international security, and called for innovative and inclusive solutions to these enduring problems. Prof. Dr. Eyüpoğlu indicated that war and conflict have been a persistent part of human history. Yet, in today’s interdependent world, the implications of war and conflict are much more influential than ever before. From the destabilization of entire regions to the economic and humanitarian crises they spark, the consequences of conflict and war are felt across borders as well as continents. Thus, it is the responsibility of us; academics and researchers, as well as policymakers to examine these challenges and to identify ways forward toward resolution, peace, and sustainable co-existence. At the same time, they present opportunities; opportunities to strengthen global cooperation, as well as to reach agreement on what steps to take to re-strengthen the principles of justice, equity, and humanity.

The congress featured two panels, each focusing on a different dimension of the theme. The first panel, moderated by Asst. Prof. Dr. Zehra Azizbeyli, concentrated on regional dynamics with a particular focus on the Middle East. Prof. Dr. Nur Köprülü opened the session with a detailed analysis of escalating tensions in the Middle East region by referring to the changing political and security dynamics of the region. Her presentation explored the significant reflections of the escalating trends in the Middle East prior to and after October 2023 and underscored the evolving features of the new regional politics and order in the region.

Following this, Asst. Prof. Dr. Recep Bülent Şenses highlighted the fact that; there are wars in two of the eight main chokepoints where world trade continues (Black Sea, Bab-el Mandeb) and the impact of global warming in one (Panama). In his presentation, he discussed the reflections of these three issues on world geopolitics.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çıraklı’s presentation examined the evolving dynamics of US engagement with the Middle East, highlighting key challenges and their implications for the future. He concluded by emphasising that, despite rhetoric suggesting otherwise, more continuity than change was expected, with the US maintaining its military presence and engagement in the region, driven by strategic, political, but also institutional factors.

The panel concluded with the presentation of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sait Akşit. Dr. Akşit who looked at Turkey’s foreign policy approach towards war and conflicts in the Middle East, especially within the context of the developments since the 7 October 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent Israel-Gazza war. His study elaborates on continuities and changes in Turkish Foreign Policy in a historical context and scrutinizes what role Turkey aspires in a region that it perceives to be an important area of the global power struggle.

The second panel, moderated by Asst. Prof. Dr. Özde Bayraktar, expanded the discussion to include the humanitarian and legal dimension of wars and conflicts. Asst. Prof. Dr. Tutku Tuğyan began the session by addressing the contemporary theories of international relations and international law which continue to rely on the concept of an “international society”. He stated that, however, the extent to which such a society exists remains a subject of debate. His paper critically examines the existence and implications of an international society. Dr. Tuğyan seeks to challenge conventional assumptions about state relations and to explore alternative perspectives on the nature of the international system.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nabi Berkut followed with a presentation examining the prohibition of use of force and the principles of armed conflicts in order to understand the situation in Middle East. In addition to international law, he stated that we are experiencing the approach of international community to the disputes affecting the application of rules on them.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Elvira Pushkareva analysed the UN strategic humanitarian response documents and the recent examples of humanitarian response in Ukraine, Sudan, Israel and Gaza, have confirmed that impacts on the environment are continued to be viewed as secondary to the humanitarian imperative. Integration of clear environmental objectives and environmental sector plans into humanitarian response documents will become a direct call for action for humanitarian actors. A Sustainable Humanitarian Response Strategy based on strategic and comprehensive approach will prove beneficial for the post-war recovery process as well, leveraging the already established platform.

Finally, Asst. Prof. Dr. Özlem Canbeldek Akın closed the panel with a thought-provoking speech on the complex situation of refugees in current socio-political context. Specifically, Dr. Canbeldek Akin discussed the mismatch between prevailing definition of who constitutes refugee and realities on various regional and global context.

Held at the Faculty of Communication, the Human Rights Congress succeeded in fostering meaningful dialogue on some of the most critical issues facing today’s world. By bringing together diverse perspectives and expert analyses, the event reaffirmed the crucial role of academia in addressing complex global challenges. Participants left with a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of war, politics, and human rights, as well as a renewed commitment to finding pathways toward peace and justice.