The Türkiye conference is co-sponsored by the USC Master of Public Diplomacy program and the Yunus Emre Institute. It will feature a keynote speaker and two panels. The goal of the conference is to explore Türkiye’s public diplomacy in both its foreign policy and cultural dimensions. The event agenda is listed below. 

Welcome: 9:00 a.m. – 9:05 a.m. Dr. Robert Banks, USC MPD director

Welcoming Speech: 9:05 a.m. – 9:10 a.m. Professor Dr. Seref Ates, president of Yunus Emre Institute

Keynote Speaker: 9:10 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Hasan Murat Mercan, ambassador of Türkiye to the United States

Panel 1: 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Turkish PD: Supporting Foreign Policy – Moderator: Dr. Robert Banks

• Ambassador James Jeffrey, chair of the Middle East Program at Wilson Center
• Nick Cull, USC MPD professor of public diplomacy
• Dr. Senem Cevik, lecturer, Woodbury University Media Studies Department 

Break: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Turkish Coffee/Snacks, Türkiye trip video

Panel 2: 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Turkish PD: Making Cultural Connections – Moderator: Dr. Senem Cevik

• Gokhan Coskun, executive director of Yunus Emre Institute USA
• Saner Ayar, founder and CEO of O3 Media
• Demme Durrett and Yara Alas, student report on MPD Türkiye research trip

Closing Remarks: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The RSVP for this event is now closed. Seats are not guaranteed; it will be a first-come, first-seated basis once we allow entry.