The International Strategic Communication Summit (Stratcom Summit 2026), organized by the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications, held in Istanbul under the theme “Disruption in the International System: Crises, Narratives, and the Search for Order.” on March 27–28.
In a video message delivered to the Summit, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed his satisfaction in welcoming participants to Istanbul, describing the city as a meeting point of continents, cultures, and civilizations. Highlighting that the post-World War II international system is facing a deep legitimacy crisis, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan noted that its institutions and norms are increasingly losing effectiveness. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized that in a period marked by escalating conflicts, crises, and humanitarian tragedies, particularly in Gaza, the restoration of peace, stability, and justice has become more urgent than ever.
Addressing the Summit, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz underscored the strategic importance of communication in today’s complex environment, stating that it has become a key component of internal security by strengthening societal resilience, facilitating access to accurate information, and increasing resistance to disinformation. Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz further noted that the current period is characterized by interconnected global and regional crises, while the international system’s capacity to ensure justice and stability continues to erode.
In his opening remarks, Head of Communications Prof. Duran stated that the Summit will address both the technical dimensions of strategic communication and the multidimensional crises shaping the international system, along with the narratives that deepen these crises. Prof. Duran emphasized that the post-World War II order has moved beyond a phase of gradual erosion and that the international community is entering a new and uncertain era, the contours of which are not yet fully defined. Referring to Immanuel Wallerstein’s well-known expression, Prof. Duran stated that “we are at the end of the world as we know it,” underlining that what was once confined to academic foresight and futuristic projections has now become a tangible global reality.