Project Aladdin organised an international conference on 17 July 2024 at Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul on “Sustainable, Social and Economic Development: Challenges and Solutions”. The theme was chosen to allow a broad and theoretical debate on the social aspects of sustainable development, with a particular focus on strategies for building climate resilience in the developing world, and the crucial role that women could play in building resilience in local communities.
The conference brought together political figures, representatives of United Nations agencies, journalists, academics, members of civil society and experts, as well as the students from our partner universities in North America, Europe and the Middle East.
Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Founding President of the Gulf Research Center in Saudi Arabia; Professor Esra Hatipoğlu, Rector of the University of Bahçeşehir; Professor Ilber Ortayli, renowned Turkish historian and honorary president of the Topkapı Museum; Yves Kugelmann, President of Project Aladdin Europe; Professor Nilufer Narli, Dean of the Faculty of Sociology at the University of Bahçeşehir ; Babatunde Ahonsi, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Turkey; Fayik Uyanik of the United Nations Development Program; Hassan Yasser, Director of the International Labor Organization for Turkey; Bahadir Kaleagasi, President of Institut du Bosphore and senior lecturer at Galatasaray University, Dr. Ferdous Jahan, senior social development specialist at the World Bank; Aslihan Hatunoglu Okay, Climate Change Working Group chair at the Istanbul Policy Center, were among the speakers at the conference.
The conference opened with a welcome address by Bahçeşehir University Professor Esra Hatipoglu. She highlighted the crucial importance of the International University for Intercultural Leadership’s academic program for intercultural leadership, which fosters mutual learning and stimulates discussions on contemporary challenges.
Professor Hatipoglu praised the fruitful and longstanding partnership between Project Aladdin and Bahçeşehir University.
Leah Pisar thanked Bahceseheir University and Professor Hatipoglu on behalf of Project Aladdin for their sincere efforts and hard work to make the International University for Intercultural Leadership such an attractive mixture of academic studies, social interactions, and personal enrichment. She spoke about the various initiatives of Project Aladdin, and the organization’s attachment to its founding principles of fighting antisemitism and anti-Muslim bigotry with the same dedication, despite a difficult international context marked by conflict and geopolitical tensions. She urged the students to join forces to build a better future for all, reminding them that they belong to a generation capable of transforming the world in a positive way.
Professor Ilber Ortayli, one of Turkey’s most prominent intellectuals and historians, spoke in depth about the need to fight against anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in Europe today, and stressed that hate and violence pose a common threat to all societies and must be fought primarily through education, cultural exchanges, and dialogue. He urged young people to come together in their opposition to hate, intolerance and sectarianism, regardless of their cultural differences.
Professor Ortayli spoke about Istanbul’s historic role as a crossroads of cultures and civilizations, and the city’s long tradition of intercultural harmony and religious coexistence, which he said could be a model for our turbulent times. Professor Ortayli ended his speech by paying tribute to Project Aladdin for its work with young people and called the international university for intercultural leadership a uniquely successful program in intercultural engagement.
Professor Nilufer Narli moderated a panel panel discussion with several senior UN officials and experts on the successes and failures of the international community in leading the world towards sustainable environmental, social and economic development. Babatunde Ahonsi, Fayik Uyanik, Hassan Yasser, Bahadir Kaleagasi, Ferdous Jahan and Aslihan Hatunoglu Okay spoke during this highly interesting and informative debate.
Dr Ahonsi emphasized the importance of strategic investment to advance technology in key areas. He argued that economic development is within the reach of many countries, but is intrinsically linked to progress at the international level.
In his view, the development of the digital economy is crucial, as it represents a key driver of economic prosperity.
Dr. Faik Uyanik highlighted the existence of a number of ambitious projects in Turkey, saying that the country was positioning itself as a pioneer in the field of the digital economy. He pointed out that the United Nations Development Program supports these initiatives, which play a significant role in building local capacity for sustainable development.
Dr. Uyanik spoke about social development and placed a particular emphasis on gender inclusion. He noted the growing participation of women in various economic sectors, such as education, and stressed the multiplier effect of this advancement on overall social progress in any given society. In his view, a sustainable economy is achievable, but there is a price to pay. It is imperative, in this context, that the current Sustainable Development Goals be realized at all costs, as they are all interconnected. He emphasized that ignoring any one of these SDGs would jeopardize the overall progress of the process.
Hassan Yasser stressed the importance of the International Labor Organization’s mission in the fight against inequality. He spoke about modern slavery, a phenomenon that is spreading at an alarming rate in today’s world, and which considerably complicates the social approach to sustainable development, particularly in poor countries.
Dr Bahadır Kaleağası reminded the audience that sustainable development is not just about preserving the planet, but safeguarding human civilization and biodiversity. Quoting Kant, he explained how it is possible to protect both the environment and society as a whole, establishing a harmonious balance between the two.
Dr Jahan detailed the World Bank’s efforts to alleviate poverty in today’s world. She stressed that digital technologies must be harnessed to reduce inequality and limit global warming. She also explained the microfinance mechanism and defended the World Bank’s commitment to combating inequality by facilitating access to finance for women, a central aspect of social development.
Aslihan Hatunoglu Okay explained that the Istanbul Policy Center promotes the application of social justice in climate change by trying to find the keys to a just transition. The organization also works to empower young people and promote alternative lifestyles. It believes that community action is the key to climate action, and that sustainability can be achieved by strengthening local scales.
At the end of these discussions, the students had the opportunity to talk to the experts about the various strategies being implemented to counter global warming and promote sustainable development. These discussions provided an opportunity to explore the different approaches adopted by international agencies to meet this major challenge of the 21st century: reconciling the fight against social inequalities with environmental protection.
From left to right: Mr Hassan Yasser, Ms Aslihan Hatunoglu Okay, Dr Ferdous Jahan, Dr Babatunde Ahonsi, Dr Bahadir Kaleagasi, Dr Fayik Uyanik and Prof. Nilufer Narli.