34 representatives from 16 non-governmental organizations that operate in North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia’s Preshova and Turkey participated in the program. At the meeting, experiences and ideas were exchanged with the aim of strengthening collaboration between the organizations.

Topics discussed include NGOs’ role, activity fields and project development in the fields of social media, education, healthcare, agriculture, sports and art.

Ideas were exchanged

In the speech given by IHH Board Member Osman Atalay, he said they gathered to exchange ideas regarding projects in the fields of healthcare, education, culture, art and the economy as part of the latest regional changes.

Atalay pointed out that the Balkans has been one of the most active regions in the world throughout history. “As in the past and present, in the future, this region will always maintain its strategic importance, cosmopolitan status and position between the East and West.”

“NGOs in the region must rally together”

Highlighting the importance of uniting all NGOs in the region under one roof, Atalay continued, “Our aim is to share our accumulation of knowledge and experiences with civilians and academics and members of the law, media and religion living in this region and develop collaborations even further. Here, in Europe, like the Balkans, we must make a lot more effort to materialize social, cultural projects together with the diaspora non-governmental organizations. Our purpose here is to share the activities and experiences of NGOs.”

“We have responsibilities towards humanity”

Chairman of Tiran Yunus Emre Institution Ömer Osman Demirbaş said in his speech that NGOs undertake important and critical duties for the society in their countries. Demirbaş added, “Initially, we have responsibilities towards our own nation, and towards the oppressed, aggrieved and deprived people all over the world, in fact, we have a responsibility towards the whole humanity.”