The conference was jointly organized by Center for Strategic Research (SAM), Ankara Political and Economic Researches Center (ASEM), the Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TİKA), Political Science and International Relations Department and Modern Turkey Studies Center at Şehir University.

The conference, which began with speeches from SAM President Associate Professor Mesut Özcan, ASEM President Associate Professor Mehmet Akif Kireççi and Şehir University rector Professor Ahmet Ademoğlu, was attended by prominent academics, senior state officials and civil society representatives from all around the world.

The conference discussed the issue of humanitarian diplomacy from the perspective of Turkey and the world. Issues such as the theory of humanitarian diplomacy, role of Turkish civil society organizations as an actor in humanitarian crises, Turkey’s policy in mass migrations, Turkey’s Africa initiative, humanitarian aid in the world and refugee problems in Syria, Kashmir and Palestine were examined at the conference.

In the “Perspectives from the Field” session of the conference where officials from Asylum and Migration Research Center (İGAD), the Prime Ministry's Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) and TİKA made presentations, İzzet Şahin, IHH International Relations and Humanitarian Diplomacy Coordinator, also made a presentation titled, “IHH’s Humanitarian Diplomacy Experience: Syria Example.” Şahin gave information about IHH’s perception of humanitarian diplomacy and its activities on the issue in his presentation.