The symposium’s opening ceremony began with a large turnout at the Kocaeli Congress Center. The opening featured official speeches, with over 30 speakers from 15 countries presenting papers. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Kahraman, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Kocaeli University and Chair of the Organizing Committee for the Symposium on Islamic Culture and Civilization, IHH General President Attorney Bülent Yıldırım, Kocaeli Metropolitan Mayor Tahir Büyükakın, Kocaeli Deputy Governor Salih Bıçak, Kocaeli University Rector Prof. Dr. Nuh Zafer Cantürk, Dean of the Faculty of Sharia at Aleppo University Ibrahim Muhammad Shashu, and Special Advisor to the Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abdurrezzak Ahmed each delivered a speech. Following the speeches, the first day’s program continued with a lecture by Prof. Dr. Bülent Şenay, former OSCE Special Representative on Combating Islamophobic Hate Crimes. Subsequently, a panel titled “Geopolitical Regions with Muslim Minorities” was held, moderated by Hüseyin Oruç, Deputy Chairman of the IHH Board of Trustees. During this panel, the challenges faced by Muslim minorities in regions such as Moro, Patani, Jammu and Kashmir, and Arakan were discussed.

A total of 10 sessions were held

The second and third days of the symposium continued at the Darıca Balyanoz Social Facilities. During these days, sessions such as “Muslim Minorities: Conceptual Framework and History,” “Muslim Minorities in the Balkans and Europe,” “Muslim Minorities in Africa, Central Asia, and the Far East,” and “Muslim Minorities in North and South America” were held. Additionally, in-depth discussions were held under the headings “Sociological and Psychological Issues of Muslim Minorities,” “Fiqh-Related Problems,” “Religious Issues,” and “Muslim Minorities from the Perspectives of Politics, Economics, and Art.” Over 30 speakers from 15 countries presented significant papers during these sessions.

Issues facing Muslim minorities were addressed

The symposium concluded with an evaluation session chaired by Prof. Dr. Abdullah Kahraman, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Kocaeli University, followed by a group photo. Over the course of three days, the symposium addressed the current issues facing Muslim minorities from both academic and humanitarian perspectives, offering proposed solutions. A final report on the symposium is scheduled to be shared with the public in the coming days.