Conference on the Role of Sport and Athletes in International Diplomacy Held
Conference on ‘The Role of Sport and Athletes in International Diplomacy’ Held
Organised by the Faculty of Sports Sciences at Istanbul Gelişim University, the conference entitled ‘The Role of Sport and Athletes in International Diplomacy’ took place on Thursday 6 November 2025 with a high turnout. The event, held in the Mehmet Akif Ersoy Conference Hall in Block J, brought together students, academics and representatives from the sporting community.
The keynote speaker at the conference was İbrahim Halil Korkmaz, Vice-President of the Turkish National Paralympic Committee. In his address, Korkmaz emphasised the use of sport as an element of ‘soft power’ in international relations, the roles of athletes in diplomatic processes, and, in particular, the importance of Paralympic sports in raising global awareness. He also highlighted the value of the participation of people with disabilities in sport in terms of inter-community interaction, inclusivity and cultural diplomacy.
The programme was moderated by Tekmil Sezen Soyal, Lecturer in the Department of Exercise and Sports Sciences for People with Disabilities. Throughout the event, Soyal guided the students’ questions, focusing in particular on the career opportunities that sports diplomacy offers to young sports scientists.
The conference continued with an interactive question-and-answer session involving active participation from attendees and concluded with discussions on current examples, international projects and the strategic impact of sport in the field of diplomacy.
At the end of the event, certificates of appreciation were presented, and students had the opportunity to speak with the speaker one-to-one.