Turkey has accelerated its nation branding in recent years, with particular emphasis on diplomacy, culture and defence in addition to its already popular tourism sector. It’s a strategy born out of an effort to stand out on the international stage, and in the coming years Ankara will be focused on increasing positive perception whilst branding the country’s strengths.
Turkey currently ranks 37th out of 60 countries in the 2023 Anholt Ipsos Nation Brand Index, but the country is determined to move up the rankings and has established a Turkey Brand Office within the range in 2022. Ankara’s branding efforts could boost economic growth by highlighting the country’s products and assets as well as attracting investment. Politically, it is a useful tool to advance diplomatic relations and can develop and set the agenda for social dynamics through the promotion and showcase of national identity.
The Antalya Diplomatic Forum (ADF), whose third edition opens on Friday, is one of the biggest brands established by Turkiye and seeks to establish its place among the long-established forums and summits of this kind. The forum will fill a global gap by focusing mainly on diplomacy and showcase the organizational capabilities of Turkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 500-year tradition. Since the last ADF in 2022, the Ukraine-Russia war has broken out in addition to the Gaza war, so the ministry chose the theme “Advancing Diplomacy in Times of Turmoil” to emphasize the message of resolving conflicts on the table through diplomacy. While in 2022 it hosted a mosaic of participants ranging from the NATO chief, the Taliban, the Libyan prime minister, the Armenian foreign minister, and several senior officials from all continents of the world, this year’s ADF will feature about 20 heads of state, 57 representatives from international organizations and more than 70 ministers from 147 countries, covering most countries in the world. The forum will be a forum for discussions as well as a place for bilateral talks and the signing of agreements. Through ADF, Turkiye’s tourist pearl, Antalya, acquired a second brand his identity.
Alongside the ADF, Turkish diplomacy is also becoming a brand in the field of mediation. Despite being a middle country, Turkey has been at the forefront of global mediation efforts in recent years amid a surge in conflicts around the world. The government is playing a major role in both the ongoing war in Ukraine and in Gaza. It was also during the ADF that the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Russia met for the first time after the war. Turkey and Finland launched the “Mediation for Peace” initiative at the UN. Furthermore, Turkey participated in the formation of the “Group of Mediation Friends” of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), contributed to the mediation capacity of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and hosted the “Istanbul Mediation Conference.”
Meanwhile, Turkey’s defense industry, which has shined as one of the most successful brands to date, is now on the international agenda as Turkey’s indigenously produced fifth-generation fighter jet, KAAN, completed its maiden flight last week. It reached the top and was widely covered by the media. Following the global success of armed drones, this fighter jet makes Turkey one of the few countries with the infrastructure and technology to produce fifth-generation fighter jets. The vision to develop a strong defense industry, combined with Turkey’s young and skilled engineering talent pool, will propel Turkey further in the defense industry. From this perspective, Technofest, the world’s largest aviation, space and technology festival, is a great stimulus to attract and educate Turkish youth in these fields from an early age. The 2022 annual festival took a step beyond Turkey and was held in Azerbaijan.
Another area with great potential for a new brand for Türkiye is the Culture Road festival. While Turkish culture is already popular through the efforts of institutions such as the Yunus Emre Institute and the popular Turkey series, Ankara is also looking to internationalize the Culture Road festival. The festival will be held mainly in cities and districts and will feature arts, crafts, gastronomy, conversations, shows, entertainment, and more. It is also the largest cultural festival in the world in terms of area and duration. Held in an increasing number of cities throughout Türkiye every year, the festival will attract domestic tourists, support local artisans, give local artists a chance to gain national recognition, and raise interest in the arts. With a special focus on attracting international media and participating in future festivals, Culture Road can become another global brand for Türkiye and revive the arts.
