Istanbul hosted a gathering this week tied to the Alliance of Civilizations, a joint initiative by Türkiye's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Participants from numerous countries convened to discuss practical steps toward peace and cross-cultural understanding.
The event drew scant coverage and little enthusiasm within Türkiye itself. Columnists and opposition politicians alike largely dismissed it, a reaction observers link to the initiative's association with Erdogan at a time of strained relations between the government and much of the press.
A similar dynamic played out in Spain, where the main opposition leader argued that the only alliance his country needed was NATO.
Contributors to the initiative have included Muslim and Catholic religious figures, former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami (who prompted the UN to designate 2001 the Year of Dialogue between Civilizations), and diplomat Giandomenico Picco.
Critics have raised fair questions about the initiative's framing: the word "alliance" carries military overtones, the concept of plural civilizations is debatable, and the UN's capacity to deliver results can be challenged. Even so, the argument is made that any serious effort to advance peace deserves constructive engagement rather than dismissal.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in November 2006, in its own words.