6 January 2026

50th Anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act Marked in Istanbul

abdullah gül

Istanbul, December 16, 2025 – The Ankara Institute, in partnership with Chatham House, Körber-Stiftung, and the University of Oxford, successfully convened a high-level “Global History & Politics Roundtable” in Istanbul.

Held on December 15-16, 2025, the two-day conference was dedicated to the “50th Anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act”. Under the title “Lessons, Legacy, and Relevance,” the event brought together distinguished scholars, diplomats, and policy experts to evaluate the enduring impact of the 1975 agreement on international relations.

The gathering commenced with a gala dinner, featuring opening remarks by key representatives of the organizing institutions: Florian Bigge form Körber-Stiftung, Faisal Devji from the University of Oxford, and Taha Ozhan from the Ankara Institute.

The keynote address of the conference was delivered by H.E. Abdullah Gül, the 11th President of the Republic of Türkiye. In his address, President Gül reflected on the historical significance of the Helsinki process and its implications for current global dynamics.

This joint initiative underscores the commitment of the Ankara Institute, Chatham House, Körber-Stiftung, and the University of Oxford to fostering critical dialogue on global history and political challenges.

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The Ankara Institute is located in Ankara, Turkey. Our teams include academics, former members of the parliament, senior advisers to the Turkish prime ministers and ministers, analysts from prominent think-tanks, NGO directors, and media professionals with many years of experience. We do have extensive experience of working and partnering with leading global think-tanks, NGOs, international organizations, and governmental institutions.