Leaders and foreign ministers from across the world are in Turkey's Antalya for the opening day of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. This year's theme, mapping tomorrow, managing uncertainties. From the Middle East war to Russia's war in Ukraine, a fragile ceasefire in Gaza and Syria's future. Global crises are not just dominating the agenda, they're defining it. Kicking off the forum, Turkey's foreign minister said, "Regional stability depends on collective responsibility and stronger regional ownership."

Our region can no longer tolerate wars, occupations, terrorism, and civil wars. As regional countries, we must realize regional peace and stability through strong regional ownership. We can realize this vision through permanent and results-oriented dialogue in areas of common interest, respect for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of countries in the region, embracing ethnic, cultural, and sectarian diversity as a unifying element, ensuring that the defense capabilities of regional actors do not constitute a threat to each other, but are for their own security, completely abandoning the use of non-state actors in our region, and meeting the legitimate expectation for a two-state

solution to the Palestinian issue, which is the root cause of almost all problems in our region. The message here is blunt and in line with Turkey's long-standing foreign policy. Diplomacy is no longer a choice, it's a necessity. Standing here at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, it's clear these crises are no longer being treated in isolation. From the Middle East to Ukraine, the space for direct dialogue is shrinking. Turkey is positioning itself right at the center of that effort, bringing key actors and decision-makers together at a time when diplomacy is becoming harder to sustain.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan used his opening remarks to call for dialogue and diplomacy in resolving conflicts. The war that filled our region with the smell of gunpowder for 40 days has been the latest example of this. We welcome the 15-day ceasefire declared through the initiatives of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in this meaningless and costly war that began with the provocations of the Israeli government. The window of opportunity must be used in the most effective way to establish a lasting peace. It must not be allowed for bloody struggle to

replace dialogue. The shortest path to peace is constructive dialogue and diplomacy. One must be prepared against Israel's undermining of the negotiation process. Turkey is ready to support all kinds of facilitating steps, including a leader summit for the continuation of direct negotiations if the parties are also willing. Syria's President Ahmad al-Shara and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha were among the senior officials drawing strong attention on day one. And at gatherings like this, it's often the sidelines that matter just as much

as the stage. President Erdoğan held a bilateral with Prime Minister of Pakistan, the mediator between the US and Iran, where they discussed ongoing peace efforts. Whether in public or behind closed doors, Antalya is gearing up for a weekend of intense diplomacy. Kübra Akkoç, TRT World, Antalya, Turkey.