Turkish academia in Iceland for Arctic Circle Assembly

The Nordic Baltic Institute brings together researchers from Türkiye and Norway to discuss Türkiye’s engagement with the Arctic.

Turkish academics and researchers will contribute to international discussions on the Arctic’s future through a session organized by the Nordic Baltic Institute (NBI) at the 2026 Arctic Circle Assembly, taking place in Reykjavík, Iceland, on October 8–10.

Titled “Türkiye and the Arctic: Epistemic and Civil Networks,” the session will be held on October 10, from 11:00 to 11:55 local time, in Kaldalón, Harpa Concert and Conference Centre. NBI is the first Türkiye-based think tank to organize a session at the Assembly.

The discussion comes as the Arctic’s significance increasingly extends beyond climate change. Interest in shipping routes, energy resources and critical minerals intersects with geopolitical competition and changing defense priorities. These developments are drawing non-Arctic countries into debates about the region’s future while increasing the importance of scientific cooperation and institutional dialogue.

Dr. Esra Öztürk, founder and chair of the board of NBI, will moderate the session and present “Connecting Türkiye and the Arctic Through Civil and Epistemic Networks.” Her contribution will examine how academic expertise and civil-society connections can support sustained cooperation between Türkiye and Arctic institutions.

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Levent Kurnaz, director of Boğaziçi University’s Climate Change and Policies Implementation and Research Center, will address “Arctic Climate Change: Science, Impacts and Türkiye’s Response,” examining the wider implications of environmental change in the region.

Assoc. Prof. Gizem Çakmak, a faculty member in political science and international relations at Yeditepe University, will discuss “Polar Research in Türkiye: Funding, Priorities and Expert Networks.” Her presentation will explore the institutional and funding foundations needed to sustain Türkiye’s polar research.

Dr. Mustafa Furkan Durmaz, vice chair of the board of NBI, will present “From Knowledge to Policy? Epistemic Communities and Türkiye’s Arctic Engagement,” considering how networks of specialists can inform policy and connect research with institutional action.

Dr. Andreas Raspotnik, director of the High North Center for Business and Governance at Nord University in Norway, will present “Connecting the Dots: Türkiye and the Arctic as Seen from the North.” His contribution will bring a northern perspective to Türkiye’s engagement and opportunities for cooperation with regional partners.

The session will also include a video message from Ambassador Prof. Dr. Çağrı Erhan, Deputy Chairman of the Security and Foreign Policies Council of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye and Chief Advisor to the President, adding a policy perspective to the discussion.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Caymaz, a working-group member of the International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP), will also take part with a video message on “Arctic Science Diplomacy: Building Inclusive and Resilient Networks.”

Together, the contributions will examine how scientific knowledge, policy dialogue and civil networks can strengthen Türkiye’s engagement with the Arctic.

The Arctic Circle Assembly will be attended by over 2000 participants from more than 70 countries; Heads of States and Government, Ministers, business leaders, scientists, officials, experts and Indigenous representatives. Business leaders, scientists, defense and security experts and Indigenous leaders will participate in over 200 sessions with more than 700 speakers.

The discussions on the Plenary Stage tomorrow will be led by the Foreign Minister of Canada, Anita Anand, the Foreign Minister of Greenland, Múte B. Egede and the EU Commissioner, Jozef Síkela. Then the actions and the aims of the USA in the Arctic will be on the agenda, led by the Governor of Alaska, Mike Dunleavy, with emphasis on defense and energy; followed by Senator Murkowski on Friday.

The most influential woman in China’s foreign affairs in recent decades, Madame Fu Ying, will also on Friday be on the Plenary Stage in a session dedicated to understanding the aims and plans of China.

Ministers and key government officials from India, Pakistan, Singapore, United Kingdom, Norway and other countries will also be on the Plenary Stage.

Türkiye is also present in the Arctic Circle Assembly with a high level delegation. Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology of Türkiye, Kasım Gönüllü will speak at a pleanary session. Besides, the head of TÜBİTAK Polar Research Institute Prof. Burcu Özsoy, Ambassador Zafer Ateş from Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the head of MÜSİAD Burhan Özdemir are also among high level participants from Türkiye.

Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute in Germany, will together with the Icelandic Minister of the Environment, H.E. Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson, discuss the dramatic dangers potentially resulting from the collapse of the AMOC ocean system, especially for countries in Northern Europe. The president of Iceland, H.E. Halla Tómasdóttir, will also conduct a dialogue on Humanity and AI with the American technology expert Tristan Harris.

The Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, will speak on Saturday and participate with other defense officials and security experts in special Roundtables. Additional Roundtables will be devoted to the need for Science Diplomacy in times of growing geopolitical tensions.

The Arctic Circle Assembly brings together government officials, scientists, business leaders, Indigenous representatives and civil society to discuss the region’s transformation and its global consequences. The NBI session offers Turkish researchers an opportunity to share their expertise, exchange perspectives with international colleagues and develop partnerships that continue beyond the gathering.

Based in Türkiye, the Nordic Baltic Institute works to strengthen cooperation between Türkiye and the eight Nordic–Baltic countries through research, publications, public dialogue and institutional partnerships.