About the Event

Understanding the Gaza Conflict and Regional Escalation

As the Gaza conflict continues to intensify, it has become a defining moment in contemporary MENA geopolitics, exposing structural weaknesses in international law, diplomacy, and conflict resolution systems.

This high-level dialogue situates the events following October 7, 2023, within longer histories of occupation, war, and geopolitical contestation. It critically examines how ongoing violence has revealed fractures in both regional alliances and global governance institutions.

With the increasing involvement of Israel, the United States, and Iran, the conflict has expanded beyond Gaza into a broader regional crisis. This escalation is reshaping Middle East geopolitics, affecting legal systems, economic stability, institutional legitimacy, and everyday life across the region.

At its core, the discussion interrogates a central issue in today’s global diplomacy crisis: Can existing frameworks of peace, diplomacy, and development still adequately explain or respond to current geopolitical realities?

Francesca Albanese
Featured Speaker

Francesca Albanese

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967

An internationally recognized expert in human rights and international law, Francesca Albanese brings critical insight into the legal and political dimensions of the Gaza conflict and its implications for the broader diplomatic crisis.

Opening Remarks
Nuri Yeşilyurt

Nuri Yeşilyurt

Director; ODAM,
Professor, Ankara University

Moderator
Can Öztaş

Dr. Can Öztaş

Former Turkish diplomat and jurist; Lecturer in international law and Turkish foreign policy, Bilkent University

Speakers on MENA Geopolitics and Conflict

Özge Genç

Özge Genç

Visiting Fellow,
Middle East Council on Global Affairs (Doha)

Specialist in MENA geopolitics, conflict mediation, and inclusive diplomacy.

Betul Dogan-Akkas

Dr. Betul Dogan-Akkas

Assistant Professor of International Relations & Deputy Director, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Ankara University

Focuses on regional conflict dynamics and political transformations in the Middle East.

Upcoming Event

Participate in a High-Level Dialogue on Conflict and Diplomacy

Join leading experts examining the Gaza conflict, its regional escalation, and the widening crisis of global diplomacy.

Date

Tuesday, 14 April 2026

Time

18:00 – 19:30

Format

High-Level Dialogue

Registration

xxx

Dialogue Agenda

Agenda of this High-Level Dialogue

01

Analyze the regionalization of the Gaza conflict and its geopolitical implications

02

Understand shifting power dynamics in MENA geopolitics

03

Examine the limitations of current international law and diplomacy frameworks

04

Engage with leading experts on the unfolding global diplomacy crisis

Organizers

About the Organizers

Cultural Diplomacy Forum (CDF)

CDF fosters dialogue, peacebuilding, and cross-cultural cooperation, positioning diplomacy as an everyday practice that connects societies across geopolitical divides.

ODAM – Ankara University

A leading research center advancing scholarship and policy analysis on the Middle East, contributing to a deeper understanding of regional geopolitics and conflict.