On Dünya Mer

The World Civilizations Initiative Research Center organized an international conference on Global Security and NATO on June 26-27, 2026, in Istanbul, Türkiye, ahead of the NATO summit scheduled for 7 and 8th of July in Ankara. One of the speakers was Ethem Sancak, Deputy Chairman of Vatan Party and the center’s founding member. Below we present his speech.

Distinguished Guests

It is my great pleasure to welcome you all with my deepest respect. Thank you for your patience, your valuable contributions, and your kindness throughout these two days.

On behalf of myself, on behalf of the World Civilizations Initiative Research Center (DÜNYA-MER) — of which I am a founding member of the Board of Directors—and on behalf of my party, I extend my sincere gratitude to all of you.

Together, we have truly stolen two precious days from the passage of time. They have been two exceptionally meaningful days during which we reflected deeply on the future of both our country and humanity. We are fortunate to have each and every one of you here. You represent the finest intellectual resources of this nation. By setting aside your professional responsibilities and personal concerns to devote two full days to discussing the future of humanity, you have given us tremendous hope and inspiration. Your presence provides us with enormous energy and confidence for the future of our country. Thank you very much.

DÜNYA-MER is a very young institution. Yet, thanks to your participation and contributions, I believe it has successfully passed its very first test. If I were asked to give it a score, I would confidently award it ten out of ten. We have addressed one of the most important and timely issues facing the world today with remarkable seriousness. Our distinguished speakers have shared profound analyses of the century ahead, helping to illuminate the path before us. Respected intellectuals from approximately fifteen countries have contributed their wisdom, and we owe them our sincere appreciation.

The world has entered an entirely new historical era.

Three centuries ago, Western imperial powers established a global order after dismantling the Ottoman Empire and implementing their colonial ambitions. They built a capitalist system centered upon financial power and presented it to humanity as a beacon of progress. Initially, that system indeed generated remarkable achievements. It promoted ideals such as liberty, equality, fraternity, and human dignity. It accelerated scientific and economic development, produced great revolutionary thinkers, strengthened the concept of national sovereignty, and contributed to the rise of independent nation-states.

Over time, however, that same system surrendered itself to an unrestricted worship of capital under the philosophy of *laissez-faire*. It embraced the notion that “man is a wolf to man,” gradually transforming itself into imperialism and, during the last century, into a hegemonic system that has inflicted immense suffering upon humanity.

Fortunately, after three centuries, this historical cycle is approaching its conclusion. The global financial crisis of 2008 marked the beginning of a profound structural crisis that has now reached its peak. In my opinion, the capitalist system, in its current form, has exhausted itself.

A new world is emerging.

The birth of every new international order inevitably brings hardship. There will be pain, tears, and even wars. Humanity will face difficult trials. Yet history teaches us that civilization has always advanced by overcoming adversity. Human beings are the noblest of all creation, endowed with reason and creativity, and they possess the capacity to overcome every challenge before them.

DÜNYA-MER intends to play its part in this historic transformation.

Our mission is to bring together the finest intellectual minds from around the world, to systematize their ideas, and to develop comprehensive projects capable of contributing to humanity’s future. Under the leadership of our distinguished President, Professor Semih Koray—one of Türkiye’s foremost mathematicians, former Chairman of the Turkish Mathematical Olympiad Committee, and a highly respected scholar at Middle East Technical University—this institution will continue to grow into an important international center of thought.

Around him has gathered an exceptional community of intellectuals from many different countries, all of whom have dedicated themselves to this common mission.

This is how DÜNYA-MER has begun its journey.

Together we seek to build an intellectual community that brings together the rising civilizations of Asia, the nations of the Global South, the progressive peoples of Europe, and the honorable traditions of the American nation—the heirs of Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson. Together we shall strive to illuminate humanity’s future.

We will find our path.

Our generation stands on the shoulders of history. We have inherited far greater knowledge and capabilities than previous generations. Hannibal found his path despite extraordinary obstacles; so shall we. Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror transformed history by opening a new era through the conquest of Constantinople; our generation, too, is capable of opening new horizons for humanity.

DÜNYA-MER has given us that confidence, and your presence has strengthened that hope.

Humanity faces challenges far beyond security alone. If we are truly committed to building a new international order based upon peace, equitable development, sovereign nation-states, mutual benefit, and genuine international cooperation—if we believe that human beings are not enemies of one another but the noblest of creation—then organizations founded upon confrontation and military blocs will gradually lose their historical relevance.

In such a world, institutions like NATO will no longer be necessary. There will be no need for nations to wage war against one another or to organize themselves around permanent military confrontation.

Yet humanity’s future extends even beyond the problems of our own planet.

We have named this institution the World Civilizations Initiative Research Center, but our vision reaches further still. During the five thousand years of civilization, humanity has domesticated nature in countless ways. We domesticated animals. We cultivated agriculture. We mastered fire, metals, and countless technologies.

The next great challenge before humanity is to master light itself.

We must develop technologies capable of moving at the speed of light. The Earth alone can no longer contain humanity’s full potential. We are no longer destined to remain confined to this single planet.

As the great eighth-century scholar Jabir ibn Hayyan once observed, God endowed humanity with an intellect capable of discovering the limits of the universe itself. More than twelve centuries ago, he envisioned humanity exploring the cosmos. Today, that vision is no longer merely philosophical—it is becoming scientifically attainable.

We must learn to master energy, harness light, and explore space.

DÜNYA-MER also aspires to contribute to these great scientific endeavors by encouraging humanity to think beyond today’s limitations.

For this reason, I remain deeply optimistic about our future.

Some may believe that the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara dominates today’s agenda. Personally, I do not attach great historical significance to it. In my view, it resembles more a farewell ceremony than the beginning of a new era. In time, NATO will gradually disappear from humanity’s collective memory and become an institution of the past.

What truly matters is the future that lies beyond it.

Humanity will undoubtedly face new challenges, but I am confident that together we will overcome them.

Once again, thank you all sincerely for your participation, your friendship, and your valuable contributions.

It has been an honor to have you with us.

We look forward to welcoming you again at our future meetings.

Thank you very much.