Euro-Mediterranean Forum for Young Researchers

The first Euro-Mediterranean Forum for Young Researchers was organized by GPoT Center, in collaboration with the Chios Institute for Mediterranean Affairs (CIMA), the Hellenic Centre for European Studies (EKEM), and the Center for International and European Studies (CIES) of the Kadir Has University, between April 13th and 15th, 2011, in Istanbul.

The event aspired to be a meeting point for young scholars and analysts engaged in research throughout the Mediterranean. Participants were selected from a variety of academic backgrounds and had the opportunity to present their current research as well as to receive feedback allowing them to improve their papers. They also met with peers engaged in different research activities throughout the Mediterranean and with representatives from leading academic journals specializing in Mediterranean affairs, i.e. Mediterranean Politics and International Journal of Euro-Mediterranean Studies.

The Deputy Director of GPoT Center, Dr. Sylvia Tiryaki, together with Dr. Maria Gianniou, researcher at EKEM, delivered their respective concluding remarks on the last day of the conference. After Dr. Tiryaki finished her speech about GPoT Center's experience with second-track diplomacy on Cyprus, she also transmitted the prize to the author of one of the best papers chosen from the following two categories: "Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue" and "Euro-Mediterranean Relations".

The winning papers, together with other outstanding essays presented at the Forum, were published by GPoT Center on behalf of the consortium of the organizing institutions in December 2011.