A "Family Summit" was held, supported by the General Directorate of Civil Society Relations of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Turkey, implemented by Kadim Academy, and in partnership with Mardin Artuklu University.
In line with the Action Plan prepared within the scope of the Twelfth Development Plan, 2025 was declared the "Year of the Family" by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with the aim of emphasizing the importance of the family institution, protecting unity and solidarity within the family, and providing comprehensive support to the family in the face of existing risks. In this context, a "Family Summit" program was organized at Mardin Artuklu University, addressing academic studies related to the Year of the Family.
Mardin Artuklu University Rector Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özcoşar, who delivered the opening speeches of the program, stated:
“The declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of the Family’ by our President has given a new impetus to policies aimed at protecting and strengthening the family institution on a national scale. Various strategic studies are being carried out in our country to support the position of the young population within the social structure, to ensure the intergenerational transmission of cultural heritage, and to ensure the sustainability of the family institution. We are aware of the importance of the academic community's scientific contribution to the Year of the Family process. In this context, we believe that the responsibility of universities to produce knowledge, analyze it, and develop solutions plays a critical role in moving the process to a more qualitative and inclusive level.”
Özcoşar emphasized that the family is the fundamental building block of society and addressed the cultural and psychological dimensions of gender-neutralization policies, which are becoming increasingly visible on a global scale. Providing detailed information on the effects of these policies on the value system of societies, Özcoşar stated that for healthy generations to be raised, the transforming social structure must be built on strong and sustainable family foundations. At the end of his speech, he expressed his gratitude to Prof. Dr. Saffet Köse, Prof. Dr. Mahsum Aytepe, Kadim Academy, and Münire Yalçin from the project team for their contributions to the summit.
As part of the Family Summit program, a panel on the theme of "The Importance of Family" was held, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kayaoğlu. In the panel, Prof. Dr. Saffet Köse presented on "Father's Custody and Mother's Guardianship," Prof. Dr. Mahsum Aytepe on "Global Attacks and the Family as a Ground for Resistance," and Dr. Shaymaa S. J. Abdullatif on "The Psychological Role of the Family in Reinforcing Gender Identity," addressing the effects of global cultural transformation on the family from legal and socio-psychological perspectives.
