Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) is preparing to host a major event that will shape the architectural and urban planning vision of the Turkic world. The summit, to be held on 20–21 April 2026, will bring together statesmen and the academic community in Samsun. Planned to develop sustainable urbanization policies among Turkic world countries and strengthen academic cooperation, the Turkic World Urbanism Summit will begin on Monday, 20 April at 09:30 at the OMU Atatürk Congress and Culture Center.

Guest of honor: Binali Yıldırım

The summit will be attended by Binali Yıldırım, the 27th Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye and Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States, as the guest of honor. The event is supported by Prof. Dr. İlyas Topsakal, Deputy Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Member of Parliament for Samsun. Hosted by OMU Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma Aydın, the two-day program will include protocol speeches and thematic panels.

Rectors from the Turkic world to discuss the future of universities

Following the opening ceremony, the first day of the summit will continue with a panel featuring guest rectors from Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Uzbekistan, and Türkiye. The session, titled “The Current State of Universities in the Turkic World, Joint Education and Research Programs,” will address the contribution of higher education to city branding.

In the second half of the day, under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Cevdet Yılmaz, rapid urbanization, migration, housing policies, and transportation challenges will be discussed from an academic perspective by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Mutlu, Dr. Cem Ayık, and Dr. Yeliz Emecen.

Sessions on resilient and smart cities

On the second day of the summit, Tuesday, 21 April, the agenda will focus on global urban challenges:

• Resilient and Sustainable Cities: In the session chaired by Prof. Dr. Yusuf Demir, disaster management, climate change, and social resilience will be examined by Prof. Dr. Afşin Ahmet Kaya, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Altuğ, and Research Assistant Nilay Nida Can.
• Smart and Digital Urbanism: In the final session chaired by Prof. Dr. Erhan Burak Pancar, digital municipalities, smart transportation, and waste management will be discussed by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Çetin, Dr. Damla Karagöz, and Prof. Dr. Nurdan Gamze Turan.

Samsun Declaration to be signed

The Turkic World Urbanism Summit will conclude with a signing ceremony to be held at 14:00 on 21 April in the Senate Hall, where the “Samsun Declaration of Turkic World Universities,” serving as a roadmap for academic and technical cooperation among universities of the Turkic world, will be announced to the public. The event will end with a promotional city tour of Samsun for the guests.