The 9th TRT World Forum will kick off in Istanbul on Friday, bringing together leaders, thinkers and changemakers from around the world to discuss how global realities are being reshaped in a time of uncertainty.
Held under the theme "The Global Reset: From the Old Order to New Realities", the two-day event explores how shifts in economics, technology, media and international law are redefining the world we live in.
Organised by Türkiye's public broadcaster TRT, the annual flagship forum serves as a space to bring unspoken issues to the forefront and to question the role of the media in shaping global narratives.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to deliver the keynote address, continuing a tradition he has maintained since the forum's launch in 2017.
His previous speeches have focused on Türkiye's evolving role in international affairs and the need for a more equitable global order.
This year's sessions cover a wide range of timely issues, including:
Building Strategic Autonomy: Türkiye and the Global Defence Paradigm
Syria's New Dawn: A Roadmap for Reconstruction and Stability
Futures in Conflict: Conflict and Reconciliation in East Africa
From Victimhood to Resistance: The Road to Justice in Gaza
But the conversations aren't limited to politics and policy. The forum is also hosting a powerful artistic performance by Norwegian artist Vibeke Harper, titled "3,925 Lost Futures".
Earlier this month, Harper performed a 68-hour memorial ritual at Oslo's Vega Scene, where participants read the names of 18,459 children killed in Gaza, each name hung on a wall as a lasting act of remembrance.
At the TRT World Forum 2025, Harper will adapt the performance into a new memorial, inviting participants to read and write the names of 3,925 young people aged 18 to 20 who were killed by Israeli attacks — each written on red paper and placed on a wall in silent tribute.
The performance adds a deeply human and emotional layer to the discussions at the forum, reminding audiences that behind every statistic lies a story — and that global dialogue must be anchored in empathy as much as in analysis.
Since its inception, the TRT World Forum has become a key platform for connecting voices from across continents, bridging perspectives between the Global North and South, and asking hard questions about the kind of world we are collectively building.
