Turkish Atlantic Council
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an international military alliance established on April 4, 1949, based on the North Atlantic Treaty. The Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA) is a separate organization from NATO itself, dedicated to supporting the principles enshrined in the North Atlantic Treaty. The Turkish Atlantic Council, along with various other national chapters, operates under the ATA umbrella.
ATA serves as a platform for networking and policy debate among decision-makers, diplomats, academics, and journalists across the Transatlantic region. The Young Atlantic Treaty Association (YATA International), founded in 1996, works to reach the future decision-makers, diplomats, and academics of tomorrow.
In this framework, ATA and its national chapters cooperate with a range of organizations connected to Transatlantic Security, including one another, the governments of member states, the European Union, NATO, and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
As part of all this, ATA Turkey works in cooperation with the relevant units of the Turkish State to ensure that Turkey's interests are correctly understood in the international platforms in which it participates.
NATO was founded at the initiative of 12 countries in 1949 and has continued to expand to provide security to more allies and partners. Today it has 32 member countries.
Our Association's Extraordinary General Assembly Meeting will be convened to discuss agenda items for gaining public benefit association status, making charter amendments in accordance with the official letter from the Ankara Governor's Office, and electing association bodies.
The panel titled 'Turkey's Place in NATO', organized in cooperation with YATA Turkey and BAU International Law Club, has been completed. We extend our gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Savaş Biçer and Dr. İsmail Pamuk for sharing their knowledge and experience.
Our Secretary General Mr. Emir A. Gürbüz participated as a speaker at the "Meet Our Guest Speakers" event organized by YATA Belgium in Brussels. At the session, which also featured former NATO Secretary General Willy Claes, allied defense capabilities and strategic communication were discussed.
Secretary General Emir A. Gürbüz delivered a speech addressing cooperation potentials for Turkish companies at the Defense Industry Suppliers Meeting organized by Konya Chamber of Industry.
YATA Turkey Board Member Burcu Sar and member Anatürk Bilge Gülaltay attended NATO SHINE 2025 (Strategic Headquarters Innovation Networking Event) at Istanbul Technical University from October 13–17, 2025, observing the importance of innovation and international cooperation in the defense field.
Our panel "Two Nations, One Crisis: India-Pakistan Disputes" was held at Müze Gazhane on October 16, 2025. Speakers Maida Nawaz Khan and Muhtar Ali addressed India-Pakistan relations from historical, diplomatic, and social perspectives.
A cooperation protocol was signed between the Turkish Atlantic Council and DAMİSE Global, aiming to increase the visibility of Turkish defense industry components in NATO and NATO member countries.
The Turkish Atlantic Council hosted a panel titled "Turkish Perception in European Politics" on August 3, 2025. International relations and war studies analyst Giovanni Chiacchio participated as a speaker, discussing how perceptions of Turkish identity are shaped in European politics.
On July 24, 2025, our panel "Preparing the Allied Defense Industry for the Future Crises," organized as part of the IDEF Talks series within the International Defence Industries Fair (IDEF), was successfully held with valuable contributions from our distinguished speakers and participants.
The Turkish Atlantic Youth Seminar titled "Truth in the Shadow of Disinformation," organized in cooperation with YATA Turkey and Üsküdar University on May 3, 2025 in Istanbul, addressed the effects of disinformation on security, law, and media.
Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, President of Defense Industries of the Republic of Turkey, participated as the opening speaker at our panel titled "Navigating the Issues in the Modern Battlespace: Challenges for the Allied Defense Industry Capabilities," held within the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague.
Turkish Atlantic Council President Av. Dr. Mustafa Veysel Güldoğan and Secretary General Av. Emir Abbas Gürbüz attended the GLOBSEC Forum held in Prague on June 12–14, 2025, celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Turkish Atlantic Council Secretary General Av. Emir Abbas Gürbüz and YATA Turkey President Harun Raşit Yarar attended the Antalya Diplomacy Forum organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey.
YATA Turkey Vice President Tuna D. Tanman attended the Nordic Security Conference held on April 4–6. At the conference, which also featured Turkish Ambassador to Oslo Gülin Dinç, NATO's future, transatlantic security, and the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East were discussed.
The NATO 75th Anniversary Photo Competition event was organized with the support of esteemed participants and sponsors at Istanbul Naval Museum. The event concluded with the award ceremony for the competition winners.
The YATA Turkey 2024 Ordinary General Assembly was held following the NATO 75th Anniversary Photo Competition. Harun Raşit Yarar was elected as President, Tuna Deniz Tanman as Vice President, and Arin Demirtaş as Secretary General.
A protocol signing ceremony was held between the Turkish Atlantic Council and Istanbul Nişantaşı University within the scope of Career Center Cooperation. This collaboration will allow students to reinforce their theoretical knowledge with practical experience.
At the event "75th Year of NATO: The Success of an Alliance. What's Next?" organized within the 70th General Assembly of the Atlantic Treaty Association, speeches by Turkish Atlantic Council Board Member Hüseyin Diriöz were featured.
Our delegation consisting of Board Members (Ret.) Ambassador Hüseyin Diriöz, (Ret.) Court of Cassation Secretary General Salih Kocalar, Dr. Faruk Baturalp Günay, Secretary General Emir Abbas Gürbüz, YATA International President Selin Yılmaz and YATA Turkey President Harun Raşit Yarar visited SHAPE.
The NATO Forum was held in Washington D.C., USA, emphasizing the alliance's commitment to collective defense, global security, and strategic cooperation. Turkish Atlantic Council President Veysel Güldoğan and Secretary General Emir A. Gürbüz attended the Forum.
Turkish Atlantic Council President M. Veysel Güldoğan and Secretary General Emir A. Gürbüz met with Turkey's Foreign Minister Mr. Hakan Fidan within the framework of the NATO Summit.
Turkish Atlantic Council President M. Veysel Güldoğan and Secretary General Emir A. Gürbüz attended the reception organized by the Atlantic Treaty Association and The Fund for American Studies (TFAS).
As the Turkish Atlantic Council, we visited Ukraine's Ambassador to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar, exchanging views on Turkey's fight against terrorism, solidarity against the Russian occupation of Ukraine, and strengthening friendly bilateral relations.