The Middle East Institute's Center for Turkish Studies
in collaboration with the Institute for Turkish Studies present:

"Regional and Domestic Challenges for an Ascendant Turkey"
June 27th, 2012
9:00am-5:00pm
National Press Club
529 14th St., NW 13th Fl.
Washington, DC 20045

Conference Schedule:

9:00am-9:15am: Welcome
Amb. Wendy Chamberlin, Middle East Institute
Amb. Ross Wilson, Atlantic Council
Gonul Tol, MEI’s Center for Turkish Studies
Sinan Ciddi, Institute for Turkish Studies

9:15am–10:00am: Opening Keynote
Dr. Ibrahim Kalin
Chief Adviser to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

10:15 am–11:45am
Panel 1: Domestic Dynamics in Turkey: Politics and the Economy
Yalcin Akdogan, Member of Parliament, Justice and Development Party
Rusen Cakir, Turkish Daily Vatan
Michael Gunter, Tennessee Technological University
Dr. Levent Koker, Atilim University

11:45am–12:45pm: Lunch*
12:45pm–1:30pm: Luncheon Keynote
Omer Celik, Deputy Chairman of the Justice and Development Party

1:30–3:00pm
Panel 2: Turkey, the EU, and the U.S.: Evolving Partnerships Post-Arab Spring
Amb. Nicholas Burns, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Muhammed Cetin, Foreign Affairs Commission of the Parliament of Turkey
Amb. W. Robert Pearson, IREX
Yasar Yakis, Center for Strategic Communication, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs
Moderator: Sharon Wiener, Koc University

3:00-3:15: Coffee Break

3:15pm-4:45pm
Panel 3: Turkey’s Leadership Role in an Uncertain Middle East
Dr. Amr Darrag, Freedom and Justice Party, Egypt
Dr. Joost Hiltermann, International Crisis Group
Yigal Schleifer, Freelance Journalist
Moderator: Abdulrahim Fukara, al-Jazeera

4:45-5:00pm: Closing Remarks

*Complimentary lunch will be available on a first come first served basis