Yunus Emre Institute 2018 Regional Strategies Consultation Meeting was held in Istanbul with the participation of Enstitü directors assigned to 54 countries.

In the meeting held between November 30^th and December 2^nd, 2017, the activities carried out in 2017 were appraised and the operations to be carried out in 2018 were discussed. Yunus Emre Institute President Prof. Dr. Şeref Ateş said, "The accumulation of Anatolia's ancient civilizations, can be the solution for the current global problems.”

Established to promote Turkish language, history, culture and art, Yunus Emre Institute active in five continents with 54 centres, held the "Regional Strategies Consultation Meeting" to appraise 2017 activities and to determine the regional strategies of 2018.

Institute President Prof. Dr. Şeref Ateş, who made the opening speech of the program spoke as follows: "We have gathered with the aim of establishing a road map for the activities Yunus Emre Institute will carry out all over the world in 2018, which set off from the idea that the civilization accumulation in Anatolia can be the solution to  current global problems. Our Institute was established to introduce to the world the culture, the civilization we are a part of has built throughout the ages. Together with similar institutions and organizations Republic of Turkey rationalized for this purpose, we make efforts to strengthen our cultural diplomacy. The main mission of our Institute is to bring what ewe have to the world, and promote it to the world public. In order to achieve this and to prove to the world we have things to say, we need to adopt a human-oriented approach, and to live with common values without discriminating based on religion, language and race. We have gathered with all our country representatives to consult our future vision based on this fundamental principle and shape our new road map, and we have specified a road map in the light of their valuable ideas."

In the meeting that brought together Yunus Emre Institute directors and directors of Turkish Cultural Centres that are active abroad, famous Director Elif Dağdeviren held a panel on Cinema and International Opportunities in Cultural Diplomacy. Following Elif Dağdeviren's panel, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Baran gave a panel on Scientific Diplomacy and Opportunities in Turkey and sessions on the first day were complete. On the second day of the program, Institute Directors were seated at the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Africa, Asia and Far East tables, and conducted team work on regional strategies to be implemented by the Institute in 2018. Following the completion of the group activities, Gökhan Yücel informed the participants on Cultural Diplomacy in Digital Age and Bihter Türkan Ergül on Turkish Fragrance Culture. On the last day of the program, famous writer Alev Alatlı and directors of the Yunus Emre Institute Turkish Cultural Centres abroad, held a bull session moderated by journalist Ayşe Böhürler.