We are proud to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of our Republic and the 500th anniversary of the foundation of our Foreign Ministry this year. At such a significant juncture in history, our country has demonstrated the will and aim to shape the coming century as the 'Turkish Century.' The Turkish Century aims to have a truly national character in foreign policy, centered around the values of our civilization, based on increasing opportunities and capabilities, aiming to strengthen the unity, security, and prosperity of our state and nation, while being a center of attraction in its region. Within the framework of our goals and responsibilities, it is of great importance to take a snapshot of the various dimensions of international relations and our foreign policy, engage in strategic foresight and scenario-building for the future, address the upcoming challenges and opportunities based on critical thinking, and provide solution-oriented concrete proposals. 

The realization of national goals and the sustainability of diplomacy towards this end undoubtedly depend on establishing a healthy relationship with knowledge. The economic, commercial, security, defense, intelligence, energy, cultural, and communication dimensions of our foreign relations are conducted with relevant institutions and stakeholders. The stakeholders of knowledge are universities, the academic world, and think tanks. Undoubtedly, one of the indispensables of an effective and influential foreign policy is cooperation with the stakeholders of the field of knowledge. Established within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1995, the Center for Strategic Research (SAM) operates to establish a productive relationship between our Ministry and academia and think tanks. 

As the President of SAM, during my tenure, we will strive to bring diplomacy and knowledge together to ensure the correct understanding of the past and present by Turkish and foreign public opinion and to build the future. Security, the changing face of diplomacy, new trends in foreign policy, mediation, new technologies, and their impacts on foreign policy; urgent issues concerning our country and our strategic priorities will be the focus of our efforts during this period. We aim to diversify and increase the activities and services carried out by our Presidency to achieve this goal. Assuming the Presidency of SAM in such a period is a great pride and privilege for me. 

With my colleagues at SAM, we will work within the framework of our vision outlined above. Turkish and foreign interlocutors and stakeholders will be our most important supporters during this process. "Perceptions," published as a refereed academic journal since our establishment, and "SAM Papers" published on special topics, have gained wide interest both in Turkey and abroad among circles interested in international relations. Two compilation books prepared with the contributions of numerous experts in the field regarding the impact of the pandemic on international relations have made a significant contribution to our intellectual world. In the coming period, we will continue to produce publications offering different perspectives on current issues. 

We expect Turkish and foreign academics, researchers, and experts to contribute to our publications in the coming period. Additionally, we will continue to make all our publications available to readers on our website. We observe that SAM diplomatic simulations offer our student friends new horizons. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Internship Program, conducted by SAM, contributes to our young people better understanding our Ministry and Turkish Foreign Policy, enabling them to determine their goals. It was a great honor for us to receive the award for "the institution with the highest intern satisfaction" from His Excellency the President in 2022. As it is known, we are one of the stakeholders of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF). The III. ADF was postponed due to the devastating earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. On this occasion, I extend my condolences to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff and all our citizens who lost their lives in the earthquake disaster, and wish patience and condolences to their relatives. We will have the opportunity to bring together leaders and managers with academics and students again at the III. ADF, which is planned to be held on March 1-3, 2024. You can follow SAM on its website and social media accounts. Additionally, we would like to express our pleasure in receiving your valuable thoughts and contributions through the contact information on SAM's website and our social media accounts.