On 10 September, the Secretary General of the International Islamic Federation of Student Organizations (IIFSO) met with Brother Salih Turhan, the President of Anadolu Gençlik Derneği (AGD) in Turkey. AGD, a prominent youth organization in Turkey, is an active member of IIFSO, and the meeting was held to further strengthen the relationship between the two organizations.

The gathering was also attended by Mr. Mansur Ozdemir, Turkish bureaucrat and Advisor to the President of YTB (Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities), underscoring the significance of this engagement for broader regional collaboration.

During the meeting, IIFSO’s Secretary General extended a formal invitation to Brother Salih Turhan and AGD to participate in the upcoming International Youth Summit 2024, a flagship event that aims to bring together youth leaders from across the world to foster collaboration, leadership, and development.

The Secretary-General emphasized the importance of AGD’s contribution to the summit, highlighting its role in empowering Turkish youth and promoting social cohesion. The two leaders exchanged ideas about future collaborative programs, discussing potential avenues for joint initiatives that can address global challenges facing Muslim youth today. Topics such as education, youth leadership, community engagement, and advocacy were central to the conversation.

This meeting reaffirmed the strong relationship between IIFSO and AGD, both of which share a commitment to fostering positive social change through youth empowerment. The Secretary General praised AGD’s impactful work in Turkey and expressed optimism about future collaborations that would benefit both national and international youth communities.

Brother Salih Turhan, in turn, thanked the Secretary General for the invitation and expressed his enthusiasm for deeper collaboration with IIFSO. He outlined AGD’s vision for youth development in Turkey and beyond, and expressed hope that both organizations could work together on initiatives aimed at leadership development, interfaith dialogue, and addressing societal challenges.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both leaders agreeing to continue dialogue and explore new opportunities for partnership. With the International Youth Summit 2024 approaching, the collaboration between IIFSO and AGD is expected to contribute significantly to fostering unity, understanding, and progress within the global Muslim youth community.