The 28th Eurasian Economic Summit opened with messages from President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and welcomed participants from forty-three countries. Speakers at the Summit, which was also attended by Türkiye's Nobel Prize-winning scientist Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar, underlined the importance of peace.

Former presidents of Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Romania, North Macedonia, Tunisia, Moldova and Czechia joined Türkiye's 11th President Abdullah Gül to share their views under the theme “Peaceful Solutions and Rebuilding Peace”.

Organised for the 28th time by the Marmara Group Foundation at the WOW Hotel Convention Centre in Istanbul, the Summit brought together statespeople, academics, opinion leaders and civil society representatives from around the world under the theme “Dialogue for a More Humane and Liveable World”. Alongside economic and technological transformation, calls for peace and conscience were at the heart of the programme.

Drawing on the Marmara Group Foundation's forty years of experience, the Eurasian Economic Summit once again became a platform of ideas that helped outline the principles of global peace, economic justice and a sustainable future. The visionary leadership of President Dr. Akkan Suver and his dedication to universal peace further strengthened the Summit's international standing.

More than 800 politicians, diplomats, academics and businesspeople from 43 countries attended the 28th Eurasian Economic Summit, organised by the Marmara Group Foundation in cooperation with İHKİB at the WOW Hotel Convention Centre on 6–8 May 2025.

Under the theme “Dialogue for a More Humane and Liveable World”, the Summit addressed global justice, sustainable development and multilateral cooperation.

In his opening address, Marmara Group Foundation President Dr. Akkan Suver said: “We choose dialogue over conflict and common sense over division.” Referring to tensions between the United States and China, the climate crisis and the war in Ukraine, Suver called for a “shared conscience” and described the Eurasian Economic Summit as a platform that unites different voices. The Summit's academic depth was also notable. Its academic contributors, including Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar, Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı, Prof. Dr. Özgür Çengel and Prof. Dr. Uğur Özgöker, once again demonstrated the quality of the Marmara Group Foundation's work.

Dr. Akkan Suver's opening speech was not only a call to action but also a summary of the Foundation's core philosophy. “Globalisation now needs a new mindset and courageous steps. The dialogue born at these lecterns is the only way to save the world from wars, division and despair,” he said, reminding participants of their responsibility. Emphasising dialogue and cooperation in the face of global crises, he added: “Together with young people, we are preparing for tomorrow.”

The Summit's guest of honour was Nobel laureate Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar, a source of pride for the scientific community. Sancar's participation, and the hope his scientific achievements offer humanity, further elevated the intellectual and ethical character of the Summit.

Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar warned that “there can be no strong economy without basic sciences,” adding: “China now publishes more scientific papers than the United States. We too must produce technology rather than import it.”

Distinguished historian Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı delivered another important address. Saying that “we must protect Türkiye's historical heritage,” he stressed the importance of preserving the country's historical and cultural legacy.

Ortaylı highlighted the need to pass Türkiye's accumulated knowledge on to future generations: “We must understand the great transformations in our history correctly and convey this knowledge to our young people.” His remarks attracted great interest from the audience. He concluded: “We must appreciate the value of these lands and pass it on to future generations in the best possible way.”

To mark its 40th anniversary and honour the memory of members and volunteers who had passed away, the Marmara Group Foundation presented awards in fifteen categories.

The Süleyman Demirel Democracy Award was presented to Emil Constantinescu by İlhan Kesici on behalf of the family; the Heydar Aliyev Turkic World Award to Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar by Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Ankara Rashad Mammadov; the Zhelyu Zhelev Philosophy Award to Prof. Dr. Ioanna Kuçuradi by Bulgarian Consul General in Istanbul Vassil Petkov Valchev; the Erhard Busek Management Award to Prof. Dr. Asaf Hajiyev by Dr. Akkan Suver; the Bernard Lewis History Award to Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı by Hikmet Çetin; the George Marovitch Intercultural Dialogue Award to Yusuf Sağ by Monsignor Orhan Çanlı; the Şahap Kocatopçu Exporter Award to Mustafa Gültepe by Dr. Akkan Suver; the Hüsamettin Kavi Industrialist Award to Yusuf Hikmet Kaya by Emre Kavi; the Jak Kamhi Love and Peace Award to Dr. Hong Tao-Tze by Cefi Kamhi; the Ahmet Samsunlu Environment Award to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew by Kadir Samsunlu; the Yüksel Çengel Politics Award to Hikmet Çetin by Prof. Dr. Özgür Çengel; the Yalçın Sönmez Organised Industry Award to Adem Ceylan by Nurdan and Öncü Sönmez; the Örsçelik Balkan Creative Thought Award to Prof. Dr. Mutlu Erbay by Gökçe Balkan; the Sami Kohen Press Award to Sedat Ergin by Lale Aldiş; and the Hadi Türkmen Accessible Life Award to the Turkish National Amputee Football Team by Sündüz Türkmen.

At the 28th Eurasian Economic Summit, Special Appreciation Awards were also presented in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Marmara Group Foundation during its forty-year history. The recipients were Şamil Ayrım, Mehmet Reis, Kemal Erkan, Nihat Kandaloğlu, Ziyatdin Kasanov, Gülselin Şen, İlkay Şen, Mahmat Saklı, Ece Şahin, Sevil Kulak, Engin Köklüçınar, Turan Sarıgülle, Ertuğrul Kumcuoğlu and Sezgin Bilgiç.