The two-day conference aims to contribute to an improved understanding between the European Union and the Turkish media through discussion and debate.

The Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey is organising this year’s conference in collaboration with the TRT, Ankara University’s Communication Faculty and its Centre for European Studies (ATAUM).

Highlights of the Conference are a panel debate on 22nd February entitled “EU Enlargement: Perceptions in Turkey and in the EU” and a live debate on the evening of February 23rd covering the role of the media in EU-Turkish relations, to be broadcast on TRT’s Konuşuyorum programme from 11 in the evening.

The Conference will bring together three journalists from national daily newspapers in EU member countries, namely Mr. Horst Bacia from Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Ms. Valentina Pop from Romania’s Romania Libera, and Mr. Marc Semo from France’s Libération. They will be joined by Turkish counterparts: Mr Ahmet Sever, Chairman of the EU Communication group (for the TRT programme), Mr. Semih Idiz from Milliyet (for the ATAUM panel), Ms. Zeynep Göğüş from Hürriyet, and Mr.Yavuz Baydar from Today’s Zaman/Sabah.

Panel Debate: “EU Enlargement: Perceptions in Turkey and in the EU”
Date: 22nd February 2007, Thursday
Time: 15:00-17:30
Venue: Ankara University, Cebeci Campus, ATAUM Conference Hall

“Konusuyorum” on TRT1: “The Role of the Media in the EU – Turkey Relations”
Date: 23 February 2007, Friday
Time: From 23:00