ISTANBUL, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The 9th Istanbul Mediation Conference opened here on Friday with a focus on urgent diplomatic action and regional solutions amid rapidly advancing global crises.
Nearly 200 high-level diplomats, academics, and conflict resolution experts gathered for the two-day conference, held under the theme "Partnerships and New Perspectives for Peace: Mediation in a Changing World."
Addressing the event via a video message, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that global conflicts are multiplying and becoming "deadlier, more complex, and harder to resolve."
Noting that mediation is never a quick fix, Guterres emphasized that when pursued with skill and determination, "it can transform the possibility of peace into a lasting reality," calling for collective political will to silence the guns and stop the killing.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also addressing the event via a video message, stressed the critical need for dialogue amid rising global tensions.
"Even when parties do not speak to each other and hopes diminish, we have made it our principle never to give up on diplomacy," Erdogan said. ■
