The Consulate focuses on areas related to the political, economic and social development in Turkey and endeavors to contribute to mutual understanding in the fields of tradition, culture and religion. An additional task is to attend to questions pertaining to the Eastern Mediterranean, South-eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
The Section’s aim is to be conducive to:
"an open and respectful exchange of views between individuals and groups belonging to different cultures that leads to a deeper understanding of the other’s world perception". (Definition of ”Intercultural Dialogue”, suggested by the Council of Europe in 2006.)
International research cooperation
Seminars, conferences and workshops with Turkish, Swedish and international participants are organized or hosted by the Consulate in the Swedish Palace, in the auditorium of the Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul, and in other parts of Turkey. The Consulate cooperates with Turkish and Swedish partners, universities and government institutions as well as with civil society organizations. Over the years, the Consulate has dealt with a wide range of issues such as Turkey-EU relations, the reform process, local democracy, migration and labor markets, women and gender equality, education and cultural diversity, culture, and issues related to the neighboring regions. Some of the seminars have resulted in publications in English or in Turkish.
A number of sustainable international networks and research cooperations have developed out of these seminars and workshops.
Swedish-Turkish Scholarships
Since 2002, every year, about 30 Swedish-Turkish Scholarships for Masters’ studies and research in Sweden are available for Turkish students and researchers. Priority is given to the areas of social studies and the law. The objective is to contribute to creating a pool of young people with in-depth knowledge of the European Union. EU experts are increasingly in demand by Turkish government offices, municipalities and private organizations.