Mehmet Ali Dim: KGK New Management Completes Assignments

The Global Journalists Council (KGK) held its first board meeting after its 3rd ordinary general assembly at its Istanbul office on July 24, Journalists and Press Day. While the distribution of duties was determined at the meeting, changes were also made among some provincial representatives.

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At the meeting chaired by Mehmet Ali Dim, who was elected President by the delegates at the online general assembly, Secretary-General Lütfü Karakaş and Financial President Muhammed Vefa Özalp were also directly elected. Nevzat Çiçek became the Deputy President on the board. Savaş Çokduygulu, Nalan Yazgan, Ersel Yıldırım, and Edip Üzen were appointed as Vice Presidents. Hacı Odabaş was elected Deputy Secretary-General, and Hayati Arıgan was elected Deputy Financial President. Board members Ulaş Can, M. İlker Yücel, and Yunus Soner, along with council presidents Özgenur Reyhan Güler (Widespread Media), İsrafil Avcı (Local Media), and Güven Hasbaş (Digital Media), attended the meeting. Ahmet Coşkunaydın, Deputy President of Foreign Media, also took part in the meeting. Ersel Yıldırım, Merih Ak, and Meral Ay could not attend the meeting due to their excuses.

The KGK Board of Directors made changes to representatives in 14 provinces. The newly appointed provincial representatives are: Sefa Saygıdeğer (Adana), Yunus Sarı (Ağrı), Harun Atalay (Aksaray), Barış Dişli (Bolu), Hasan Ali Daldal (Burdur), Mustafa Efe (Bursa), Ulaş Odabaş (Çorum), Hakan Yaman (Isparta), Murat Şengül (Kastamonu), Mustafa Cin (Kütahya), Sadiye Alav (Mardin), Elvan Göçer (Muğla), Mehmet Kumcağız (Samsun) and Kamil Güler (Şanlıurfa). Additionally, Ahmet Coşkunaydın was appointed as the Istanbul Representative, and Alihan Pehlivan as the TRNC Representative.

President Dim evaluated the new assignments and the appointments of provincial and country representatives as a "changing of the guard and a relay race." Dim said, "I thank all my friends who served with dedication in the previous term. May they grant their blessings. We were pleased with them. However, in every new term, there is a need for renewal and refreshment, even if partial. Some of our friends requested the change themselves. Some of our friends showed signs of fatigue. They were unable to dedicate time. Others had taken on active responsibilities in other NGOs. We have not given up on anyone, and all of them will continue to serve under our roof as members for as long as they wish. I wish success to our friends who will serve in the new term. We are getting stronger with each new term. We will strive to take our council to a more advanced point with new excitement and a new spirit. With representatives in 85 countries, we have become a truly global organizational model, just as our name suggests. We are gradually transforming into an organization recognized and trusted by our colleagues worldwide. In our country, too, we take pride in being the most active professional organization with our domestic and international activities," he stated.

The roadmap for the new term was also determined at the meeting. In addition to efforts to make provincial and country representatives more active, events to be held until the end of this year were also discussed. It was decided that a similar award ceremony and exhibition to the one held last year in New York would be held this year on October 1 in London, under the auspices of the Turkish Embassy. Awards will be presented in London to Turkish and Turkophile British journalists, as well as individuals and institutions empowering the Turkish diaspora. Details of the London program will be shared with members later.

Additionally, it was decided that the 6th Global Media Meeting would be held again in Alanya this year, between November 6-10, 2026. Within the scope of the meeting, gatherings of the council's elected bodies, themed workshops, and award ceremonies will be held. This year, many journalists and statesmen from both Turkey and abroad are expected to attend the meeting.