Hosted by the Ombudsman Institution of the Republic of Türkiye, in cooperation with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the Forum for the Exchange of Experiences of Ombudsmen from the Balkan Region and Neighboring Countries was held in Istanbul on 3–4 September 2026.

Held under the theme “The Role of Ombudsman Institutions in Protecting Human Rights and Strengthening Good Administration: Exchange of Experiences among the Balkans and Neighboring Countries”, the Forum brought together Ombudspersons, senior representatives of Ombudsman and Human Rights Institutions, as well as academicians from 14 countries: Türkiye, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

The opening session featured addresses by Dr. Ali Ercan, Vice President of TİKA; Mr. Davut Gül, Governor of Istanbul; and Mr. Mehmet Akarca, Chief Ombudsman of the Republic of Türkiye.

Over the course of two days, participants exchanged institutional experiences and national practices and discussed common challenges. Key topics included the role of Ombudsman and Human Rights Institutions as a bridge of trust between citizens and the state; the protection of the rights of people living in rural and hard-to-reach areas; the promotion of the principles of good administration; common regional challenges faced by ombudsman institutions; and the strengthening of regional cooperation in the field of human rights.