On May 12-14, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) held a meeting of its European Regional Division Committee in Istanbul, Turkey.

The conference took place at MEF International University, and was attended by representatives from libraries across Europe and the host country, Turkey. At the beginning of the event, the Rector of MEF University, Mahmut Sahin, welcomed the guests and introduced the latest updates from the university. Notably, he is still the only Turkish member of the European Society for Engineering Education and Research. At MEF University, teaching uses modern methods, courses are available online on international platforms, and British consultants support the programs. The university's educational system is democratic, pro-European, and incorporates the latest technologies.
The conference was organized by MEF University's Library Director, Ertugrul Cimen, who is also the elected head of the European Regional Committee.

At the conference, discussions focused on the role of libraries in promoting democracy and new trends in professional development for European libraries. IFLA President Sharon Memis spoke about the organization's history and evolution, and remembered librarians who played important roles in protecting cultural heritage and supporting communities during political crises. Lloyda Garcia-Febo, head of the Management Committee, talked about current library trends in the USA and how readers are involved in democratic processes.

A presentation by Erol Gokduman, Vice President of the Turkish Library Association, introduced the work of the association, which has existed since 1949. It helps protect librarians' working rights. The association was founded by Adnan Oztuken, who also established the national library.

Another interesting presentation came from Jonathan Hernández Pérez of Mexico, from IFLA's Committee on Access to Information and Freedom of Expression. He spoke about the challenges libraries face in different countries. He recently led a conference at York University in Toronto, Canada, focused on access to reliable information, AI algorithms, critical thinking, media literacy, and updates from Canadian libraries. Our delegation was also invited to that event, but this time we attended the meeting in Turkey instead.
At the Istanbul conference, Jane Cowell, head of the Australian Library and Information Association, represented IFLA's Public Libraries Committee and talked about how libraries support democratic education methods. Kate Robinson, head of a major UK library association and director of the library at Bath University, presented new trends in professional development.
From Georgia, Maya Simonishvili, a senior specialist at the National Parliamentary Library, attended and presented the results of a survey conducted among 89 libraries in Europe. The goal of the research was to identify professional development needs, and the full results will be shared soon.

At the end of the event, there was a joint meeting of IFLA committees from different world regions. Participants shared their thoughts on how to improve cooperation and help IFLA  and it's members develop.  The closing ceremony was held at Rami Library, one of Istanbul's largest and most historic libraries. Merve Yavuzdemir, head of international relations at Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, presented new developments in Turkish libraries. Since 2018, 18 new libraries have opened in Turkey-twice as many as those lost in earthquakes-and they are equipped with modern technology. In total, Turkish libraries now hold 25 million items, nearly 39 million people participate in library activities annually, and registered readers have increased by 2 million in the past five years.
The final day of the conference was especially memorable. A meeting with Ministry of Culture representatives took place at the beautiful, historic Rami Library. During World War I, the area was a military garrison known as Rami Barracks. After 250 years, the large central park has been preserved, and the old buildings have been restored with help from the Cultural Heritage Agency. Today, the library houses one of the largest collections of manuscripts, and it receives about 4,000 visitors each day. At the end of the conference, participants expressed a strong desire to continue international cooperation.