President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s messages on global peace and justice were displayed on giant screens in New York’s Times Square as Türkiye stepped up its international outreach during the U.N. General Assembly week and preparations for the COP31 climate summit.
The displays, coordinated by Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications, featured messages highlighting Ankara’s calls for reform of global governance, alongside promotional material showcasing Türkiye’s climate agenda, cultural heritage and Istanbul.
Among the messages shown on screens and mobile LED trucks were Erdoğan’s long-standing phrase, “The world is bigger than five,” referring to the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, and his call for global governance to represent “all humanity, all religions, all races and all cultures.”
“No one can feel safe in a world where children are dying under bombs,” another message read.
The campaign also highlighted Türkiye’s preparations to host the 31st Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP31, in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya from Nov. 9-20.
COP31 President and Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum, who is holding a series of meetings in New York, said Türkiye wants the summit to focus on translating existing climate commitments into measurable results.
“We are preparing for Antalya with the vision of an ‘implementation COP,’” Kurum said, arguing that the priority should shift from announcing additional pledges toward overcoming obstacles to financing, capacity and technology deployment.
Kurum noted the COP31 Action Agenda is structured around 10 priority themes, six global targets, 11 initiatives and 13 supporting outcomes. Consultations on the agenda are expected to continue at the Pre-COP meeting in Fiji. Türkiye says its presidency will emphasize dialogue, consensus and implementation as it seeks to accelerate international climate action.
The New York campaign also promoted Türkiye and Istanbul as cultural and tourism destinations. Messages displayed in Times Square included, “Where civilizations meet, and history breathes: Istanbul,” and “New York never sleeps, Istanbul never stops inspiring.”
Türkiye has expanded its COP31 visibility across New York during the U.N. General Assembly, including promotional displays at the Turkish House (Türkevi) opposite U.N. headquarters and COP31-themed vehicles circulating through Manhattan.
Erdoğan is also scheduled to attend a high-level climate meeting organized by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday to discuss Türkiye’s preparations for the Antalya summit.
