The “Zaim Parliament Simulation 2026,” organized for the third time this year by the Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Law Club, has started at the İSEFAM Abdullah Tivnikli Conference Hall.
The opening program was attended by the 29th Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Mustafa Şentop; AK Party Istanbul Member of Parliament, Attorney Dr. Rabia İlhan; Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan İçener; Dean of the Faculty of Law Prof. Dr. Canan Küçükali; as well as academics and students.
ŞENTOP: “BEING A LAWYER IS A HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY”
Mustafa Şentop, the 29th Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, who delivered the opening speech, emphasized that being a lawyer requires great responsibility, stating: “Being a lawyer requires a heavy responsibility. Law represents the system behind the visible face of life. The life we see is an interface, while law itself is the code system that creates this interface. In order to make sound evaluations, one must know not only the present but also historical depth. Law is a structure that regulates every area of daily life, and people often act without being aware of it. A person who studies law gains the ability to see not only the visible part of events but also the structure behind them. For this reason, lawyers take on a more active role in social and political processes. A lawyer is not only someone who knows the laws, but also someone who can understand life, society, and people. Therefore, they should continuously improve themselves and read in different fields.”
THE AWARENESS GAINED BY YOUTH AND TÜRKİYE’S BALANCING ROLE
AK Party Istanbul Member of Parliament, Attorney Dr. Rabia İlhan, in her speech, emphasized the importance of the awareness and sense of responsibility instilled in young people in Türkiye’s current stage, stating: “The mechanism we call the state exists to serve its citizens. Today, one of our greatest achievements is that we have instilled this awareness in our youth.” Referring to regional developments, İlhan underlined that Türkiye is a strong balancing factor in a challenging geography, stating: “While we are surrounded by wars and crises, it is a great achievement for Türkiye to maintain its stability and provide a safe environment for its citizens.”
İÇENER: “LEARNING BY EXPERIENCE AND ETHICAL DISCUSSION ARE ESSENTIAL”
IZU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan İçener stated that universities are not only institutions that provide education in classrooms, emphasizing the importance of social and academic activities. Highlighting that simulation-type events enable students to actively participate in the learning process, Prof. İçener said: “You can read or watch something, but doing it is very different. These processes allow students to learn by experience.” Referring to the importance of reading and thinking in the age of artificial intelligence, İçener stated that students should not rely solely on technological tools, saying: “We will benefit from artificial intelligence, but this should not prevent us from reading books and thinking. The most important gain is to continue reading.” He also emphasized that activities should be carried out with a moral and value-based approach, stating: “What matters for us is not only to discuss, but to discuss in an ethical way.”
KÜÇÜKALİ: “A LAWYER IS NOT ONLY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE RULES OF LAW”
Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Dr. Canan Küçükali, stated that the event offers an important practical field for students, saying: “As we observed last year in the parliament simulation held for the third time this year, our students produced very successful work, and I hope this year will be just as productive.” Emphasizing that being a lawyer is not limited to knowing laws, Küçükali stated: “A lawyer is not only someone who knows legal rules; they are also individuals who understand society and people, produce solutions to problems, know how to listen, and can manage conflict situations when necessary.”
Within the scope of the program, which will last 5 days, participants will be offered a parliament experience that closely resembles the real one. Throughout the simulation, various activities such as workshops, group meetings, committee meetings, and general assembly sessions will be carried out. The event will contribute to students’ development of skills such as expressing their ideas, engaging in discussions, and thinking about social issues, while allowing them to gain a closer understanding of legislative processes.