Every year, TPQ's summer issue runs in paralel with the ARI Movement's annual international security conference. The conference, held at the end of June in Istanbul, focused on "Democratization and Security in the Black Sea Region" in partnership with the German Marshall Fund. Various issues were brought to light in a lively mixture of stimulating debates and presentations. It was evident from the wide range of views expressed among participants that the Black Sea Region is one of the areas where global strategic and economic competition intersect today. Whether the Region exists only geographically, or whether it is also a region in the sense of shared interests and identity, is still open to debate. Please click here to read the text in full.