For nine years the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) has organised an annual international conference in the European Parliament, Brussels. These conferences have brought together Turks, Kurds and Europeans; politicians, MEP’s representing most of the groups in the EU Parliament, NGO’s, academics, writers, legal experts and journalists.
In each conference a final resolution has been passed. The first conference led to the establishment of the EUTCC whose objectives are to promote human rights for all citizens in Turkey, respect and protection of minorities and a peaceful, democratic and durable solution to the Kurdish question. The EUTCC is an independent non-profit organisation licensed under Belgian law.
The 10th International Conference on EU Turkey and the Kurds – “Turkey, Kurds and the Imrali Peace Process: An Historic Opportunity”, will take place in the EU Parliament December 4-5, 2013. We hereby cordially invite you to attend the conference. We would be honored if you accept our invitation.
There is no conference fee but due to limited funding the EUTCC unfortunately cannot pay for either accommodation in Brussels or the cost of your travel. We hope you accept our invitation and look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible. If you accept this invitation, please let us know as soon as possible by replying to [email protected]. Please note that in order to enter the European Parliament, details about your full name, your date of birth, address of residence and number of a valid document is required. Please include this information in your response to this invitation.
10th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “THE EUROPEAN UNION, TURKEY AND THE KURDS”
Turkey, the Kurds and the Imrali Peace Process: An Historic Opportunity –
Brussels, European Parliament, 4th & 5th of December 2013 Room: ASP 1G2,
Interpretation available in Turkish, English, French, German, Dutch
Patrons
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, South Africa
Dr. Shirin Ebadi
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Iran
Bianca Jagger
Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador
Chair of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, UK
Professor Noam Chomsky
Writer, USA
Yasar Kemal
Writer, Turkey
Vedat Turkali
Writer, Turkey
Leyla Zana
European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, Rafto Prize Laureate, Turkey
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IMPORTANT TECHNICAL INFORMATION
“HOW TO PARTICIPATE AND ENTER THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT”
An official “European Parliament personal badge / pass” will be provided to all participants to the Conference.
All participants MUST communicate by mail to [email protected] the following information:
1) Name and surname
2) Date of birth
3) Place and country of residence (if possible, the full address of residence)
4) Number of a valid document (ex: passport, national ID, etc…)
This information must be sent to the above-mentioned mail before the 28th of NOVEMBER 2013.
Please note that NO ACCREDITATION will be accepted after this deadline, according to the rules established by the Security Department of the European Parliament.
Your “personal badge / pass” will be available at the main entrance of the European Parliament (Place de Luxembourg – main European Parliament’s building “Altiero Spinelli” – just after the sliding doors you’ll find a conference desk), during AND ONLY the following date / hours.
– Wednesday 4th of December 2013, from 14h00 until 16h30
– Thursday 5th of December 2013, from 08h30 until 10h30
– Thursday 5th of December 2013, from 14h00 until 16h00
Please note that all participants must take care of their own “EP badge / pass” during both days; if someone lose the “pass / badge” it will be impossible for the conference’s organizers to replace it, according to the E.P. internal rules.
For any additional information, please contact the conference’s secretariat:
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Wednesday, 4th December 2013, 15.00-16.30 Opening Session, Room ASP 1G2
Opening Remarks and Greetings
• Ms. Kariane Westrheim, PhD
Chair of EUTCC, Associate Professor, University of Bergen, Norway
• MEP Ms. Gabi Zimmer
Chair of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left Group (GUE/NGL) in the European Parliament, Germany
• European Parliament’s representative (TBC)
Opening Speeches:
• Mr. Orhan Pamuk, Writer, Nobel Literature Prize Laureate, Turkey (TBC)
• MP Ms. Leyla Zana
Member of the Turkish Parliament, European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, Rafto Prize Laureate, Turkey
• MP Mr. Gerry Adams, Chair of Sinn Fein, Ireland (TBC)
• Me Antoine Comte, Lawyer , France
Video messages of Conference’s Patrons
• Video trailer of previous nine conferences
• Professor Noam Chomsky, Writer, the USA
• Yasar Kemal, writer, Turkey
Wednesday, 4th December 2013, 16.30-18.30
Panel I, Room ASP 1G2 – Reforming the State and Reconciling Society: Constitutional, political and social reforms in Turkey
Moderators:
MEP Mr. Jürgen Klute, Coordinator of the EP-Kurds Friendship Group, GUE/NGL Group, Germany
Speakers
• MP Gulten Kisanak, co-Chair, BDP, Turkey
• MP AKP (TBC)
• MP CHP (TBC)
• Hüseyin Yayman, Academic & Member of the Wise people Commission, Turkey
• Dogu Ergil, Academic & Member of the Wise people Commission, Turkey
• Hasan Cemal, Journalist, Turkey
• Hugh Pope, International Crisis Group
Questions and discussion with moderators & discussants
Thursday, 5 December 2013, 09.30-11.30
Panel II, Room ASP 1G2
The role of the European Union in the Imrali Peace Process: Promoting justice and democracy in Turkey
Moderators:
MEP Mr. Søren Bo Søndergaard, GUE/NGL Group, Denmark
Speakers
• MP Ahmet Türk, co-Chair of the DTK, Turkey
• Turkish Government Representative (TBC)
• EU Commission’s representative (TBC)
• Member of European Parliament of EPP Group
• Member of European Parliament of S&D Group
• Member of European Parliament of ADLE Group
• Member of European Parliament of Greens-EFA Group
Questions and discussion with moderators & discussants Thursday, 5th December 2013, 11.30-13.00
Panel III, Room ASP 1G2
Peace-building Initiatives: Opportunities for political engagement in Turkey, the EU and internationally
Moderator:
Mr. Hans Branscheidt, EUTCC, Germany
Speakers
• Mr. David L. Phillips, Director, Program on Peace-building and Rights, Columbia University Institute for the Study of Human Rights, USA
• MEP Ms. Marie-Christine Vergiat, GUE/NGL Group, France
• Dr. Günter Seufert, German Institute for International and Security Affarirs – SWP, Germany
Questions and discussion with moderators & discussants Thursday, 5th December 2013, 15.00-17.30
Panel IV, Room ASP 1G2
The Kurdish Democratic Project: Strategies and policies to bring peace to the Middle East
Moderators:
Professor Michael Gunter, EUTCC, United States of America
•?Jonathan Spyer, Middle East Analyst
• Joost Jongerden, Academic, the Netherlands
• Mahmoud Ali Othman, MP for Kurdistan in Iraqi Parliament, Kurdistan (TBC)
• Lord Paddy Ashdown, Diplomat, the UK (TBC)
• Amberin Zaman, Turkey Correspondent of the Economist, Turkey
• A representative of the KNK
• A representative of the Kurdish Supreme Council in Syria
Questions and discussion with moderators & discussants
Thursday, 5th December 2013, 17.30-18.30
Panel V, Room ASP 1G2
Conclusions, Recommendations and Final Remarks by EUTCC Board Members
