The Peace and Democratic Society Conference has commenced in Istanbul.
With the participation of prominent political and academic figures from various countries, the Peace and Democratic Society Conference, organized by the Equality and Peoples' Democracy Party (DEM), has begun in the city of Istanbul.
Istanbul — The International Peace and Democratic Society Conference aims to open new horizons for dialogue on peace processes and the building of a democratic society by discussing the initiative launched by leader Abdullah Öcalan and linking it to global experiences in conflict resolution.
The International “Peace and Democratic Society” Conference began today, Saturday, December 6, at the Cem Karaca Cultural and Conference Center in the city of Istanbul.
The conference, organized by the Equality and Peoples’ Democracy Party (DEM), will discuss the peace and democratic society process launched by leader Abdullah Öcalan on February 27, alongside global experiences.
The opening address was delivered via video by Ilham Ahmed, Co-Chair of the External Relations Department of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, along with the Co-Chairs of the Equality and Peoples’ Democracy Party (DEM), Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan. A speech will also be delivered by Amina Zakri, representative of the former President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masoud Barzani, and a member of the party’s Political Bureau.
The conference will discuss the prospects of social peace, chaired by Cengiz Çandar, a member of parliament for the Equality and Peoples’ Democracy Party in Amed (Diyarbakir). The first session will include Özgür Faik Erol, a member of the İmralı Delegation and a lawyer at Asrın Law Office. The session will also feature Prof. Luis Lemko, an academic at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and politician Cihangir Islam, in addition to assistant researchers Arzu Yilmaz and Tawakkol Karman from Hewlêr (Erbil) University.
Dilshad Shahab, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government Presidency, will deliver the opening address of the second session to be held in the afternoon. The session, titled “Experiences in Conflict Resolution,” will be chaired by politician Gültan Kışanak.
A number of prominent figures will participate in the discussion, including former senator and head of the Parliamentary Constitutional Committee Mohammad Bhabha, Member of Parliament and President of Sinn Féin Declan Kearney, former Prime Minister of Catalonia Pere Aragonès Garcia, Basque MP and International Relations Coordinator of EH Bildu Igor Zulaika, in addition to politician Azimi Işık. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams will also join the conference via Zoom.