27 March 2015, House of Lords

The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) hosted a roundtable with Mr Etyen Mahcupyan on the transformation of Turkey over the last decade. Lord Howell of Guildford kindly hosted and chaired this roundtable discussion in the House of Lords.

Mr Etyen Mahcupyan in his opening remarks detailed the political reforms of the AK Party since it came to power in 2002 and claimed that the AK Party is the only political party that could bring change to Turkey and that can carry on implementing further reforms. Mr Mahcupyan analysing the history of the Turkish Republic argued that the state discriminated against religious and ethnic groups, especially the conservative Muslims, who constitutes the majority, before the AK Party. He said that AK Party’s policies paved the way for reforms in religiosity in Turkey as Muslims in Turkey have found new ways to define themselves and understand religion, which led to tolerance among religious groups and in public in general. He added that conservatives now are more moderate and that pluralism and liberal thinking have been enjoyed in the conservative circles more than ever. Mr Mahcupyan saying that he feels more like an Ottoman than an Armenian argued that the conservative Muslims as the majority group is the key group in Turkey’s path to democratisation, prosperity and freedoms.

Mr Machupyan said that Turkish politics and media go through political polarisation, however, he claimed that there is no polarisation among people. He suggested that divisions between classes are slowly disappearing and that political polarisation is only natural in the run up to elections. Turkey has seen two election campaigns last year with local elections in March and Presidential election in August 2014 and the general elections are to take place on 7 June this year.

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Responding to questions regarding Turkish foreign policy in the region, Mr Mahcupyan said that Turkey considers ISIS as one of the greatest threats to its sovereignty and that Turkey would prefer to have a Kurdish neighbour only on the condition that the government and Kurdish political factions can strike a deal as part of the government initiated peace process. He added that about 700 to 1000 people from Turkey and approximately 300 from Europe joined ISIS, which, he said, proves the point that fighting against ISIS is not only Turkey’s responsibility but also Europe’s. Machupyan referring to over a million Syrian refugees in Turkey asserted that Turkey, following the legacy of Ottoman rule, has had an open door policy for peoples of Syria since the conflict begun and provided tremendous support for the refugees.

As a response to a question about Mr Mahcupyan’s thoughts on 1915 events, he said that what happened to Armenians in 1915 was genocide by definition, however, he said, genocide is a legal term, not a historical formulation.

CEFTUS Westminster Debate “Structural Changes Ahead of the 2015 General Elections in Turkey”

Professor Dr. Osman Can has been serving as a member of the Central Decision-Making and Administrative Committee of AK Party Since September 2012. He is Member of the AK Party’s Constitutional Committee, which leads the constitution-making process in Turkey. Professor Can graduated from the Ankara University Faculty of Law in 1992. In 1993 he began his career as a research assistant at the Faculty of Law in Erzincan. In 1997 he got his master’s degree at the University of Cologne, Germany, on “The Legal Status of President of the States in Turkish and German Constitutional Law”. In 2001 he began to work as assistant professor of Constitutional Law at the Faculty of Law of Erzincan University. He was appointed to the Constitutional Court as rapporteur-judge in July 2002. During this period, considered as the most turbulent period of Turkey’s political history, he was assigned the task of solving the critical constitutional problems. In 2003, Professor Can founded the Turkish-German Forum for Public Law and became the coordinator of Turkey. In 2006, he became an associate professor by unanimous decision of the Board of Higher Education Jury. His habilitations thesis was “The Democratization Process and Closing of Political Parties in Turkey”. In 2007, being the rapporteur-judge for the case of constitutional amendments, he recommended that the President of the Republic should be elected directly by the people. His recommendation was accepted. In 2010, he was a co-founder of the association Democratic Judiciary, an association calling for the impartiality and plurality of the judiciary. In the same year, the Lawyers Association honored him as the “Jurist of the Year”.

CEFTUS Roundtable “Understanding the Transformation; AK Party Era in Turkey”

Mr Etyen Mahçupyan received his BA degree in Chemical Engineering from Boğaziçi University, his first Master’s degree in Business Administration from Boğaziçi University, and his second Master’s degree in Political Science from Ankara University. He previously wrote columns for Turkish national daily newspapers Radikal, Taraf, Yeni Binyıl, Zaman and Today’s Zaman. From 2007 to 2010, he was the editor-in-chief of Agos, the Turkish-Armenian weekly newspaper. He has published more than ten books on issues related to the mind set, history, and politics of Turkey. Currently, he is a columnist at the Daily Sabah and Akşam newspapers. Since November 2012, Mahçupyan has been acting as the consultant to Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV). On October 2014, he was appointed the Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister of Turkey.

24 June 2015, House of Lords

The Centre for Turkey Studies hosted a Westminster Debate with keynote speaker Professor Dr Bekir Karliga, Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister of Turkey, Coordinator of Alliance of Civilisations, and Chairman of the International Istanbul Civilisation Studies Centre. This debate was kindly hosted by Lord Sheikh with the assistance of Lady Sheikh and chaired by Lord Temple-Morris.

Prof Karliga’s speech was translated by Andrew Penny.

Lord Temple-Morris opened the event, expressing interest in Turkey and noting the significance of the role of CEFTUS, given Turkey’s importance in the contemporary Middle East. He stated that Turkey’s role in the region is crucial, and domestic satisfaction in the country is necessary for it to be able to play a balancing role amid the current crisis. Lord Temple-Morris continued to state that Professor Dr Bekir Karliga and his work on civilisation is key in this, and noted the importance of the role of Islam and Islamic civilisation in particular in promoting peace and humanitarian values.

Professor Dr Karliga opened by expressing his concerns for a Middle East full of violence, bloodshed and disregard for humanity, human rights and dignity and expressed deep concern for the future of civilisation.

He quoted the American researcher Leslie Lipson, saying that Western civilisation has never needed moral revolution as much as at present, and argued that this has been needed since the second half of the 20th Century. He quoted further, saying that over the last 200 years the West has become intoxicated with consumerism, materialism and commercial supremacy. Professor Dr Karliga then stated that this situation, coupled with growing populations in underdeveloped areas, will make the planet uninhabitable. He argued that a revolution in our institutions and secondly in values is required, and that this happening simultaneously could save humanity.

Professor Dr Karliga gave a broad historical overview of philosophical change beginning in the 13th Century with Islamic philosophers, leading onto the European Renaissance. He stated that the changes of the Renaissance created problems and religious difference which fostered war between European states and plunged Europe into chaos. He continued, stating that in the 1640s, the nation state as a political unit was widely accepted in Europe. Western countries, he said, then gained superiority over the wider world in the18th Century due to the industrial revolution.

He said that the Enlightenment replaced the previous dogmatic scholastic approach and the only criteria favoured was intelligence rather than belief, and the development of positivist philosophy marginalised spiritual values. He stated that at the same time, the view developed that being civilised and the West were mutual and that it could not occur outside organically. From here, Professor Dr Karliga argued that positivism, materialism and orientalism developed over the 19th Century causing a Eurocentric approach linked with imperialism. He stated that over the first half of the 20th century, the First and Second World Wars and the development of nuclear weapons threatened the existence of the planet, he evidenced this by stating that in this time, according to the Swedish research institute well over a trillion dollars were spent on arms.

He stated that the foremost concerns of the 21st Century is freedom and rights. He regarded freedom as a matter of consciousness. Freedom according to Professor Dr Karliga is a value combining humane virtues of peace, friendship and tolerance. He stated that it could not be forgotten that science and materialism though bringing wealth, cannot always bring happiness. He also said that presently rights are equally important to freedom, because without them equilibrium cannot exist in society.

Professor Dr Karliga said that justice and law must be the basis of our values and that democracy is accepted now as the most suitable administrative means of protecting human rights, honour and dignity. He argued that for two-hundred years, it has served as the primary basis for modern ideas. He continued saying that globally and immediately, positivism is insufficient to protect peace and rights, religious and spiritual moral values are key to the solution. He argued that religions’ main aims are to redesign and repair this spiritual existence and that the main message of religions is the same, namely to establish peace, love and respect as the main features of the world, which are universal values.

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He stated that Islam in particular is based on peaceful co-existence and tolerance giving the example of the root of the word Islam itself, “selam” which means peace. He continued, noting that a common Muslim greeting is selam or “peace be upon you” and that this attitude works to help people to live together in peace with other communities. He said that in Islam war is not a main principle but a temporary and exceptional last resort. He stated further that Islamic doctrines demanded that non-Muslims such as Christians and Jews be treated well by Muslims, and that when the Prophet Muhammad was on his deathbed, he said that those perpetrating injustice against non-Muslims would suffer on judgement day.

Professor Dr Karliga also discussed secularism, defining it as separation of religion and state, he stated that it can be used to safeguard freedom of conscience and religion and that it contains principles of human rights equality and justice. He noted however that different interpretations of secularism can be open and free, but also rigid, dogmatic and based on aggressive materialism and positivism. He expressed the view that difference is emphasised over commonalities and in today’s world and that more than ever before, a new universal civilisation is needed. He stated that fanaticism and radicalism should be condemned and love promoted by all, and that the creation of a new, universal and virtuous worldview was possible by doing so.

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He claimed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan advocates this new alliance of civilisations worldview, which is presently being developed by scholars in Turkey and elsewhere, is a strong step towards peace and universalisation. Professor Dr Karliga continued, noting that 127 countries and 20 international institutions have joined and support this effort. He continued stating that a committee has been set up in Turkey to help the movement’s progress. Research centres have been established at different universities offering Master’s programmes in English, Turkish, Arabic and Spanish since 2012. Discussing his own efforts and initiatives, he also stated that the International Istanbul Civilisation Studies Centre he established is carrying out various research projects.
He stated that the Turkish Republic has adopted the principles of the social state and has combined Islam and democracy and has advocated the peaceful co-existence of different ethno-religious groups. He concluded, stating that Turkey with its wealth of historical experience, it is well suited to play a strong role in spreading the new universal world view.

A question and answer session followed.

CEFTUS is preparing for its fourth Community Achievement Awards. The awards ceremony, which will take place as part of our Anniversary Gala, will celebrate the work of Turkish, Kurdish and Cypriot community members in Britain.

The event will be hosted in London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square on 28 October 2015.

The Community Achievement Awards was inaugurated by CEFTUS in April in 2011 in Park Lane Sheraton Hotel and successive awards ceremonies took place at every CEFTUS Anniversary Gala in central London hotels. Last year’s awards was at Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square with the attendance of many distinguished guests including members of the Houses of Parliament, politicians and journalists from Turkey, business people and representatives of Turkish, British and Turkish Cypriot communities. Please see winners of the last year’s awards here.

The awards recognise achievements and contributions of our communities in several categories:

1. Community Award for Male/ Female Model

2. Professionals Awards:

• Media
• Arts and Culture
• Politics
• Education
• Science
• Legal Service
• Civil Service

3. Non-profit Organisation Award

4. Business Awards:

• Female Role Model
• Male Role Model
• Food Industry
• Digital Agency
• Property/Estate Agent
• Wholesalers/Suppliers
• Manufacturing and Retail
• Best Employer
• Young Entrepreneur

5. Lifelong Achievement Award

6. Appreciation Award

Please make your nomination here.

Tickets to CEFTUS Anniversary Gala

This year’s CEFTUS Anniversary Gala will begin with a drinks reception and be followed by three course meal. This is a paid event as the funds raised will go towards organisation of our future public forums and projects. CEFTUS is a not-for-profit organisation and does not receive any sponsorship or funding other than kind donations from individuals. CEFTUS team mostly consists of volunteers who work tirelessly to keep our non-partisan political platform alive.

Tickets are £150 per person. If you buy your ticket before October 2015, early bird tickets are £100 per person.

Please email or call us on info@ceftus.org or 02071834272 for further information and ticket purchase.

If you would like to enquire prices for tables for 10 and premium tickets please email us on info@ceftus.org or call us on 02071834272.

CEFTUS Crowdfunding Project

You may also like to support our crowdfunding project before the end of July 2015. Please visit our project page.

We are very excited that CEFTUS will be celebrating its fourth anniversary this year. Our anniversary event will mark success of our work so far and will raise funds to carry out our future projects. Our anniversary celebrations in previous years welcome members of parliaments of UK and Turkey, London councillors, academics, journalists, business people and representatives of communities. Please watch our anniversary video from last year. This year, we will again be joined by distinguished guests from UK and Turkey’s political and business world.

Please see below details for this event:

28 October 2015

18.00-23.00

London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square

Grosvenor Square, London, W1K 6JP

Dress code: Lounge Suit/Cocktail Dress

Tickets: please see below

Since 2011, we have been able to create opportunities for vibrant and enlightening analysis and discussion of issues concerning Turkey. Our guests and supporters come from across the political spectrum in both Turkey and the United Kingdom, with representatives of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party, Republican People’s Party and Peoples’ Democratic Party participating in our events. In the United Kingdom, members of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat Parties have provided invaluable assistance to us. Please visit our ‘events’ pages.

Community Achievement Awards

As part of our anniversary celebrations, we will host CEFTUS Community Achievement Awards 2015 to celebrate the work of Turkish, Kurdish and Cypriot community members in Britain. The awards recognise achievements and contributions of our communities in several categories. Please see winners of the last year’s awards here. You may make your nomination here.

Tickets

This year’s CEFTUS Anniversary Gala will begin with a drinks reception and be followed by three course meal. This is a paid event as the funds raised will go towards organisation of our future public forums and projects. CEFTUS is a not-for-profit organisation and does not receive any sponsorship or funding other than kind donations from individuals. CEFTUS team mostly consists of volunteers who work tirelessly to keep our non-partisan political platform alive.

Tickets are £150 per person. If you buy your ticket before October 2015, early bird tickets are £100 per person.

Alternatively, you may email or call us on info@ceftus.org or 02071834272 for further information and ticket purchase.

If you would like to enqiure prices for tables for 10 and premium tickets please email us on info@ceftus.org or call us on 02071834272.

Donations

If you are unable to purchase a ticket, but would like to contribute to our work please consider making a donation as our anniversary gala is a fundraising event. No amount is too small and any contribution will be appreciated. We have always endeavoured to provide a public platform and welcome everyone to our free and paid events. Please visit our ‘make a donation’ page.

We would like to extend our deepest thanks to you for your interest in and support of our work in strengthening ties between Turkey and the United Kingdom and looking forward to welcoming you to at the 4th CEFTUS Anniversary Gala.

The Centre for Turkey Studies is delighted to invite you to a CEFTUS Westminster Debate with keynote speaker His Excellency, Euripides L. Evriviades, High Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Please see his biography below.

The accession of Cyprus to the EU in 2004, is the single most important strategic development in the country’s turbulent history since independence in 1960.  It affirmed Cyprus’s place in Europe and its importance in the security of the Eastern Mediterranean, therefore proving to be a win-win development, both for the Island and for the region.  Cyprus also became a member of the Eurozone in 2008. In this presentation, His Excellency, the High Commissioner of Cyprus, will underline why both Cyprus and the EU are important to each other and to the long term security, development and economic prosperity not only of the Eastern Mediterranean, but of the European continent. Will the recently discovered hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean be the prolegomena of the establishment of a union analogous to the European Coal and Steel Community? Is it a blessing or a curse? And what about the unresolved Cyprus question?  Where does it fit in this strategic matrix? What are the chances for a successful conclusion of the resumed talks? Is the Cyprus question  intractable or insoluble as some have argued? And what does a solution or non-solution mean for the people, the rule of law and peace, security and stability of Cyprus and the region?

This debate is kindly hosted and chaired by Rt Hon John F Spellar MP for Warley.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Wednesday 9th December 2015 in Committee Room 10, House of Commons. Please note security checks are required to enter the House of Commons, at the Cromwell Green Entrance. We kindly ask you to arrive at 6:30PM to allow the event to start and end on time. Booking is required for this event to ensure adequate seating availability.

Please register here. Alternatively, RSVP to info@ceftus.org .

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biography

Euripides L Evriviades is High Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as of 04 November 2013. Before assuming this post, he was Deputy Permanent Secretary/Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Jan., 2012–Nov., 2013) serving intermittently as Ag. Permanent Secretary. Prior, he served as Ambassador / Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe (Nov., 2008–Jan., 2012), having also chaired its Rapporteur Group on External Relations (2011). Previously, he was Political Director of the Ministry (2006-2008), having concurrent accreditation to the State of Kuwait, pro tem Nicosia.

Mr Evriviades was Ambassador to the United States of America and non-resident High Commissioner to Canada, serving concomitantly as: the Permanent Representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization; the Permanent Observer to the Organization of American States; and Representative to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (2003-2006). He also served as Ambassador to the Netherlands (2000-2003) and to Israel (1997-2000). Earlier in his career, he held positions at Cypriot embassies in Bonn, Germany (1986-1988); Moscow, USSR/Russia (1988-1993); and Tripoli, Libya (1995). On 20 April 2015, he was voted by his peers in London as Diplomat of Year from Europe, an award of The Diplomat Magazine (est. 1947). On 15 January 2006, he received in Washington, DC, the King Legacy Award for International Service, bestowed upon him by the Committee on the International Salute to the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., A Man for All Nations.

‘June 2015 General Elections and Turbulence in Politics of Turkey’

The Centre for Turkey Studies is pleased to invite you to a CEFTUS and Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) joint roundtable with Prof Istar Gozaydin, a well-known professor of law and politics.

Please see her biography below.

Prof Gozaydin will analyse the recent political developments in Turkey. This will be an exclusive roundtable with a limited number of people. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis. Please email info@ceftus.org to reserve your seat. We will then send you a confirmation email. Entry to the venue will not be possible without confirmation email.

The event will take place between 10-11.30 am on 1 September 2015, in Writing Room, at RUSI.

RUSI London Headquarters:

Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies

Whitehall London SW1A 2ET UK

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biography

İştar Gözaydın is a professor of law and politics. Gözaydın received her MCJ (Master of Comparative Jurisprudence) at New York University, School of Law (1987); and Ph.D. at Istanbul University (1992). She is currently teaching at the Sociology Department of Gediz University, Izmir; and also she is a deputy member of the executive committee of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly, a human rights organisation in Turkey. Professor Gözaydın was a research fellow at the University of London, Birkbeck College in 2009 and she was a Fulbright scholar in the U.S. in 1986-87. İştar Gözaydın’s publications include “Management of Religion in Turkey”: the Diyanet and Beyond” in Özgür Heval Çınar &  Mine Yıldırım  (ed.s): Freedom of Religion and Belief in Turkey, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle upon Tyne 2014, 10-35; “Ahmet Davutoğlu: Role as an Islamic Scholar Shaping Turkey’s Foreign Policy” in Nassef Manabilang Adiong (ed.): Islam and International Relations: Diverse Perspectives, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013; “Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı,” in John L. Esposito (ed): Encyclopedia of the Islamic World, Oxford University Press,  February 2009; “The Fethullah Gülen Movement and Politics in Turkey : a chance for Democratization or a Trojan Horse?:”, Democratization, vol. 16 no. 6 (December 2009), 1214-1236; “Religion, Politics and the Politics of Religion in Turkey”, in Dietrich Jung & Catharina Raudvere  (ed.), Religion, Politics and Turkey’s EU Accession, Palgrave-Macmillan, september 2008, 159-176; “Diyanet and Politics”, The Muslim World, vol. 98, no. 2/3 (april/july 2008) 216-227; “Turkey: A Women’s History,” in Bonnie G. Smith (ed): The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History, v.4, Oxford University Press, 2008, 255-258; “Adding Injury to Injury”, in Evil, Law and the State: Issues in State Power and Violence, ed. John Parry, Rodopi Press, 59-69, Amsterdam / New York, NY 2006.

The Centre for Turkey Studies is pleased to invite you to a CEFTUS Westminster Debate with keynote speaker Keith Vaz MP, former Minister for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (1999-2001) and Chairman of the Home Affairs Committee since 2007. Other speakers on the panel include Ms Maria Patsalos, an immigration lawyer, Mrs Aysegul Yesildaglar, former Turkish Attache for Labour and Social Security in Stockholm, Rotterdam, Brussels and London and Ms Serpil Ersan, an immigration lawyer.

Please see speaker biographies below.

In this Westminster Debate, our panel will address UK immigration policies and the effects on relations between Turkey and the UK. Turkey’s European Union accession bid began with the Ankara Agreement which was signed with European Economic Community in 1963. Turkey has been in accession process with the European Union since then and Britain has supported Turkey in this path. Yet, citizens of Turkey, a strong NATO ally, have faced strict immigration regulations in entering the UK and Europe in general. It is estimated that over 250.000 Turkish and Kurdish people of Turkey reside in the UK along with thousands visiting business people, tourists and students every year. Our panelists will address issues of immigration and integration regarding people originating from Turkey, the effects of visa regulations on business relations and the cooperation between the Home Office and the Turkish counterparts on visa regulations for citizens of both countries.

This debate is kindly hosted by our keynote speaker Keith Vaz MP. Journalist Michael Daventry will chair this discussion.

The event will take place between 6-8PM on Thursday 10th September 2015 in Committee Room 9, House of Commons. Please note security checks are required to enter the House of Commons, at the Cromwell Green Entrance. We kindly ask you to arrive at 5.45PM to allow the event to start and end on time. Booking is required for this event to ensure adequate seating availability.

Please click below to register. Alternatively, RSVP to info@ceftus.org

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Keith Vaz was first elected in June 1987 and was subsequently re-elected as a Member of Parliament 7 times. He was the first person of Asian origin to sit in the House of Commons since 1922. He was Britain’s Minister for Europe under Tony Blair. He was elected Chairman of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee in 2007 by a vote of the whole house and was re-elected in 2010 and in June 2015. He will serve in that post until 2020.

Elected as the youngest Labour Member of Parliament in 1987 he was appointed an Opposition Spokesman on regeneration and established the City 2020 Commission. When Labour was elected to government in 1997 he was made Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Attorney General. He then became a Junior Justice Minister and was quickly promoted to become a Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where he helped negotiate the enlargement of the European Union. In 2001 he became the senior Labour member on the Justice Committee.

Maria Patsalos is an Associate in the Private department of Mischon de Reya, specialising in immigration. Her practice includes acting for both individual and corporate clients with an emphasis on finding bespoke immigration solutions. Maria specialises in the following applications: Tier 1 Investor Visas; Tier 1 General extensions; Sponsor Licences for companies under Tier 2; Certificate of Sponsorships (the old work permits); Tier 4 Student; Tier 5 Temporary Workers, appeal applications; domestic workers in private households; fiancée/spouse/civil partnership and unmarried partner; rights under European law; Indefinite Leave to Remain and applications to naturalise as a British Citizen. Maria also supervises the immigration element of Pink Law, a free legal service to help those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender. Recently listed as one of ten best Immigration lawyers in the Spear’s 500 Index, she has also been previously listed as a Private Client Practitioner’s Top 35 Under 35, an award to recognise young and upcoming private client advisory professionals. Maria has been quoted in the FT, the Times, The Guardian, the Evening Standard and Channel 4 online in relation to topical immigration matters. She also advises a prime time BBC drama series in relation to their immigration story lines and provides commentary on high profile immigration cases on BBC television and radio.

Aysegul Yesildaglar is currently the Principal of Docklands Academy London, a higher education college based in Canary Wharf, London. She has had her BA degrees in the fields of English Philology and Business Administration. She holds MA degrees in English Language Teaching and European Social Security Law. She worked for Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Turkey in 1988 and served as the Attache for Labour and Social Security in Stockholm, Rotterdam, Brussels and London until May 2010 for a period of 4 years in each secondment. During her post in Brussels and at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in Ankara, she expanded her expertise in EU Social Policy Law, the social dimension of Turkey-EU Association Agreement (Ankara) and the judgments of the European Court of Justice on Turkish citizens. She was appointed as the Head of European Coordination Department of the Ministry in 2003, where she was involved in the negotiations between Turkey and EU with respect to the social policy chapter. During her office she pioneered in the introduction and implementation of EU projects in Turkey. She held this post until 2005 when she was seconded to the Turkish Consulate in London, where she provided services and counselling for both Turkish and British citizens in the fields of labour and social security. During her post at the Turkish Consulate in London, she initiated the process of setting up a permanent dialogue platform between Home Office and the Turkish Consulate.

Serpil Ersan is a Solicitor and Managing Director at Ersan&Co Solicitors. She studied Law at Ankara University and completed her Legal Practice Course at College of Law in 1999. Her area of practice includes Immigration – nationality and citizenship, Immigration – asylum, Personal injury, Conveyancing – residential and Commercial property.

The Centre for Turkey Studies is delighted to invite you to a CEFTUS Westminster Debate with keynote speaker veteran journalist and author Mr Cengiz Candar and journalist and columnist Mrs Ezgi Basaran of daily Turkish paper, Radikal. This event will take place on 27 October 2015, between 7-9pm, in Committee Room 10 of the House of Commons.

Please see speaker biographies below.

Turkey’s hopeful Kurdish Peace Process that begun in 2013 may have come to an end in the summer of 2015. The start of the process had gained support across Turkey after having lost about 40.000 people in the conflict over 30 years. Following to June 2015 General Elections and ISIS bombing in Suruc, a town in eastern Turkey, violent clashes between Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Turkish security forces erupted. Turkish government has taken a strong stance against terrorism of all types and responded harshly, especially after the killing of two policemen in their beds. In the meantime, Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party, People’s Democratic Party (HDP), which could pass the 10% electoral threshold in June elections, has faced accusations of direct links with terrorism and its mayors/councillors have been detained as well as the party has been threatened to close down. Whilst there have been concerning developments for democracy in Turkey, President Erdogan has called for elections to take place in November 2015 and declared that it is impossible to continue the peace process.

Mr Candar and Mrs Basaran will address the questions regarding the Kurdish peace process and what lies ahead for Turkey. They will analyse the Kurdish issue and the current political developments.

This debate is kindly hosted by Tom Brake MP for Carshalton and Wallington.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Tuesday, 27 October 2015 in Committee Room 10, House of Commons. Please note security checks are required to enter the House of Commons, at the Cromwell Green Entrance. We kindly ask you to arrive at 5.45PM to allow the event to start and end on time. Booking is required for this event to ensure adequate seating availability.

Alternatively, RSVP to info@ceftus.org

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Cengiz Candar studied political science and international relations at Ankara University. He began his career as journalist in 1976 in Turkish daily Vatan after living some years in the Middle East and Europe due to his opposition to the regime in Turkey following the military intervention in 1971. An expert for the Middle East (Lebanon and Palestine) and the Balkans (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Candar worked for the Turkish News Agency and for Turkish newspapers Cumhuriyet, Hürriyet, Referans and Güneş as a war correspondent. Currently, he is a columnist for Radikal. Candar served as special adviser to Turkish president Turgut Özal between 1991 and 1993. His interest was drawn to the events during the ethnic unrest in the Balkans between 1993 and 1995. From 1997, Candar lectured for two years on “History and Politics in the Middle East” at Bilgi University in İstanbul. Between 1999 and 2000, he did research work on “Turkey of the 21st century” as a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a Senior Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace. His description of the 1998 events in Turkey as a “post-modern coup” gained notice internationally, though Radikal columnist Türker Alkan had used the term two weeks earlier.

Ezgi Başaran is an Istanbulite journalist and the editor-in-chief of Radikal, Turkey’s liberal quality digital paper. While a reporter for the Hurriyet, she won the Turkish Society of Journalists award for best investigative journalistic work at the age of 27. She has reported from Pakistan, North Osetia (right after the Beslan massacre), Armenia and Iran. After working for Hurriyet for almost eight years, she has become a part of Radikal. Since then she has been writing a column five times a week and also serves as the editor-in-chief. Her writings focus on the human rights violations in Turkey, the Kurdish problem, the Armenian issue and LGBT rights. As a prolific writer on these issues, she is an active participant of the public debate through her writings and national/international media appearances.

The Centre for Turkey Studies in partnership with the Centre for Kurdish Progress is pleased to invite you to a CEFTUS Westminster Debate with keynote speakers Dr Neil Quilliam, Acting Head, Middle East and North Africa Programme of Chatham House and Mr Jonathan Friedman, Turkey and Middle East Expert at Stroz Friedberg and Associate at the Centre for Turkey Studies.

Please see speaker biographies below.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Monday 19th October 2015 in Committee Room 10, House of Commons. Please note security checks are required to enter the House of Commons, at the Cromwell Green Entrance. We kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM to allow the event to start and end on time. Booking is required for this event to ensure adequate seating available.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s (ISIS) July suicide attack on Turkey’s border town of Suruc shattered the country’s sense of stability, prompting it to declare war against ISIS and open its airbases to Western military forces. Soon after, the two-year-old peace process between the Kurdish militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Turkish government collapsed, plunging Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeast into violence and unrest. Meanwhile, Turkey and the US have agreed in principle to establish a “safe zone” in northern Syria. This is billed as an effort to weaken ISIS, hasten the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and secure a space for resettling refugees. Yet the US and Ankara disagree over the details of the zone, while the PKK fears that the effort is designed to divide territories under Kurdish control in northern Syria.

Our keynote speakers, Dr Neil Quilliam and Mr Jonathan Friedman will discuss Turkey’s war against ISIS, the PKK and the Assad regime, and its implications for the future of the region.  

This debate is kindly hosted by our keynote speaker Diane Abbott MP.

Alternatively, RSVP to info@ceftus.org

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Dr Neil Quilliam is the acting head of the  Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Programme at Chatham House. He first joined Chatham House as a senior research fellow in January 2014, then as senior consulting fellow from September 2014. He previously served as senior MENA energy adviser at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), senior MENA analyst at Control Risks, London, and senior programme officer at the United Nations University, Amman. Neil has lived in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and UAE, and has travelled extensively around the MENA region, working on a variety of development, education and research projects. He has published a number of books and articles on international relations and political economy of Syria, Jordan, Iraq and the Gulf Cooperation Council states.

Mr Jonathan Friedman is an assistant director at global risk consultancy Stroz Friedberg, where he advises investors in Turkey and the Middle East on political, security and reputational risks. He is also an associate at the Centre for Turkey Studies, and a co-author of recent analysis on Western policy in Syria published by Chatham House. Before entering risk consulting, Mr Friedman worked in various roles on Capitol Hill, including for US Vice President Joe Biden.

‘Snap Elections in Turkey: Now and Then’

The Centre for Turkey Studies is pleased to invite you to a CEFTUS and Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) joint roundtable with veteran journalist and author Mr Cengiz Candar.

Please see his biography below.

Days before the General Elections in Turkey, Mr Candar will share his analysis on the tumultuous developments of recent months, from violent clashes between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Turkey’s policy over Syria to prospects of a change to a presidential system and making of a first civilian constitution.

This will be an exclusive roundtable with a small number of people. Please email info@ceftus.org to reserve your seat.

The event will take place between 10-11.30 am on 28 October 2015, in Writing Room, at RUSI.

RUSI London Headquarters:

Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies

Whitehall London SW1A 2ET UK

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biography

Cengiz Candar studied political science and international relations at Ankara University. He began his career as journalist in 1976 in Turkish daily Vatan after living some years in the Middle East and Europe due to his opposition to the regime in Turkey following the military intervention in 1971. An expert for the Middle East (Lebanon and Palestine) and the Balkans (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Candar worked for the Turkish News Agency and for Turkish newspapers Cumhuriyet, Hürriyet, Referans and Güneş as a war correspondent. Currently, he is a columnist for Radikal. Candar served as special adviser to Turkish president Turgut Özal between 1991 and 1993. His interest was drawn to the events during the ethnic unrest in the Balkans between 1993 and 1995. From 1997, Candar lectured for two years on “History and Politics in the Middle East” at Bilgi University in İstanbul. Between 1999 and 2000, he did research work on “Turkey of the 21st century” as a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a Senior Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace. His description of the 1998 events in Turkey as a “post-modern coup” gained notice internationally, though Radikal columnist Türker Alkan had used the term two weeks earlier.

5 October 2015, Unite the Union

The Centre for Turkey Studies’ public forum with columnist Mr Levent Gultekin welcome many members of the Turkish and Kurdish communities in London. This event was kindly chaired by Solicitor Serpil Ersan. 

Mr Gultekin’s began his speech by elaborating on the fact that states often create an “other” so as to advocate or prescribe the adoption of an ideal identity. He said that the Turkish state and its espoused Kemalist ideology created the notion of its own enemy, i.e. religious conservatives and non-Turkish peoples such as Kurds, which has traumatised people and communities over many decades.

According to Mr Gultekin, religious conservatives were affected by this approach. Although they had to go through a struggle for freedom from state oppression for decades, after gaining power through elections, they lost their innocent intentions of advocating further democratisation.

Mr Gultekin stated that Turkey’s state structure is based on power relations that only favour the strongest party, and curtails the development of ethical individuals in the wider society. Instead, he said, these individuals lose their potential and become ideological and closed-minded. He said that Turkey’s current situation was terrible and feared that it would get worse. He also expressed concern that Kurds might increase their share of power and may, like the religious conservatives upset the balance and abuse their power as well.

He argued that the nature of Turkish politics has traditionally been to cover one’s own back, rather than take care of the wider the society. He continued stating that now President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has immense power, even absolute power over the political system in place, which is designed to preserve such positions.

Mr Gultekin stated that at the same time, the opposition has failed to provide a viable alternative, and had only criticised the President. He also accused the opposition of lacking integrity and intellect to carry out their roles in opposition effectively.

Mr Gultekin argued that the key outcome in Turkey as a whole ought to be the creation and preservation of a functioning democracy, and that classifying and compartmentalising issues into categories such as “Kurdish” or “Alevi” runs counter to this process as it presents a distraction from the overall goal. He finished, stating that Turkey’s current undemocratic condition presented a problem to people of all ethnicities and political, ideological and religious orientations in the country.

Speaker Biography

Mr Levent Gultekin is currently a columnist for Diken.com.tr. He studied Public Administration at Anadolu University in Eskisehir and completed his Master of Arts in International Relations in Selcuk University. Mr Gultekin began his journalism career in 1994 at daily Yeni Safak. He left Yeni Safak and published a daily newspaper, Haber Postasi, in 1998. He returned to Yeni Safak as Director General in 1999. He left his position at Yeni Safak in 2000 and published a magazine called Gercek Hayat for about 5 years. He joined Star Medya Group as Deputy Chairman of Executive Board of Directors in 2007. Mr Gultekin left Star Medya and went to London for language training. Following his return in 2010 he began working at Cine5 as Chairman of Media, but he left Cine5 in mid-2010. His articled have been published on Internethaber.com and Gazeteciler.com for many years.

The Centre for Turkey Studies in partnership with the Centre for Kurdish Progress is pleased to invite you to a CEFTUS Westminster Debate with keynote speakers Dr Cengiz Gunes, Associate Lecturer at the Open University and Mr Robert Lowe, Manager of the Middle East Centre of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Please see speaker biographies below.

The event will take place between 7PM and 9PM on Monday 16th November 2015 in Committee Room 12, House of Commons. Please note security checks are required to enter the House of Commons, at the Cromwell Green Entrance. We kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM to allow the event to start and end on time. Booking is required for this event to ensure adequate seating available.

The war in Syria with regional and international sides involved has shattered stability in the region since it began in 2011. Whilst US and Russia disagree on how a solution to the conflict can be achieved, Turkey fearing Kurdish territorial gains close to north-western Syria objects to Kurdish militia involvement in any proposed solution. People’s Protection Units (YPG), backed by its political wing, Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria have recently announced that they have joined forces with Arab rebels in their fight against ISIS. Our keynote speaker, Mr Lowe will elaborate on the complex dynamics of Kurdish politics in Syria resulting from the war and Dr Gunes will analyse interrelated impacts on Kurdish politics in Turkey and Kurdistan-Iraq.

This debate is kindly hosted by Kate Osamor MP for Edmonton.

Mr Tim Eaton of Chatham House will chair this debate.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Dr Cengiz Gunes completed his PhD at the Ideology and Discourse Analysis Research Programme, the Department of Government, University of Essex, UK. He is the author of The Kurdish National Movement in Turkey: From Protest to Resistance (London: Routledge, 2012) and co-editor of The Kurdish Question in Turkey: New Perspectives on Violence, Representation, and Reconciliation (London: Routledge, 2014). His main research interests are in the areas of peace and conflict studies, the Kurds in the Middle East, the international relations of the Middle East and Turkish politics. Currently he works as an associate lecturer at the Open University, UK.

Mr Robert Lowe is the Manager of the Middle East Centre. He joined the centre when it opened in 2010. Previously, Robert was Manager and Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House. He held a Research Fellowship from The Leverhulme Trust from 2008 to 2010 and was an Honorary Fellow at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, from 2008 to 2010.

The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) and Istanbul Policy Center of Sabanci University are pleased to invite you to a public forum titled ‘Post-Election Turkey’ on 17 November 2015 (7-9pm) with an expert panel of keynote speakers:

Prof Fuat Keyman, Director of Istanbul Policy Center and Professor of International Relations at Sabancı University

Lord Wallace of Saltaire, Liberal Democrat Peer and Former Government Whip acting as government spokesperson in the House of Lords on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education in 2010-2015 Coalition Government

Lord Owen, Independent Social Democrat, Former British Foreign Secretary (1977-1979) and former MP for 26 years from 1966-1992

Mr Peter Hain, Former Labour MP between 1991 and 2015 and former senior minister for twelve years in Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s governments

Please see speaker biographies below.

CEFTUS and IPC organise two consecutive meetings in London and in Istanbul on “Post-Election Turkey.” The meetings with expert panels will elaborate on Turkey’s domestic dynamics and foreign policy following the last two general elections.

The first leg of the forums will take place between 7pm and 9pm on 17th November 2015 in Grimmond Room of Portcullis House.

This event is kindly hosted by Catherine West MP for Hornsey and Wood Green.

Please note security checks are required to enter Portcullis House. We kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM to allow the event to start and end on time. Booking is required for this event to ensure adequate seating available.

Turkey held three elections over a period of two years and will hold another general election on November 1. For the first time in over a decade, the ruling party, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), lost the majority of its parliamentary seats, and the four parties in parliament failed to form a coalition government following the June 2015 general election.

Whilst it is difficult to anticipate what lies in the future for Turkey, especially after the November 1 elections, our panellists will analyse Turkey’s political momentum by specifically looking into Turkey-EU relations and the failing Kurdish peace process and regional politics, as well as Turkey’s economic and social prospects.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Professor Fuat Keyman is Director of Istanbul Policy Center and Professor of International Relations at Sabancı University. Keyman is a leading Turkish political scientist and an expert on democratization, globalization, international relations, Turkey – EU relations, Turkish foreign policy, and civil society development.

Lord William Wallace is a Liberal Democrat Peer. He was an Emeritus Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics. He was appointed a government whip in the Lords in the coalition government which was formed after the 2010 election, with departmental responsibilities covering the FCO, the Ministry of Defence, and the Department for Education. In 2011 William moved from education to the Cabinet Office, while retaining responsibilities for FCO and Defence. In July 2012 he was appointed a member of the Civil Service Reform Board. In the 2012 reshuffle he was appointed to the Privy Council, and focused his responsibilities on the FCO (where he is the only Liberal Democrat minister) and the Cabinet Office. In 2013 he was appointed to the government’s Advisory Board for the Commemoration of World War One.

Lord David Owen ​is Director of the Center for International Health and Co-operation and Chairman of Europe Steel,  and consultant to Epion Holdings and USM Holdings. He was a Member of Parliament for Plymouth for 26 years from 1966-92. Under Labour Governments, he served as Navy Minister, Health Minister and Foreign Secretary. He was co-founder of the Social Democratic Party and its Leader from 1983-87 and 1988-90. He was created a Life Baron – Lord Owen of the City of Plymouth – in 1992 and sits as an independent social democrat in the House of Lords.

Mr Peter Hain was a Labour MP for Neath between 1991 and 2015. He was a senior minister for twelve years in Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s governments, where he served as Secretary of State for Wales and Northern Ireland, as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and as Leader of the Commons. He was also Europe Minister, Foreign Minister and Energy Minister. He chaired the UN Security Council, and negotiated international Treaties curbing nuclear proliferation and banning the conflict-inducing trade in blood diamonds.

We would like to congratulate the winners of the Community Achievement Awards 2015. Please see below the full list of winners.

CEFTUS Appreciation Award

Mr Rami Ronger MBE, Mr Shany Gupta, Mr Martin Howe and Mrs Gulse Birsel

Community Achievement Role Model (Female/Male)

Dr. Seval Tasdemir and Mrs Aysegul Yesildaglar

Mr Ali Poyraz and Dr Ziya Radmand 

Media and Politics

Peray Ahmet and Raziye Akkoc

Arts-Culture and Education

Dr Ayla Gol, Mr Mehmet Karakus, Mr Mustafa Durmaz and Ms Dondu Durmaz

Health

Dr Ali Dogan and Dr Ismail Bulut

Charity/NGO/Civil Society

Kirkisrak Community Centre 

Most Successful Business Person (Female/Male)

Ms Jale Erentok and Ms Saniye Unal (runner up)

Mr Dervis Aslan, Mr Kemal Kaya and Mr Ibrahim Ahmet

Food-Restaurant, Wholesalers

Mr Ibrahim Uzun

Young Entrepreneur

Ali Huseyin Osoy and Nihat Ozdal (runner up) 

Lifelong Achievement

Ilker Kilic

Most Successful Students

Zilan Akdogan, Ceren Turna, Hanim Karakoc, Dilan Guven, Rukan Has, Deniz Arman, Ergin Erbil, Zeynep Topkaya, Esin Gunes

We celebrated fourth year of our ever increasingly important work on 28th October 2015 with 600 distinguished guests in London Marriott Grosvenor Hotel.

We are extremely grateful for cross-party support from the British Parliament. Several MPs and Lords/Baronesses including Keith Vaz Labour MP, David Amess MP, Tom Brake Liberal Democrat MP, Seema Malhotra Labour MP, Caroline Flint Labour MP, Angus MacNeil SNP MP, Rehman Christi Conservative MP, Stephen Kinnock MP, Joan Ryan Labour MP, Kate Osamor Labour MP, Siobhain McDonagh Labour MP, George Howarth MP, John Woodcock Labour MP, Virendra Sharma Labour MP, Conservative Peers Lord Sheikh, Lord Northbrook, Baroness Knight of Collingtree, Independent Crossbench Life Peer Lord Karan Bilimoria and Labour Peer Lord McConnell among many others attended our gala event.

Similarly, Mayors and Councillors of many London boroughs, High Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus to the UK Euripides L. Evriviades and The Kurdistan Regional Government High Representative to the UK Karwan Jamal Tahir were present at the event. Representatives of Kurdish, Turkish and Turkish Cypriot Communities as well as journalists, academics and business people across many industries kindly joined us to celebrate our anniversary. Guests from Turkey included comedian and author Gulse Birsel, journalists Ahmet Sik and Hayko Bagdat and former AK PArty MP Mehmet Emin Ekmen.

Presented by Hilat Ozcan, the evening began with speeches from Director of CEFTUS, Ibrahim Dogus, Lord Bilimoria, Keith Vaz MP, Tom Brake MP, Caroline Flint MP and Angus MacNeil MP. The significant political relationship between Turkey and Britain and CEFTUS’ role in building bridges between the two countries were emphasised.

Prime Minister David Cameron’s support message to CEFTUS was relayed and Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn’s recorded support message was played on the screens. You may see their and other parliamentarians’ support messages on our website, www.ceftus.org.

Following speeches, winners of the Turkish, Kurdish and Cypriot Community Achievement Awards 2015 were announced. Please click here to view the full list of winners.

The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) and Istanbul Policy Center of Sabanci University are pleased to invite you to a rountable titled ‘Post-Election Turkey’ on 18 November 2015 (11am-1pm) with keynote speakers:

Prof Fuat Keyman, Director of Istanbul Policy Center and Professor of International Relations at Sabancı University

Dr Izak Atiyas is Senior Scholar at Istanbul Policy Center and Professor at Sabancı University, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He is Director of TÜSİAD-Sabancı University Competitiveness Forum since January 2011.

Lord Peter Hain, Former Labour MP between 1991 and 2015 and former senior minister for twelve years in Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s governments

Please see speaker biographies below.

Baroness Jan Royall will kindly chair this roundtable.

This will be an exclusive roundtable with a small number of people. Please email info@ceftus.org to reserve your seat.

The event will take place between 11am and 1pm on 18 November 2015, in Committee Room 16, in the House of Commons. Please note security checks are required to enter Portcullis House. We kindly ask you to arrive at 10.45am to allow the event to start and end on time.

This event is kindly hosted by Keith Vaz MP.

CEFTUS and IPC are organiseing two consecutive meetings in London and in Istanbul on “Post-Election Turkey.” The meetings with expert panels will elaborate on Turkey’s domestic dynamics and foreign policy following 1st November 2015 General Elections.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Professor Fuat Keyman is Director of Istanbul Policy Center and Professor of International Relations at Sabancı University. Keyman is a leading Turkish political scientist and an expert on democratization, globalization, international relations, Turkey – EU relations, Turkish foreign policy, and civil society development.

Dr Izak Atiyas is Senior Scholar at Istanbul Policy Center and Professor at Sabancı University, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He is Director of TÜSİAD-Sabancı University Competitiveness Forum since January 2011. Atiyas currently works on good governance, corruption, productivity, industrial policy, competition policy, regulation of network industries and privatisation.

Lord Peter Hain was a Labour MP for Neath between 1991 and 2015. He was a senior minister for twelve years in Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s governments, where he served as Secretary of State for Wales and Northern Ireland, as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and as Leader of the Commons. He was also Europe Minister, Foreign Minister and Energy Minister. He chaired the UN Security Council, and negotiated international Treaties curbing nuclear proliferation and banning the conflict-inducing trade in blood diamonds.

Join Us for an evening of festive fun!

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Date: 08th December 2015, 07:30pm
Venue: Ev Restaurant
Price & Menu: £48*,  3 course meal plus first drinks

Address:
97 Isabella Street, Southwark,
London, SE1 8DD

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Post-Election Turkey: Is Peace Achievable?

Refugee Workers Cultural Association (RWCA) in partnership with the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) and the Centre for Kurdish Progress are pleased to invite you to a public forum with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Ms Figen Yuksekdag on 30 November 2015.

Please see speaker biography below.

This event will take place between 7pm and 9pm on 30th November 2015 in Committee Room 9 of the House of Commons. This event is kindly hosted by Seema Malthotra MP for Feltham and Heston.

Please note security checks are required to enter the House of Commons. We kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM to allow the event to start and end on time. Booking is required for this event to ensure adequate seating available.

After three elections over a period of two years, the final general election which was held on 1 November 2015 brought the longest ruling political party in modern Turkey, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), back to power. Prior to the November elections, Turkey had entered a politically turbulent period. Many critical developments which include the collapse of the Peace Process, increased violent clashes between Turkish armed forces and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), bomb attacks carried out by the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) left over 200 people dead and many more injured and a Turkey that is unstable and polarised. Turkey has now closed its elections period and a one party government is in power, but questions remain as to how the peace with Kurds will be achieved, how the ISIS threat will be destroyed and whether public opinion in Turkey will reconcile.

Co-Chair of Turkey’s second biggest opposition party, the HDP, Ms Figen Yuksekdag will elaborate on the developments over the last two years and address the HDP’s strategies for peaceful reconciliation in Turkey.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biography

Figen Yüksekdag was born in Adana, Turkey, into an ethnically Turkish family. She is often assumed to be Kurdish or Alevi, however her family are Sunni Turks. She was an independent parliamentary candidate for the Adana electoral district in the 2002 general election. She was involved in women’s rights movements for several years before becoming the editor of the Socialist Woman magazine. While serving on the board of the Atılım newspaper, she was taken into custody in 2009 due to her political activity. She cofounded the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) shortly after in 2010 and resigned as leader in 2014 to join the HDP, with which the ESP merged later the same year. During the second ordinary congress of the HDP, she was elected the co-chair of the HDP.

About RWCA

Refugee Workers Cultural Association (RWCA) was founded in 1991 through needs identified from the Turkish and the Kurdish community. The barriers faced by the community are lack of inclusion, primarily due to language and culture and lack of Equal social and political rights. RWCA aims to be the eyes, ears and the voice of the Turkish and the Kurdish communities against discriminative and racist laws and legislations and raise awareness around the anti democratic laws, legislations and practices in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan. The other aim of (RWCA) is to provide a support service to the Turkish and the Kurdish community living in the UK.