This event has now been postponed to a later date in December due to urgent commitments of the speakers. We will soon be in touch regarding the new date for the event. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) in partnership with Turkish Asian Center for Asian Studies (TASAM) is pleased to invite you to a Westminster Debate with Zehra Taskesenlioglu Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP for Erzurum, Suleyman Sensoy Chair of TASAM, Former Turkish Ambassador Murat Bilhan Deputy Chair of TASAM, Prof. Dr. Nursin Guney of Yildiz Technical University and Prof. Dr. Sedat Aybar of Istanbul Aydin University.

This event is kindly hosted by John Spellar Labour MP for Warley.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Monday 10th October 2016 in Committee Room 10, House of Commons. 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.

Following the failed coup attempt on 15 July 2016, Turkey’s state of emergency which was declared by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan almost three months ago has now been extended for another three months. The Turkish Government claims that the security threat remains at a high level which can destabilise Turkey as the supporters of the Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen have infiltrated major organs of the state, including the military, judiciary, police and other elements of the civil bureaucracy. In this time of state level crisis, Turkey faces political, economical and social instabilities whilst being under democratic pressures. The purge of the Gulenists appears to affect the Kurdish political movement as 11,500 Kurdish teachers have recently been dismissed due to alleged links with the Kurdish armed group, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) as well as many pro-Kurdish media outlets have been closed.

Our keynote speakers will evaluate the impact of the coup attempt and how Turkey’s policies on counter-terrorism will be shaped.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

CEFTUS Appreciation Award

Zulfu Livaneli

Graham Corfield, UK Managing Director, JUST EAT

Female Role Model 

Cllr Makbule Gunes

Male Role Model 

Rizgar Wan

Politics and Education

Dr Tunc Aybak

Cllr Mete Coban

Law firm/Lawyers

Muhammet Cankiran and Sinan Fidanci of Oakfield solicitors

Community Organisations/Charity

Paz-Der

Businessman of the year 

Efe Cakarerel, Founder and CEO of Mubi

Tahir Kaya

Ali Sancak

Businesswoman of the year

Gulen Coban

Food and restaurants

Imam Arslan of SAMA Food

Financial Services/Accountancy

Ufuk Gungor and Haydar Ulus.

Wholesalers/Production/best Employer

Ali Matur of Holland Bazaar

Kemal Gondas of United Paper Products

Deniz Suyur of Esin Cash and Carry

Young Entrepreneurs

Can Topcu of Tarshish

Hakan Gulsen and Adem Akdogan of Haz restaurants

On Sunday October 9^th 2016 the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) hosted its Fifth Anniversary Gala with over 900 guests at the Westminster Park Plaza Hotel near the British Parliament. CEFTUS celebrated the achievements and contributions of the UK’s Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot Community to Britain in business, education, politics, media, law, financial services and other areas with an awards ceremony. The evening featured a selection of musical acts including a piano and cello recital and performances by famous Turkish singers Yasar Kurt and Zulfu Livaneli who moved the audience when singing his classic song Yigidim Aslanim. The London-based Turkish singer/songwriter Olcay Bayir who was dubbed “an impressive newcomer to London’s vibrant global music scene” by Guardian Music also gave an excellent performance including a skillful rendition of the classic Anatolian folk song Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim.

The event was attended by numerous figures from the political, business and cultural communities. These included politicians of various parties from both Britain and Turkey. High profile politicians such as the Labour Party Leader and MP for Islington North Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn attended. Mr Corbyn gave a speech supporting CEFTUS’ work in providing a forum for free and open discussion over issues regarding Turkey, and how this has helped in promoting important human rights and values such as freedom of speech and self-expression. Other Labour politicians included George Howarth MP for Knowsley, Kate Osamor MP for Edmonton, John Spellar MP for Warley and Graham Stringer MP for Blackley and Broughton. The Conservative Party was also represented by Kwasi Kwarteng MP for Spelthorne and by a delegation from the Conservative Muslim Forum. The Scottish National Party was represented by Patrick Grady, MP for Glasgow North and Martyn Day MP for Linlithgow and East Falkirk, and the independent MP for Rochdale Simon Danczuk was also present. Mayors of various London boroughs including Cllr Ali Gul Ozbek of Harringey, Cllr Saleha Jaffer of Lambeth and Cllr Gurdial Bhamra of Redbridge also attended.

CEFTUS 2011-2016 Review

Figures from across the political spectrum in Turkey also attended including the former Justice and Development Party MP Mehmet Emin Ekmen, Republican People’s Party MP Mustafa Sezgin Tanrikulu, and Berdan Ozturk, an MP of the Peoples’ Democratic Party. The attendance of figures of various British and Turkish parties attests the significance of CEFTUS to Anglo-Turkish relations as proud champion of dialogue between all groups.

A speech was made by the director and founder of CEFTUS, Mr Ibrahim Dogus, in which he added:

“When we established CEFTUS five years ago we had two clear goals.Firstly, to provide an independent, non-partisan forum for discussion about Turkey and the region for the British people, and for Turkish, Kurdish and Cypriot communities. And secondly, to create dialogue between experts from Turkey and the UK, to build bridges between the two countries and their peoples. Since then, we have done all this and more. We are now holding regular events, which inspire fruitful debate, with key commentators and actors in Turkish, Kurdish and Cypriot politics, and in Turkey-UK affairs. We are recognised as the leading name in Turkey-UK relations in Britain and Turkey.”

He also expressed hopes for the future, explaining that:

“There is so much more we can achieve if we stick to our aim of promoting discussion and dialogue. And now we are starting our own research and consulting activities, marking a new stage in our development.”

Support CEFTUS/Donations

The gala also received delegations from leading companies and sponsors such as Cobra Beer and featured a recorded message of support from the chairman Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE. Other notable business people included the Managing director of Molson Coors Phil Whitehead who gave a speech and presented an award. Dr Rami Ranger CBE Chairman of Sun Mark Ltd also praised the role of CEFTUS in promoting the integration of the Turkish-speaking community in the UK, and Just Eat Managing Director Graham Corfield. The event was also sponsored by the companies of high-profile members of Brtiain’s Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot community including Mr Altan Kemal of Alton & Co and Metin Pekin of XPO Online.

The event overall summarised the many of achievements of CEFTUS in its first five years since its inauguration in 2011 as a non-profit organisation in building bridges between Britain and Turkey, providing a space for dialogue and discussion of the issues of the day and enhancing the profile of Turks, Kurds and Turkish Cypriots in UK public life.

The winners of the Community Achievement Awards 2016 were as follows:

CEFTUS Appreciation Award

Zulfu Livaneli

Graham Corfield, UK Managing Director, JUST EAT

Female Role Model 

Cllr Makbule Gunes

Male Role Model 

Rizgar Wan

Politics and Education

Dr Tunc Aybak

Cllr Mete Coban

Law firm/Lawyers

Muhammet Cankiran and Sinan Fidanci of Oakfield solicitors

Community Organisations/Charity

Paz-Der

Businessman of the year 

Efe Cakarerel, Founder and CEO of Mubi

Tahir Kaya

Ali Sancak

Businesswoman of the year

Gulen Coban

Food and restaurants

Imam Arslan of SAMA Food

Financial Services/Accountancy

Ufuk Gungor and Haydar Ulus.

Wholesalers/Production/best Employer

Ali Matur of Holland Bazaar

Kemal Gondas of United Paper Products

Deniz Suyur of Esin Cash and Carry

Young Entrepreneurs

Can Topcu of Tarshish

Hakan Gulsen and Adem Akdogan of Haz restaurants

CEFTUS in partnership with Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) is organising an exclusive roundtable with Co-Leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas between 12-2pm at RUSI (61 Whitehall, London SW1A 2ET) on 25th October 2016.

Mr Demirtas will speak on the current political developments in Turkey and how the post-coup purge is shaping the current political arena.

The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) in partnership with Friends of Turkey Group in the European Parliament is delighted to invite you to a public forum with Dr Sinan Ulgen, Chairman of the Istanbul based think tank, Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM) and a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels and Mr Geoffrey Van Orden Conservative MEP for the East of England.

This event is kindly hosted and chaired by Catherine West MP for Hornsey & Wood Green and Shadow FCO Minister.

Please see speaker biographies below.

The event will take place between 5.30-7.30PM on Thursday 17th November 2016 in Committee Room 11, House of Commons.

UK’s decision to leave the European Union on 23rd June 2016 has led to a period of political uncertainty. This includes UK’s stance on Turkey’s accession to EU membership and what Brexit may mean for Turkey’s alternatives on this path.

Our speaker will lay out the possible scenarios for the UK’s relationship with the EU, which in turn could set an example for Turkey in the future, in case the full membership card is ruled out or unattainable at some point.

Please click ‘register’ above.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Sinan Ulgen is the chairman of the Istanbul based think tank, Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM) and a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels. He graduated in 1987 from the University of Virginia with a double major in computer sciences and economics. He undertook graduate studies at the College of Europe in Brugge, Belgium where he received, in 1990,  a masters degree in European economic integration. He then joined the Turkish Foreign Service as a career diplomat. In 1992, he was posted to the Turkish Permanent Delegation to the European Union in Brussels where he became part of the team that negotiated the Turkey-EU customs union. Ulgen is the founder and managing partner of Istanbul Economics. The consultancy specialises in market entry strategies for international companies, political and economic risk analysis related to Turkey and regulatory affairs.His research and opinion pieces have been published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Center for European Policy Studies, Center for European Reform, the Atlantic Council, German Marshall Fund, Brookings and the World Economic Forum as well as newspapers such as Le Figaro, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, European Voice, Project Syndicate and the International New York Times. He is also the co-author of a book on Turkey-EU relations with Kemal Dervis and a frequent commentator on Turkish affairs in the international press. Ulgen served on the academic advisory board member of the NATO Defence College in Rome and was a member of the international policy experts group setup by the NATO Secretary General Rasmussen.

Geoffrey Van Orden has been Conservative MEP for the East of England since 1999. He is the Conservative Defence & Security Spokesman in the European Parliament. He previously had a wide-ranging career as a British Army officer, was commissioned into the Intelligence Corps in 1964 and carried out operational duties in many parts of the world starting in Borneo in 1965. His last appointment was at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, from 1991 to 1994. His specialisation in counter-terrorism, which he continues from a political standpoint, began during his years in Northern Ireland in the early 1970s.

While seeking a parliamentary seat, he was a senior official in the European Commission (External Relations) dealing with foreign policy, security and defence issues. This included delivering counter-terrorist assistance to Arafat’s Palestine Authority in 1996 and establishing the Commission as the leading provider of assistance for anti-personnel landmine action, including support for landmine victims.

He is a former Vice Chairman and now member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, and of its Defence & Security sub-committee as well as its Delegations to Turkey and to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. He is Chairman of the Delegation for Relations with India.

He is strongly against European political integration and has led opposition to EU defence policy, which he believes detrimental to NATO.  He spearheaded the Parliament’s action against the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe and supported the growth of democracy in Myanmar. He was the Parliament’s rapporteur for Bulgaria until its EU accession in 2007. As part of his defence and security brief he also takes a close interest in defence industries and issues of energy security.He was instrumental in the creation of, and now Vice Chairman of, the European Conservatives and Reformists political group, the third largest of 8 groups in the European Parliament with 75 MEPs from 17 nations. He is Founding President of the think-tank, New Direction- The Foundation for European Reform.

Photo credit: http://english.alarabiya.net/

See here full video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbGIEmUhbLQ&feature=youtu.be

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Turkey’s turbulent past year and implications for the future

Sir David Logan, Former Ambassador to Turkey and Chair of the British Institute at Ankara, will be speaking at a CEFTUS Roundtable discussing Turkey’s turbulent past year and its implications for the country’s future.

Please see speaker biography below.

This past year, Turkey has consistently made headlines often for the wrong reasons. From attacks by Islamic State and the PKK, to July’s attempted coup and subsequent purges, and more recently Turkey’s military incursion into Syria, looking set to shake up the region. With the recent assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, the country once again shaped the news cycle. Moving into 2017, much is unclear about Turkey’s future. With fast-moving events in Syria and Iraq, as well as domestically, the path Turkey takes will have huge implications regionally.

At our upcoming roundtable event, we will be discussing with Sir David Logan potential scenarios for the future in light of the events of the last year.

The event will take place from 10.00am to 12.00am on 27 January 2017, location still to be confirmed. This is an invitation only event.

The event will mark the beginning of CEFTUS’ partnership with Frontier Horizons Risk Consultancy.

Speaker biography

Sir David Logan was British Ambassador to Turkey from 1997-2001, and also served at the British Embassy there between 1965-1969. For most of his career in the Diplomatic Service he specialised in east-west relations and in defence policy.

He was Director of the Centre for Studies in Security and Diplomacy and Honorary Professor in the School of Social Sciences at Birmingham University between 2002-200 and Chairman of the British Institute at Ankara from 2005-2016.

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) is pleased to invite you to a public forum with Dr Erol Kaymak, the Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Eastern Mediterranean University, and Dr Michalis Attalides, who was the Rector of the University of Nicosia until 1 April 2016 and is currently the chair of  the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence in European Politics and Policies at the University.

This event is kindly hosted and chaired by Lord Hannay.

Please see speaker biography below.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Wednesday, 8 February 2017 in Committee Room 4A, House of Lords.

Please note that security checks are required to enter House of Lords, we kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM, allowing the event to start and end promptly on time.

Talks to resolve the Cyprus issue will resume in January after ending in failure in November. The outcome of these talks will massively impact the future of Cyprus and much is riding on their success, including relations between Turkey and the EU, as well as the exploitation of gas reserves in Cypriot territorial waters. The talks are set to resume on 12 January, 2017. CEFTUS will be holding this public forum to discuss the Cyprus issue on 8 February in the House of Lords. By this time, the outcome of the talks will likely be fairly clear and our two expert guests from either side of the divided island will discuss the future of Cyprus.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Dr Erol Kaymak is Chairman of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Eastern Mediterranean University. He is a founding member of the People’s Party (Halkin Partisi) in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) headed by Professor Kudret Ozersay.  Dr. Kaymak is currently a member of the party assembly. Dr Kaymak has published on ethnic politics and on the case of Cyprus in academic journals and edited volumes. He has also produced or contributed to reports on Cyprus published by the United Nations in Cyprus (UNFICYP), the Centre for European Studies (CEPs) in Brussels, CIVICUS: Worldwide Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVICUS), the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO), as well as the Center for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD).  Alongside academics, Dr. Kaymak also straddles politics and public diplomacy.  He was a member of President Eroglu’s advisory board that worked closely with the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team between 2010 and 2015. During the ‘Annan Plan’ negotiations of 2004 Dr. Kaymak was a member of the technical committees that worked with the United Nations to finalize the blueprint prior to submission to simultaneous referenda in Cyprus.  Meanwhile, Erol Kaymak serves as coordinator for the Cyprus Chapter of the Greek Turkish Forum that aims to contribute to bilateral relations between Greece and Turkey.  He is also founding member and a former director of a Cyprus-based think tank, the Center for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD).  Erol Kaymak has featured in international and local media, including live interviews on BBC World, Al Jazeera English, and has been quoted in various news publications.

Dr Michalis Attalides was until 1 April, 2016, the Rector of the University of Nicosia and is the chair of  the  Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence  in European Politics and Policies at the University. He has been a lecturer in Sociology at the University of Leicester, a counterpart to the UNESCO Expert at the Cyprus Social Research Centre and a Guest Lecturer at the Free University of Berlin. He has represented the Republic of Cyprus as its Ambassador in a number of capitals, including Paris, London, and the European Union in Brussels, before being appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has also represented the Cyprus government in the European Convention.He held a Jean Monnet Chair ad personam at the University of Nicosia between 2011 and 2014. His books include Social Change and Urbanisation in Cyprus: A Study of Nicosia(1971) , Cyprus Reviewed (ed.)(1977), Cyprus: Nationalism and International Politics (1980) and (in Greek), Cyprus: State, Society and International Environment (2009). He has also published a number of articles on society and politics in Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, and on the European Union.

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) is pleased to invite you to a public forum on Turkey-Russia Relations with Dr Natasha Kuhrt of the Dept of War Studies King’s College (TBC) and Ezgi Basaran, journalist and columnist, and visitor at St. Antony’s College, Oxford University.

Turkey-Russia relations have seen considerable ups and downs over the last years, repeatedly hitting the headlines with events such as Turkey’s downing of a Russian jet to the recent assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey. Relations between Russia and NATO member Turkey, which have seen a warming of late, are significant on a number of levels. Both countries stakeholders in the Syrian conflict, while Russia is a big supplier of Turkey’s energy.

Basaran will focus on political attitudes within Turkey towards Russia and international relations, while Dr Kuhrt will discuss the broader international context of Turkey-Russia relations.

This event is kindly hosted and chaired by Lord Balfe.

Please see speaker detailed biographies below.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Wednesday, 11 January 2017 in Committee Room 4A, House of Lords.

Please note that security checks are required to enter House of Lords, we kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM, allowing the event to start and end on time.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Dr Natasha Kuhrt is a lecturer in the Deparment of War Studies King’s College and was the co-director of the MA International Peace and Security Programme for 2013-14. From 2002 to 2009 she lectured on M.A. International Peace and Security Programme at King’s in the School of Law before joining the Dept of War Studies. In 2009 she established the British International Studies Association Working Group on Russian and Eurasian Security and is co-convenor with Valentina Feklyunina of the Working Group. At King’s College she co-convenes the Departmental Research Group on Russian and Eurasian Security which holds regular seminars in term time. After gaining a BA first class honours in Russian and German Language and Literature at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, followed by an MA in Soviet Studies (London), she spent several years in publishing, before completing a PhD at UCL in 2000 – “Russian Policy towards China and Japan 1991-1997.” Together with her research students she has set up a Facebook page on Russian and Eurasian Security and Foreign Policies which now has at least 140 members, as well as a Twitter account (@RussEurasia).

Ezgi Basaran is a prominent journalist and a columnist in Turkey. She began her career working for the news channel, NTV, while studying at Marmara University’s Journalism Department. After graduating, she became a junior reporter in 2004 for Hürriyet, a daily of the Doğan Group and Turkey’s most widely read newspaper. In her first year, she covered the Beslan Massacre and she went on during her time at the newspaper to report from Iran, Pakistan, and Northern Iraq, and interviewed many prominent figures. In 2010, she left Hürriyet for Radikal daily, Turkey’s most prestigious liberal-left daily. She began writing a column first for two days, then five days a week. She focused on such topics as the Kurdish issue, women’s rights, the Armenian genocide, the marginalisation of non-believers and anti-Semitism in Turkey. She was appointed managing editor of the paper’s news website Radikal.com.tr in 2011. When Radikal transformed into a digital-only newspaper in 2013, she became the youngest editor-in-chief in Turkey, and only the second woman ever to hold this position. When she took over in 2011, the news site had 180,000 unique visitors daily. In two years, this figure reached one million. In May 2015 Radikal had a record 41 million visitors. She is now the coordinator of the Contemporary Turkey Program at SEESOX, visitor at St. Antony’s College, Oxford University where she explores the bridge between journalism and academia. She is about to publish a new book, with the UK publishing house I.B. Tauris, on Turkey’s Kurdish issue, titled “Frontline Turkey: The Crisis at the Heart of the Middle East.”

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‘Cyprus issue: What’s next?’

Two experts, one from each side of divided Cyprus, Dr Erol Kaymak and Dr Michalis Attalides, will discuss the future of Cyprus at this exclusive roundtable on 8 February 2017, following on from the Cyprus reunification talks which are currently being held in Geneva.

Dr Erol Kaymak is the Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Eastern Mediterranean University. Dr Michalis Attalides was the Rector of the University of Nicosia until 1 April 2016 and is currently the chair of  the  Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence  in European Politics and Policies at the University.

This event is kindly hosted and chaired by Baroness Hussein-Ece.

Please see speaker biographies below.

The event will take place between 10:30 -12.00 on Wednesday, 8 February 2017 in Room G, House of Lords. The entrance will be through Black Rods’ Entrance.

Please note that security checks are required to enter House of Lords, we kindly ask you to arrive at 10:15AM, allowing the event to start and end promptly on time.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Dr Erol Kaymak is Chairman of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Eastern Mediterranean University. He is a founding member of the People’s Party (Halkin Partisi) in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) headed by Professor Kudret Ozersay.  Dr. Kaymak is currently a member of the party assembly. Dr Kaymak has published on ethnic politics and on the case of Cyprus in academic journals and edited volumes. He has also produced or contributed to reports on Cyprus published by the United Nations in Cyprus (UNFICYP), the Centre for European Studies (CEPs) in Brussels, CIVICUS: Worldwide Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVICUS), the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO), as well as the Center for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD).  Dr. Kaymak is active in academia, politics and public diplomacy.  He was a member of President Eroglu’s advisory board that worked closely with the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team between 2010 and 2015. During the ‘Annan Plan’ negotiations of 2004 Dr. Kaymak was a member of the technical committees that worked with the United Nations to finalize the blueprint prior to submission to simultaneous referenda in Cyprus.  In addition, Dr. Kaymak serves as coordinator for the Cyprus Chapter of the Greek Turkish Forum that aims to contribute to bilateral relations between Greece and Turkey.  He is also a founding member and a former director of a Cyprus-based think tank, the Center for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD).  Dr. Kaymak has featured in international and local media, including live interviews on BBC World, Al Jazeera English, and has been quoted in various news publications.

Dr Michalis Attalides was until 1 April, 2016, the Rector of the University of Nicosia and is the chair of  the  Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence  in European Politics and Policies at the University. He has been a lecturer in Sociology at the University of Leicester, a counterpart to the UNESCO Expert at the Cyprus Social Research Centre and a Guest Lecturer at the Free University of Berlin. He has represented the Republic of Cyprus as its Ambassador in a number of capitals, including Paris, London, and the European Union in Brussels, before being appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has also represented the Cyprus government in the European Convention.He held a Jean Monnet Chair ad personam at the University of Nicosia between 2011 and 2014. His books include Social Change and Urbanisation in Cyprus: A Study of Nicosia (1971) , Cyprus Reviewed (ed.)(1977), Cyprus: Nationalism and International Politics (1980) and (in Greek), Cyprus: State, Society and International Environment (2009). He has also published a number of articles on society and politics in Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, and on the European Union.

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) is pleased to invite you to a public forum with Dr Senem Aydin-Duzgit, Senior Scholar and the Research and Academic Affairs Coordinator at Istanbul Policy Center and an Associate Professor of International Relations at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Sabanci University.

This event is kindly hosted and chaired by James Gray, Conservative MP North Wiltshire.

Please see speaker biography below.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Wednesday, 8 March 2017 in Committee Room 9, House of Commons.

Please note that security checks are required to enter House of Commons, we kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM, allowing the event to start and end promptly on time.

Relations between Turkey and the EU have experienced ups and downs over the last years, but despite problems the two remain intertwined and cooperative. From the refugee crisis and subsequent deal, to criticisms from the EU parliament, or the decades long accession talks, their relations are complex and dynamic.

Dr Senem Aydin-Duzgit, an expert on Turkey-EU relations, will lead a discussion on relations between Turkey and the EU at an open forum organised by CEFTUS on 8 March 2017.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biography

Senem Aydın-Duzgit is a Senior Scholar and the Research and Academic Affairs Coordinator at Istanbul Policy Center and an Associate Professor of International Relations at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Sabancı University.

She was previously a Jean Monnet Chair of EU Political and Administrative Studies in the Department of International Relations at Istanbul Bilgi University. Her main research interests include EU enlargement, Turkish foreign policy, discourse studies, politics of identity, and democratization. She holds a PhD from Vrije Universiteit Brussels, an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a BA from Boğaziçi University.

Her articles have been published in West European Politics, Cooperation and Conflict, South European Society and Politics, Alternatives, International Relations, and Politique Europeenne. She is the author (with Nathalie Tocci) of ‘Turkey and the European Union’ (Palgrave, 2015) and ‘Constructions of European Identity: Debates and Discourses on Turkey and the EU’ (Palgrave, 2012). She is a member of the ECFR Council, a board member of the Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM), and a member of the Global Relations Forum (GIF). She also serves as the Associate Editor of South European Society and Politics. She was awarded the Young Scientist Award of Turkey’s Science Academy (BAGEP) in 2014.

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) is pleased to invite you to a public forum with Dr Ibrahim Sirkeci, Professor of Transnational Studies and Marketing and the Director of the Regent’s Centre for Transnational Studies (RCTS) at Regent’s University London, and Dr Saniye Dedeoglu, Associate Professor of Social Policy at the Department of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Turkey.

This event is kindly hosted and chaired by Kate Osamor, Labour MP for Edmonton.

Please see speaker biographies below.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Wednesday, 29 March 2017 in Committee Room 10, House of Commons.

Please note that security checks are required to enter the House of Commons, we kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM, allowing the event to start and end on time.

Immigrant integration has become ever more important as Europe faces a migration crisis and Britain has decided to leave the European Union partly due to discontent over intra-European migration. Two expert speakers will reflect on their new book, co-authored by eight academics, investigating the migration and integration patterns of Turkey-origin diaspora populations in Britain. They cover a wide range of topics including the characteristics of the diaspora population, employment experiences, gender relations, political participation, religious organisations and football leagues, all wrapped around a narrative of integration.

The speakers will discuss issues around integration and migration, drawing on official statistics and hundreds of face-to-face interviews carried out across the UK. “Turkish migration to the British Isles has a long history but sizeable diaspora communities and enclaves of Turkish origin have emerged only in the last four to five decades. The first groups to arrive were Cypriots fleeing the troubled island in the Eastern Mediterranean, at a time when Turks and Kurds of the mainland were not even considering the UK as a destination. The speakers’ recent book is about contemporary movers from Turkey, their movement trajectories, practices, and integration in Britain. Turkey is now at the forefront of accommodating large scale inward mobility mostly due to the crisis in Syria and Iraq. This also brings some attention to Turkey’s own diaspora populations.”

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Saniye Dedeoglu is Associate Professor of Social Policy in Department of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Turkey. She received her PhD in 2005 from the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London). Dr Dedeoglu is author of several books including Migrants, Work and Social Integration – Women’s Labour (2014, Palgrave).Further info: https://mugla.academia.edu/SaniyeDedeoglu 

Ibrahim Sirkeci is Professor of Transnational Studies and Marketing and the Director of the Regent’s Centre for Transnational Studies (RCTS) at Regent’s University London. Prof Sirkeci has worked at the University of Bristol before joining Regent’s in 2005. Sirkeci holds a PhD from the University of Sheffield and a BA from Bilkent University. He is editor of several journals including Migration Letters and he chairs the Migration Conferences. Prof Sirkeci authored several books including the award winning Cultures of Migration (2011, University of Texas Press). Further info: www.sirkeci.co.uk

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) is pleased to invite you to a public forum with Dr Can Paker, Chairman of the Board at Inovent, a Board Member at Akbank, and a founding member and Chairman of PODEM (Center for Public Policy and Democracy Studies) on 30th March 2017.

This event is kindly hosted by Virenda Sharma MP for Ealing, Southall.

Please see speaker biography below.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Wednesday, 30 March 2017 in Committee Room 9, House of Commons.

Please note that security checks are required to enter House of Commons, we kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM, allowing the event to start and end promptly on time.

Can Paker, former chairman of TESEV and founding member and Chairman of PODEM, influential Turkish think tanks, will talk on the upcoming referendum on the proposed changes to Turkey’s constitution. The changes proposed would significantly alter the structure of Turkey’s government and so the vote has big implications for Turkey’s future. Paker will be presenting his perspectives on this and a number of other issues at our public forum in the Houses of Parliament. He will present a historical overview of politics and sociological developments in Turkey, and how these have led to the referendum.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biography

Can Paker was born in İstanbul in 1942. He received his master’s degree from Berlin Technical University and his PhD from Yildiz Technical University in mechanical engineering. He went to receive an MBA from Columbia University in 1973. Starting his professional career at Turk Henkel in 1971, he held various senior positions in the company, and served as the general manager from 1984 and president of the Board of Directors until 2004. He still serves as an executive at B.O.Y. Consulting which he founded in 2004.

Paker held positions on the boards of several private companies and civil society organizations such as the Sabanci Holding, Sabanci University, Dedeman Holding, Goldern Horn Ventures, Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD), İstanbul Culture and Arts Foundation (İKSV), The Open Society Foundation in Turkey and Robert College. He served as the Chairman of TESEV (Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation) between 1997 and 2015.

Currently he is the Chairman of the Board at Inovent A.Ş., a Board Member at Akbank, and a founding member and Chairman of PODEM (Center for Public Policy and Democracy Studies), an İstanbul based think tank established in 2015.

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) is pleased to invite you to a public forum with Mr Erdogan Aydin, a Writer and National Delegate of Human Rights Association of Turkey on 27 March 2017.

This event is kindly hosted and chaired by Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington.

Please see speaker biography below.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Monday, 27 March 2017 in Committee Room 15, House of Commons.

Please note that security checks are required to enter House of Commons, we kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM, allowing the event to start and end promptly on time.

A referendum on the proposed changes to Turkey’s constitution will take place on 16th April 2017. The changes proposed would significantly alter the structure of Turkey’s government and so the vote has big implications for Turkey’s future. Mr Erdogan Aydin who analyses Turkey’s foreign and domestic politics with a focus on alternative historiography in his writings will share his perspective on the upcoming referendum.   

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biography

Erdogan Aydın is an eminent writer who focuses on alternative historiography. He wrote his first book ‘The Truth of Islam’ and won The Turan Dursun Best Research Award 1992. He writes columns in national Turkish newspapers. Currently, he writes political analyses on foreign relations and domestic issues of Turkey on T24 internet news site. He is also a well known TV commentator. He teaches history, Middle Eastern studies and domestic politics of Turkey at Ozgur University which is an independent, alternative education platform.
Erdogan Aydın is a  national delegate of Human Rights Association of Turkey and  Coordination Board Member of Union for Democracy (DIB: Demokrasi Icin Birlik) in Turkey that is established by intellectuals and advocates democratisation reforms in Turkey.

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) and the King’s College London Diplomacy Society are pleased to invite you to a public forum with Dr Gulcin Ozkan, Professor of Economics at the University of York on 4th April 2017.

Please see speaker biography below.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Wednesday, 4 April 2017 in the Nash Lecture Theatre, King’s College (Strand, London WC2R 2LS)

The closest underground station is Temple (Circle & District Line) and the campus is right next to Somerset House. Further directions can be found here for the venue.

A referendum on the proposed changes to Turkey’s constitution will take place on 16th April 2017. The changes proposed would significantly alter the structure of Turkey’s government and so the vote has big implications for Turkey’s future.

Dr Gulcin Ozkan of the University of York will share her findings from her study of the effect that presidential systems have on their countries’ economies compared against parliamentary systems.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

About

The King’s College London Diplomacy Society is the largest university-level foreign affairs society in London with the main aim of providing ambitious students with the chance to better understand contemporary politics the world over and what it takes to be a successful ambassador, diplomat, and statesperson.

Speaker Biography

Gulcin Ozkan is a Professor of Economics at the University of York. She holds a BSc in Economics from METU, Ankara, Turkey, an MSc in Economics from the University of Warwick, and a PhD from the University of York. She has taught at various institutions, including METU, Durham University and the University of York. She is also the Managing Editor of the Bulletin of Economic Research. She was the Academic Secretary to the Money, Macro and Finance Group – the leading research group in financial, macro and monetary economics in the UK – from 2010 to 2015.

She is an expert in the macroeconomics of emerging market countries and has written widely on currency and financial crises, central bank independence, exchange rate regimes, as well as various political economy issues. Her early publications on currency crises have been very widely cited and seen as the leading examples of the second generation currency crises literature. More recently, she published on how the global financial crisis was transmitted on to the emerging market economies. Her current work covers issues such as fiscal austerity, Brexit, and the economic sources of populism.

She has worked with a large number of PhD students over the years, eighteen of whom have so far completed their degrees and are currently working at various academic and policy making institutions including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Central Bank of Turkey, the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, the Prime Minister’s Office of Korea, the Irish Government Department of Finance, Universiti Putra Malaysia, the University of Monterrey Mexico,  the University of Bath, Newcastle University, Queen Mary’s College and King’s College, London.

Her recent work on ‘Who does better for the economy? Presidents versus parliamentary democracies’, together with Richard McManus, has frequently featured in the Turkish press and has been widely used in the current debate on the proposed changes to the Turkish constitution to be voted on in the upcoming referendum on 16 April.

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) in partnership with the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society (FLJS) is pleased to invite you to a public forum with Dr Bill Kissane, a political scientist and historian, and Associate Professor in Politics at the London School of Economics on 13th April 2017.

Please see speaker biography below.

The event will take place between 6.30 -8:00PM on 13th April in Diskus Room of Unite the Union.

Full address is 128 Theobald’s Road, Holborn, London, WC1X 8TN.

A referendum on the proposed changes to Turkey’s constitution will take place on 16th April 2017. The changes proposed would significantly alter the structure of Turkey’s government and so the vote has big implications for Turkey’s future.

Dr Bill Kissane will present on his recently published policy briefing entitled, ‘What Is at Stake in the Turkish Constitutional Referendum?’, where he assesses the prospects for a free and fair vote on the most ambitious changes to the Turkish constitution yet seen, which was called in the aftermath of the failed military coup of 2016.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biography

Bill Kissane is a political scientist and historian, and Associate Professor in Politics at the London School of Economics, where he is a member of the Conflict Research Group. He is the author of several books including New Beginnings: Constitutionalism and Democracy in Modern Ireland (University College Dublin Press, 2011) and Nations Torn Asunder: the Challenge of Civil War (Oxford University Press, 2016). He has held visiting positions at University College Dublin, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Bielefeld, and the National Humanities Centre in North Carolina.

About the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society (FLJS)

The mission of the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society (FLJS) is to study, reflect on, and promote an understanding of the role that law plays in society. This is achieved by identifying and analysing issues of contemporary interest and importance. In doing so, it draws on the work of scholars and researchers, and aims to make its work easily accessible to practitioners and professionals, whether in government, business, or the law.

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) will be holding a roundtable event with Dr Can Paker, Chairman of the Board at Inovent, a Board Member at Akbank, and a founding member and chair of  PODEM (Center for Public Policy and Democracy Studies) on 30th March 2017.

Please see speaker biography below.

This event will be kindly hosted and chaired by Lord Sheikh.

The event will take place between 1-2:30 PM on Thursday, 30 March 2017 in Committee Room 2, House of Lords.

Please note that security checks are required to enter House of Lords, we kindly ask you to arrive at 12:45 PM, allowing the event to start and end promptly on time.

Please note that this event is Invitation Only and places are limited. 

Dr Can Paker, former chairman of TESEV and founding member of PODEM, both influential Turkish think tanks, will speak on recent political developments in Turkey while also analysing the country’s political history in relation to the upcoming referendum on the proposed changes to Turkey’s constitution and its  implications for the future.

Speaker Biography

Can Paker was born in İstanbul in 1942. He received his master’s degree from Berlin Technical University and his PhD from Yildiz Technical University in mechanical engineering. He went to receive an MBA from Columbia University in 1973. Starting his professional career at Turk Henkel in 1971, he held various senior positions in the company, and served as the general manager from 1984 and president of the Board of Directors until 2004. He still serves as an executive at B.O.Y. Consulting which he founded in 2004.

Paker held positions on the boards of several private companies and civil society organizations such as the Sabanci Holding, Sabanci University, Dedeman Holding, Goldern Horn Ventures, Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD), İstanbul Culture and Arts Foundation (İKSV), The Open Society Foundation in Turkey and Robert College. He served as the Chairman of TESEV (Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation) between 1997 and 2015.

Currently he is the Chairman of the Board at Inovent A.Ş., a Board Member at Akbank, and a founding member of PODEM (Center for Public Policy and Democracy Studies), an İstanbul based think tank established in 2015.

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We are proud to announce that we will be presenting the Sixth Annual Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot Community Achievement Awards at the CEFTUS Anniversary Gala later this year.

If you know a Turk, Kurd or Turkish Cypriot who deserves recognition for their hard work in the community then we invite you to nominate them for an award!

You can do this by filling out a nomination form with the name, contact details and a reason why you think your nominee qualifies them for an award. To fill out the form, please follow this link.

The categories are listed below:

Female /Male Role Model
Politics and Education

Law Firm/Lawyers
Community Organisations/Charity
Businessman of the year
Businesswoman of the year
Food and restaurants
Financial Services/Accountancy
Wholesalers/Production/best Employer

Young Entrepreneurs

Commemorating the foundation of the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) in 2011, CEFTUS presented the Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot Community Achievement Awards at its Anniversary Gala last year for the fifth time in the presence of British and Turkish politicians from various parties including Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn as well as foreign dignitaries, community and business leaders.

CEFTUS has continued to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work of Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot women, men, companies and organisations in the UK in several fields. Our winners were awarded for their great work in various business sectors such as financial services, law, wholesale, production employment and restaurants, as well as in other areas such as journalism, education and political activity. For a full list of last year’s winners, please click here.

Among these exemplary winners were Cllr Mete Coban who was awarded a Politics and Education Award for his work in youth political engagement through his organisation My Life My Say as was Dr Tunc Aybak for his numerous academic achievements. Cllr Makbule Gunes and Akif Rizgar Wan were awarded with Female and Male Role Model awards respectively.

Gulen Coban of Mez-Opotamia Restaurant was awarded Successful Businesswoman and Tony Manconi, Efe Cakarel and Ali Sancak received awards as Successful Businessmen. Muhammet Cankiran and Sinan Fidanci of Oakfield Solicitors were also awarded in the Law category and Ali Matur of Holland Bazaar, Kemal Gondas of United Paper Products and Deniz Suyur of Esin Cash and Carry won Wholesalers/Production/Best Employer awards. Many other awards were handed out as a part of this celebration.

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) and the Friends of Cyprus are pleased to invite you to a public forum with keynote speaker Sener Elcil, General Secretary of KTOS, the Turkish Cypriot Primary Teachers Trade Union.

Please see speaker biography below.

This event is kindly hosted by Fabian Hamilton, Labour MP for Leeds North East.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Wednesday, 19th April 2017 in Committee Room 8, House of Commons.

Please note that as security checks are required to enter House of Commons, we kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM, allowing the event to start and end on time.

A referendum on the proposed changes to Turkey’s constitution will take place on 16th April 2017. The changes proposed would significantly alter the structure of Turkey’s government and so the vote has big implications for Turkey’s domestic and foreign policies.

The result of the referendum may have an impact on the Cyprus talks. Mr Elcil will discuss the chances of a Cyprus settlement based on the outcome of the Referendum in Turkey and the consequences of a settlement for Cyprus, Turkey, the UK,  the EU and the UN.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biography

Sener Elcil has been the General Secretary of KTOS, the Turkish Cypriot Primary Teachers Trade Union, since 2001. He supported Turkish Cypriot Leader, Mustafa Akinci from the day he decided to stand. He works on education, with teachers, pupils and schools in the north of Cyprus, but also with Greek and Turkish Cypriots in the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research, and for the establishment of the Home for Cooperation in the Buffer Zone. In 2009 he was elected to  represent Cyprus as a whole on the Executive of the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE).  He has since made arrangements to alternate with his equivalent Greek Cypriot teacher trade union leader. He has led the Turkish Cypriot Trade Union Platform to both the European Parliament and the UK Parliament.  Last year he won the 2016 European Citizen’s Prize awarded by the European Parliament. He was also awarded a prize with his colleague and friend Christos Efthymiou for their work together in the Bicommunal Peace Initiative in which capacity they have visited the two Cyprus Leaders, Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci, and leaders of the Cypriot political parties. He has worked to get left parties in the north of Cyprus to work together including the Social Democratic Party whose representatives addressed a CEFTUS meeting. The setting up of the Education Technical committee last year reflects the importance of education to the future of Cyprus. This year he has backed the platform to urge the 100,000 Turks living in Cyprus to vote No in the presidential referendum but is aware that many Cypriots believe that a Yes in the Referendum is better for a Cyprus settlement. He is in the UK to be awarded another prize from the Teachers Union, NASUWT and brief people about what is happening in Cyprus and the peace talks.  

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The Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) and Index on Censorship are pleased to invite you to a public forum with Special Adviser to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Guney Yildiz, award-winning Turkish-British technologist Alp Toker and Index on Censorship’s Head of Advocacy Melody Patry on 20th April 2017.

Please see speaker biographies below.

This event is kindly hosted by Neil Coyle, Labour MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark.

The event will take place between 7-9PM on Thursday, 20th April 2017 in Committee Room 9, House of Commons.

Please note that as security checks are required to enter House of Commons, we kindly ask you to arrive at 6.30PM, allowing the event to start and end on time.

A referendum on the proposed changes to Turkey’s constitution will take place on 16th April 2017. The changes proposed would significantly alter the structure of Turkey’s government and so the vote has big implications for Turkey’s future.

Our guest speakers will analyse the result of the referendum on Turkey’s domestic and foreign policies and freedom of expression in particular.

This event will also mark Index’s Freedom of Expression awards that celebrate the courage and creativity of some of the world’s greatest journalists, campaigners, inventors and artists.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Speaker Biographies

Guney Yildiz

Guney Yildiz is Special Adviser to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and Turkish and Kurdish Affairs Analyst. Previously, he was a Broadcast Journalist with the BBC World Service where he covered international news and current affairs specialising in Turkey and the Kurds. He has published articles and provided expert opinion on Turkey and the Kurds for various BBC’s TV, Radio and Online outlets. Yildiz worked for the BBC’s Turkish Service and Turkish Daily News, the country’s only English language daily at the time. He completed his master’s degree in Politics and Communication at the London School of Economics following his undergraduate degree in Philosophy at Middle East Technical University. He worked as research assistant at the Department of Communication and Design at Bilkent University.

Turkey Blocks and Alp Toker

British Turkish technologist Alp Toker founded Turkey Blocks using his own savings after being unable to find out what happened to friends and relatives in the aftermath of the Ankara bombings in 2015. Using Raspberry Pi based technology, Turkey Blocks detect mass-scale social media censorship, internet restrictions and power outages in real-time. Using this tool, Turkey Blocks have since broken news of more than 14 mass-censorship incidents online during politically significant events in 2016. The tool has proved so successful that it has begun to be implemented elsewhere globally.

“Alp Toker and Turkey Blocks’ work is important because it is going to have impact not just in Turkey but across the world” – Anab Jain, TED Fellow, Designer and co-founder Superfluxx.

Index on Censorship and Melody Patry

Index on Censorship is a nonprofit that campaigns for and defends free expression worldwide. We publish work by censored writers and artists, promote debate, and monitor threats to free speech. We believe that everyone should be free to express themselves without fear of harm or persecution – no matter what their views.

Melody Patry has been on numerous delegations to Turkey, provides research and analysis for Index’s policy formulation and works in building relationships with stakeholders to support our domestic and international programmes. Previously she worked as a political adviser for the European External Action Service and as writer and videographer supporting human rights NGOs in Egypt.

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