BUPERC Press Release

WOMEN OF TURKEY, GREECE, NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN CYPRUS CAME TOGETHER THIS WEEK

TO TRAIN IN PEACE CULTURE AND NON-VIOLENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Boğaziçi University Peace Education Application and Research Center, in collaboration with WINPEACE (Women of Greece and Turkey Initiative for Peace) organized a Training of Trainers for women active in Non-Governmental Organizations from Türkiye, Greece,  Southern and Northern Cyprus to engender a culture of peace among organisations and communities in this region, at Bosphorus University in Istanbul between 25-30 June 2008.

The purpose of the training is to equip women to practice as peace education trainers through their organisations, and the  common language and culture of the multi-cultural and multilingual group of participating trainees and facilitators is the discourse of peace itself.

The workshops are aimed at women-based organizations, labour unions, vocational organizations and academics from neighbouring countries targeting the enhancement of peace and non-violent conflict resolution within this region.

The demand for participation was an indication of the overwhelming need for such training among NGOs. Participants are representatives of NGO’s, academics, labour organisations, trade unions and women’s organisations with a focus on peace, including Turkish delegates from organisations in Adana, Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Bartin and Van; Greek partıcıpants were representatives of peace organisations, women’s movements and international organisations, and psychologists and trainers specialising in psychological health and non-conflict training. Northern Cyprus was represented by the Turkish Women’s Solidarity Council and KAYAD - Social Centre  and Southern Cyprus by the Peace Education Centre,  a  woman academic facilitator and women NGO representatives.

It is anticipated that this intensive week-long training will contribute, in important even if minor ways, to the enhancement of inter-cultural and inter-community relations in the region,  through supporting the dissemination of peace culture and the practice of non-violent conflict resolution, and it is expected that women participating in this training will be taking the lead in spreading the word on peace culture in their organisations, their communities and their countries.

The training was made possible with the support of the following organisations and individuals:

Contemporary Independent Solidarity Society (ÇABA),

Fredrick Ebert Stiftung Turkey

Bosphorus University

Special thanks are due to the Rector of Bosphorus University, Prof.Dr. Ayse Soysal, and Assistant Rectors, Prof.Dr. Gülen Aktaş and Prof. Dr. Cem Behar .

THE PEACE EDUCATION, APPLICATION AND RESEARCH CENTRE IN TURKEY - BUPERC -  an interdisciplinary body founded on 30 august 2007 within the Rectorate of Bosphorus University, strives to promote increased respect for human rights, harmonious co-existence,  empathy, the elimination of discrimination and the establishment of a pedagogical culture of  peaceful conflict resolution within the field of education in our region. The centre, the first of its kind to be founded in Turkey aims to work for active collaboration among NGOs and academic institutions

To date, activities of the centre include an international symposium on Peace Journalism; conferences on such subjects as Peace and Globalisation, Gandhi and Passive Activism, Coping with Conflict-related Trauma; teacher trainings on peace education,  non-violent conflict resolution training for BU student volunteers participating in a self-designed project for the  education of less-privileged children in the district of Tarlabaşı; a film festival and panel on the theme of human rights in collaboration with the Mithat Alam Film Center; and a peace and art themed panel created as part of an international students cultural event at Bosphorus University. Members of the centre have also attended international conferences and workshops on peace education in the US., India, Hungary and in Turkey. The interest being shown in the work of the centre is indicative of the  need for non-violent conflict resolution training in Turkey.   

WINPEACE,  founded in 1997 by women of Turkey and Greece with the later addition of women from northern and southern Cyprus,  to engender a culture of peace in both countries and promote the development of peaceful inter-community relations in the region.  In addition to the promotion of constructive dialogue among women, WINPEACE continues to develop young ‘Peace Envoys’ by bringing together youth of all three countries for training in conflict resolution during summer camps.