Turkey’s Human Rights Association (İHD) is set to host a ‘Resolution to the Kurdish Question and Peace Conference’ on 16-17 March in the country’s Kurdish-majority southeastern Diyarbakir (Amed), provincial officials of the leading human rights watchdog announced on Wednesday in a pre-conference briefing to journalists.
İHD Diyarbakir Branch President Ercan Yılmaz provided insights into the programme content, engaging with journalists to exchange views. The conference, which is expected to attract at least 110 participants, seeks to explore solutions to the Kurdish issue through various discussions.
The conference will feature sessions on ‘Conflict Resolution and Peace Process Experiences Worldwide’, moderated by Yüksel Genç, Coordinator of the Socio-Political Field Research Centre (SAMER). Speakers will include Sinn Fein MP Franncie Molloy, George Rashmawi from the Union of European Palestinian Communities and Organisations, and Dr. Ferda Fahrioğlu Akın from the Democracy, Peace and Alternative Politics Research Association (DEMOS).
Another session titled ‘Peace in the Middle East and the Democratic Solution to the Kurdish Issue’ will be moderated by İHD’s Selahattin Esmer, with speakers including Dr. Arzu Yılmaz from Hewler University and Cengiz Çandar, Diyarbakir MP from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party.
The final session, ‘Is a New Peace Process Possible in Turkey’s Second Century of the Republic?’ will be moderated by Hakan Tahmaz from the Peace Foundation, featuring journalist Ali Bayramoğlu as speaker.
The programme on 17 March will include sessions on the role of civil society and women in peacebuilding, moderated by journalist Nadire Mater and İHD Co-President and renowned rights advocate Eren Keskin, respectively. Speakers will include Murat Çelikkan from the Truth Justice Memory Centre, Erkan Şenses, President of the Batman (Elih) Bar Association, Fatma Bostan Ünsal from the Right Initiative Association, and Figen Aras from the Women’s Academy.
A session on ‘Politics, Authority and Peace’, moderated by former Diyarbakır Bar Association President Ahmet Özen, will feature speakers from DEM Party, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), discussing the political dimensions of peacebuilding.
The conference will conclude with closing remarks and evaluations, with the expectation of publishing a final declaration thereafter. This significant event aims to bring together diverse perspectives to forge a path towards resolving the Kurdish issue and achieving lasting peace in the region.
