The EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) will hold its 19th International Conference on EU Turkey and the Kurds on 26-27 March 2025 in the European Parliament. The theme of the conference is "The EU, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds".

The EUTCC wrote presenting this year's conference that it "comes at a time of increasing wars and political uncertainty in the world. In addition, the conference has a special significance in these historic times when the Middle East is being reconstructed and important steps towards a political solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey are being taken and discussed. In such a critical process, it will be very important to discuss what the wider public, especially the EU, should or can do for peace and democracy. A peaceful and democratic regional process is only possible with broad support. That is why your participation in our conference and your expertise will be particularly important."

The conference will be hosted by the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) in cooperation with The Left, the Greens-European Free Alliance and the Groups of the Free Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.

For 19 years, the EUTCC has organised annual international conferences in the European Parliament, focusing on the Kurdish question and democratic processes in Turkey. With invited civil society organisations, academics, European, Turkish and Kurdish politicians, policy-makers and activists, these conferences have received international attention, politically and in the media. 

The program is as follows: 

Wednesday, 26 March, 17.00-18.00

OPENING SESSION, Room SPAAK 04B01

Opening Speeches and Greetings

Ms. Kariane Westrheim, Chair of EUTCC, University of Bergen, Norway

Mr. Andreas Schieder, MEP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Austria

Ms. Jody Williams, Nobel Laureate, US

Ms. Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Laureate, UK

Wednesday, 26 March 2025, 18.00-20:00

Panel I – Room SPAAK 04B01

The Middle East in Turmoil: Interactions and Challenges Moderator: Mr. Cahit Mervan, journalist, Belgium

Keynote Speech

Ms. Ilham Ehmed, Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria Foreign Relations Representative, Syria

Panel debate:

Mr. Michael Gunter, EUTCC Secretary General, Tennessee Technological University, US (online)

Ms. Czarina Golda S. Musni, Human Rights Lawyer, Phillipines

Mr. Ali Duran Topuz, journalist, Turkey

Ms. Hannah Neumann, MEP, The Greens/EFA, Spain

Mr. Vladimir Prebilic, MEP, The Greens/EFA, Slovenya

Ms. Melissa Camara, MEP, 1st Vice-Chair of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, The Greens/EFA, France

Mr. Thijs Reuten, MEP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Netherlands

Mr. Pernando Barrena, MEP, The Left, Spain

Questions and Discussion with Moderators and Speakers

Thursday, 27 March 2025, 09.30-11.00

Panel II – Room SPINELLI 1G2

A New Chapter in Turkey: Obstacles and Opportunities for Peace and Reconciliation Moderator: Ms. Dersim Dagdeviren, EUTCC board member, Kurd-Akad, Germany

Mr. Tuncer Bakirhan, DEM Party MP, member of the Imrali delegation, Turkey

Mr. Cengiz Yürekli, Asrin Law Office, Turkey

Questions and Discussion with Moderators and Speakers

Thursday, 27 March 2025, 11.00-13.00

Panel III – Room SPINELLI 1G2

Turkey in the New World Order

Moderator: Ms. Latife Akyüz, Europa University Viadrina, Germany

Mr. Sezgin Tanrikulu, CHP MP, Turkey (online)

Mr. Ferda Cetin, journalist, Belgium

Mr. Hüseyin Cicek, University of Vienna, Austria

Questions and Discussion with Moderators and Speakers

Thursday, 27 March 2025, 15:00-16:30

Panel IV – Room SPINELLI 1G2

The European Union, the Kurds and Turkey in the Context of Progress and Democracy Moderator: Ms. Arzu Yilmaz, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Mr. Joost Jongerden, Wageningen University, Netherlands

Ms. Meral Danis-Bestas, DEM Party MP, Turkey

Ms. Evin Incir, MEP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Sweden

Mr. Jonas Sjöstedt, MEP, The Left, Sweden

Ms. Li Anderson, MEP, The Left, Finland

Mr. Per Clausen, MEP, The Left, Denmark

Ms. Leila Chaibi, MEP, The Left, France

Mr. Leoluca Orlando, MEP, The Greens/EFA, Italy tbc

Questions and Discussion with Moderators and Speakers

Thursday, 27 March 2025, 16.30-18:00

Panel V – Room SPINELLI 1G2

Promoting Democracy – Shaping the Future Moderator: Ms. Christine Löw, University of Gießen, Germany tbc

Ms. Shilan Fuad Hussain, Institute of Domestic Violence, Religion & Migration, UK

Ms. Nilüfer Koc, Kurdistan National Congress Foreign Relations Spokesperson, Belgium

Questions and Discussion with Moderators and Speakers

Thursday, 27 March 2025, 18.00-18.30

Closing Session – Room SPINELLI 1G2

Conclusions, Recommendations and Final Resolution

Board of EUTCC