The European Parliament in Brussels will host the 16the International Conference on “The European Union, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds” on the 5th and 6th of February.

The annual conference organised by European Union Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) in cooperation with the Kurdish Institute of Brussels will witness the participation of a several political parties and renowned individuals.

According to the announced program, the conference is supported by European United Left – Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), the Greens/EFA and Socialists and Democrats (S&D).

The patrons of the conference are;

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, South Africa

Shirin Ebadi, Human Rights Lawyer, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Iran

Bianca Jagger, Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador, Chair of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, UK

Noam Chomsky, Institute Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

Leyla Zana, European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, Rafto Prize Laureate, Turkey

The opening speeches and greetings from 14.30 to 15.30 on the 5th of February will be presented by;

Prof. Dr. Kariane Westrheim, Chair of EUTCC, University of Bergen, Norway

Mr. Nikolaj Villumsen, MEP, European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), Denmark

Mr. Andreas Schieder, MEP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Austria

Mr. François Alfonsi, MEP, Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA), France

Mr. Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Vice-President of European Parliament, Greece

This will be followed by a panel to discuss “Oppression and Resistance in Turkey” from 15.30 to 17.00 which will be moderated by Joost Jongreden, University of Wageningen, EUTCC board member, Netherlands. The speakers include;

Mr Benoit Biteau, MEP, Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA), France

The Centre of Power and The Opposition in Turkey

Republican People's Party (CHP) Representatives were invited, Turkey

Opposition Between Unity and Division

Mr. Cihangir Islam, MP, Felicity Party (SP), Turkey

Turkey 2023: Dictatorship vs. Democracy

Ms. Gülistan Koçyiğit, MP, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Turkey

The second panel to discuss “The EU - Turkey Relationship: Accession Talks, Refugee Crisis and The Kurds” from 17.00 to 18.30 will be moderated by Prof. Cengiz Aktar, Political Scientist.

The panel program includes;

The Refugee Crisis and Europe’s Response

Ms. Tineke Strik, MEP, Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA), Netherlands

Accession talks - (Never) Ending Story?!

Mr. Udo Bullmann, MEP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Germany - tbc

The Kurdish Question and Europe: Criminalization vs. Responsibility for Peace Building

Mr. Jan Fermon, Lawyer, Belgium

Key Point Imrali: The Power for Freedom

Ms. Newroz Uysal, Lawyer, Asrın Law Office, Turkey

The second day of the conference, 06 February, Thursday will begin with a panel from 09.30 to 10:30. The panel to discuss “The Middle East in The Context of Turkey’s Invasion into North-Eastern Syria / Rojava” will be moderated by Ms. Evin Incir, MEP Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Sweden.

The topics of discussion and speakers are as follows;

Turkish Invasion of North-Eastern Syria / Rojava

Ms. Leila Chaibi, MEP European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), France

On the Trials of Ottoman Empire: Turkey´s Striving for Great Power

Dr. Gamal Soltan, Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, Egypt

The Kurds: Gordion Knot or Central Key

Søren Søndergaard, MP, Enhedslisten - The Red-Green Alliance, Denmark

Turkey’s Constitutional Genocide of the Kurds and other Non-Turkish Ethnicities

Mr. Kirmanc Gundi, Tennessee State University, US

Post-ISIS: Lines of Conflict with Ethnic and Denominational Impacts

Mr. Ferda Çetin, Journalist, Belgium

The following panel from 11:00 to 12:00 will discuss “The Turkish Invasion in Rojava and The Impact on Women and Gender Equality”, moderated by Ms. Maria Eugenía Rodríguez Palop, MEP, European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), Spain.

This will be followed by interviews with Representatives of Democratic Federation of Northern and East Syria; Ms. Seham Kerio, Ms. Parwin Yousef and Ms. Jihan Khudro.

The next panel from 12.00 to 13.00 will be moderated by Mr. Jürgen Klute, Former MEP, Germany and discuss “Europe and the Middle East: Self-Interest Versus Democracy”.

The topics of discussion and speakers are as follows;

European Perspectives on The Complexity of The Middle East

Mr. Brando Benifei, MEP Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Italy

Europe and The Kurdish Battle

Mr. Thomas Schmidinger, Political Scientist, University of Vienna, Austria

Transformation Process from The Kurdish Perspective in The Context of Democracy, Ecology and Gender Equality

Ms. Dersim Dağdeviren, KURD-AKAD, EUTCC Board Member, Germany

The following panel “There Are Alternatives!” from 15.00 to 16.00 will be moderated by Mr. Wladimir van Wilgenburg, Journalist, Netherlands.

Democracy in War Time: How a Society Reorganises Itself and Offers Perspectives Beyond the Middle East

Nazan Üstündağ, Sociologist, Germany

The Rise of Kurdish Women and Their Battle Against Feminicide

Ms. Aviva Stein, New World Summit, Netherlands

Rethinking Democracy: Kurdish Perspectives For 2023

Ms. Amed Dicle, Journalist, Belgium

Local Solutions to Global Challenges - Living International Solidarity

Mr. Juan Carlos Guerra Moldonado, Historian, Equador

The closing session from 16.15 to 17.00 will witness the presentation of Conclusions, Recommendations and Final Resolution with the participation of; Board of EUTCC, Dersim Dağdeviren, Germany, Michael Gunter, US, Joost Jongerden, Netherlands, Thomas J. Miley, UK, Estella Schmid, UK, Kariane Westrheim, Norway.

For any additional information, please contact the conference's secretariat: [email protected]