The 8th International Conference on "EU, Turkey and the Kurds" begins today and will continue tomorrow Thursday 8 December at the European Parliament.

The title of this year's conference is "The Quest for Democracy in Turkey - Universal Rights and Kurdish Self-Determination and the Struggles over the New Constitution".

The venue will be the European Parliament, Brussels

Patrons of the conference are Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, South Africa; Dr. Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Iran; Bianca Jagger, Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador

Chair of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation; Professor Noam Chomsky

Writer; Yasar Kemal, Writer; Vedat Turkali, Writer and Leyla Zana MP

European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, Rafto Prize Laureate.

Here is a draft programme of the conference (TBC stands for to be confirmed)

Wednesday, 7th December 2011, 15.00-16.30

Opening Session, Room ASP 1G2

Opening Remarks and Greetings

Ms. Kariane Westrheim, PhD, Chair of the "European Union - Turkey Civic Commission" (EUTCC), Associate Professor at the University of Bergen, Norway

Video messages of Conference's Patrons Mr. Yasar Kemal and Mr. Vedat Turkali, and of Mr. Osman Baydemir, Mayor of Dyiarbakir, Turkey

Opening Speeches

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

Mr. Ahmet Turk (TBC), Member of Turkish Parliament, Co-Chair of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Turkey

MEP Jürgen Klute, Member of the European Parliament, Member of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, Coordinator of the EP-Kurds Friendship Group, GUE/NGL Group, Germany

Mr. Lincoln Davis, former US Congressman, co-founder and former co-chair of the Kurdish Caucus in US Congress, United States

MP Jim Kakygiannis, Member of the Canadian Parliament, House of Commons, Liberal Group, Canada

Ms. Kathryn Cameron Porter, Chair of "Leadership Council for Human Rights" (LCHR), United States

Wednesday, 7th December 2011, 16.30-18.30

Panel I, Room ASP 1G2

Post-election Turkey and Kurdish Perspectives


Moderators

MEP Alexandra Thein, Member of the European Parliament, ALDE Group, Germany & Ms. Nuray Mert, Associated Professor and journalist of Turkish daily "Milliyet", Turkey

A. Kurdish perspectives: Assessments of political developments and the current situation

Ms. Gultan Kisanak, Member of Turkish Parliament, Co-Chair of BDP Party, Turkey

B. The Arab Spring – The democratic awakening in the region and the Kurdish question

Mr. Robert Lowe, Manager, Middle East Centre, London School of Economics (LSE), UK

C. Rise and fall of the Kurdish Initiative in Turkey

Mr. Michael Gunter, Professor of Political Science, Tennessee Technological University, Secretary General of EUTCC, United States

D. The Kurdish issue & the EU Enlargement Process: implementation of the "Copenhagen Criteria" and the role of Turkey in international and regional politics

MEP Hélène Flautre (TBC), Member of the European Parliament, co-Chair of EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, Greens-EFA Group, France

E. Building consensus: broad alliances with Kurdish & Turkish democratic parties and civil society organizations

Mr. Ertuðrul Kürkçü, Member of Turkish Parliament, Spokesperson of Democratic People’s Congress

Questions and discussion with moderators & discussants

Thursday, 8 December 2011, 09.30-13.00

Panel II, Room ASP 1G2

The New Democratic Constitution: a Legal and Institutional Challenge

Moderators

MEP Søren Bo Søndergaard, Member of the European Parliament, GUE/NGL Group, Denmark & Mr. Jon Rud, human rights lawyer, Spain

A. Civil society organizations: proposals for a new democratic Constitution

1) Human rights and constitutional resolution of the Kurdish Issue in Turkey

Mr. Öztürk Türkdoðan, Chairperson of the Human Rights Association (IHD), Turkey

2) Key criteria for a new Constitution: minority and language rights

Mr. Ayhan Bilgen, human rights activist, journalist and writer, Turkey

3) The importance of promoting and protecting the rights of women: gender equality issues in Turkish law constitutional reform and politics

Ms. Aysegul Deveçioglu, women's rights activist, journalist and writer, Turkey

4) Promoting the rights of religious groups and communities

Mr. Kemal Bülbül, Vice-chairperson of Federation of Alevi, Bektashi Organisation (ABF), Turkey

5) Political prospect for a new democratic Constitution

Mr. Ihsan Daghi, Columnist and Professor at Middle East Technical University, Turkey

B. Towards a democratic Constitution: history and past as well as current lessons of constitutions in countries in transition

1) The South African Experience of the Right to Self-Determination from Apartheid to Democracy

Judge Essa Moosa, EUTCC Board of Directors, South Africa

2) Peoples' rights and constitutional struggles and debates

Prof. Dr Kamal Mitra Chenoy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

3) The Lessons from European experiments with Devolution of Power / Federalism and Confederalism

MP Hywel Williams, Plaid Cymru, House of Commons, UK

C. The Turkish Parliament and the new Constitution: what are the requirements for constitutional and political change?

1) Ms. Ayla Akat Ata, Member of Turkish Parliament, BDP Group, Turkey

2) Mr. Mustafa Sezgin Tanrikulu (TBC), Member of Turkish Parliament, CHP Group, CHP Vice-president & CHP responsible for human rights issues, Turkey

3) MP / academic from AKP (TBC)

Questions and discussion with moderators & discussants

Thursday, 8 December 2011 15.00-18.00

Panel III, Room ASP 1G2

Peace Building Initiatives for a Negotiated Political Solution

Moderators

MEP Jean Lambert (TBC), Member of the European Parliament, Greens-EGA Group, UK & Ms. Banu Güven, Journalist, Turkey

A. Prerequisites for peace in Turkey

1) The Kurdish perspective

Ms. Songül Karabulut, KNK

2) What will Turkey do to show its commitment to the resolution of the Kurdish question?

Mr. Cengiz Çandar, journalist and writer, "Radikal" daily newspaper, Turkey

3) The International Crisis Group's proposals for a solution to the Kurdish question

Mr. Hugh Pope, Project Director, International Crisis Group

4) Turkey: time to end the armed conflict and for a political solution to the Kurdish question

Mr. Selahattin Demirtas, Member of Turkish Parliament, co-Chair of BDP Party, Turkey

B. International experiences of peace & reconciliation-building measures and the recognition of direct and official negotiations between Turks and Kurds

1) The Right to Self-Determination in terms of International Law and how domestic Anti-terror Legislation impacts on such Right

Mr/Ms Irish Representative (TBC)

2) The central role of Abdullah Öcalan in the peace process and political negotiations

Mr. Cengiz Çiçek, Lawyer, Law Office of Century, Turkey

C. Confidence-building measures and the removal of punitive measures such as the “black lists”

Mr. Jan Fermon, Lawyer, Progress Lawyers Network, Belgium

Thursday, 8 December 2011, 18.00-18.30

Closing Session, Room ASP 1G2

EUTCC Declaration for a New Constitution