The second Democracy and Peace Conference, organized by the People’s Democratic Congress, HDK, has begun in Ankara today at the Conference Hall of the Chamber of Civil Engineers. The 2-day conference is being held under the slogan “We salute the Kobanê resistance”.

Many people from different organizations are attending the conference. In addition to HDP deputies, member groups of HDK and representatives of NGOs, co-mayor of  the Amed Metropolitan City Municipality, Gültan Kışanak, co-mayor of the Van Metropolitan City Municipality, Hatice Çoban, co-chair of the DBP, Kamuran Yüksek, co-chair of the DTK, Hatip Dicle, spokespersons of HDK, Sebahat Tuncel and Ertuğrul Kürkçü, are participating in the conference as well as representatives of the trade unions, human rights organisations and many academics.

People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Mersin deputy, Ertuğrul Kürkçü, was elected as the chairman of the conference and made the opening speech. Kürkçü said the aim was to make the environment of non-conflict permanent and to strengthen the peace and the resolution process, adding that although there has been a disappointment this year concerning peace, peace could prevail without hoping for it. Kürkçü stressed that in order for peace to prevail, every possible risk must be taken. Kürkçü put emphasis on the fact that Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan remains determined for peace and that the Kurdish people strongly support it, adding that the brutal assaults of ISIS gangs made Turkey address the peace process with a new terminology. Kürkçü said that today peace cannot even be discussed without taking into consideration the situation in Syria, Iran and Iraq and stressed that there must be an inclusive and holistic approach towards peace and the process of resolution.

Kürkçü further stressed that the great resistance in Kobanê had attracted attention from all over the world and said if it is still today possible to talk about peace, it is the Kobanê resistance that made it to a greater extent possible. Kürkçü drew attention to the fact that it would have not been possible to talk about peace in Turkey if Kobanê had fallen, adding that Kurds could not have thought anything else when their rights were put in jeopardy while the state looked on in Kobanê. Kürkçü also said the ruling power in Turkey fails to appreciate the contributions made to peace, but that they will continue to express their belief in peace. Kürkçü added that those who struggle for peace and those lovers of freedom who mobilise for Kobanê are all contributing to the peace. Kürkçü ended his speech by saying that peace is a gift to be won, and that they want to earn it through their struggle.