DPI held an online roundtable entitled ‘Youth’s Peace Memory & Vision in Turkey’ on 23 June 2021. This meeting was part of DPI’s planned series focusing on youth’s understanding and perception of the peace process.
Turkey is one of the countries with the highest percentage of young population in the world and Europe. However, since the beginning of armed conflict between PKK and the Turkish state in 1984, several generations have been subjected to both the direct and indirect effects of the conflict.
In the light of the principle that youth can play a positive role in the prevention of conflict and peacebuilding in any given country, this series of DPI, titled ‘Youth’s Peace Memory & Vision in Turkey’ aims to understand the youth’s voice regarding peace through their shared and diverse concerns, their perception of peace as well as their expectations of a potential peace process in Turkey.
The aims and objectives of this meeting were to discuss the experiences of one of the youngest members of the Wise People Committee, namely Yıldıray Oğur; to provide a platform for young people to discuss their memories, perceptions and visions regarding the previous peace process in Turkey, as well as their different concerns and priorities for peace. The meeting is part of a larger series of activities planned in the context of the project: “Forging Pathways to Peace and Democracy in Turkey”, supported by the Norwegian and Irish government.