Mecidiyeköy Mahallesi Dereboyu Caddesi (Şehit Er Cihan Namlı Caddesi) Alaca İş Merkezi No:39/8 Şişli
Istanbul/
Turkey
- Democracy and community development
- Gender
- Human rights
- International/Cultural relations
- Others
- Research
- Youth and education
Our goal is to encourage everyone and every segment of the society to live in peace by showing what we have in common and, beyond societies that 'tolerate differences', to contribute to the formation of those that 'enjoy and embrace them'. Our strength comes from the voice of our global conscience that embraces people and doesn't value one person above another. This language belongs to Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi and many other world peace envoys.
Young Peace Initiative (GBİ) is an initiative that aims to contribute to the provision of the world peace, encourage everyone, initially youths to take initiative of doing best for peace and tries to increase awareness of society in the fields of social, cultural and educational aspects. Also, it aims to form dialogue platforms to contribute social peace and support societies development in terms of social, educational and economic sphere by providing to internalize peace culture as a whole and moreover, it targets to make a major contribution to protect fundamental human rights and freedom in any part of the world within the scope of universal rules of law
We, as the Young Peace Initiative Association which supports universal peace, believe that war has to be abondoned .We try to do our best with our heart about this situation. No matter how different or similar they are ,no matter who they are , no matter what religion or sect they have, we condemn all the people who create oppression and atrocities to the innocent people.We want all painful events to come to the conclusion. We believe that people who speak different languages ,believe in different religions but share the same sky can illuminate the common path with compassion,mercy and tolerance.
Young Peace Initiative Association(GBİ) had the right to be a participant of the United Nations Global Compact Network .We are delighted to be a part of this global network and so many civil society organizations and companies are the part of it.
YPI publishes youth magazine called "A youth magazine of ideas and research". In the magazine university students, tries to express their thoughts and they try to make a research on crucial political issues.
YPI had deserved to receive a fund from Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports with its project called "living together from individuals to societies" in 2014
YPI Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. Emre AKKAS represented Turkey in UNESCO Youth General Assembly which was held in Paris.
YPI former Academy director Fatih KAFADAR held official talks with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and presented GBİ and its work fields to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He was in Strasbourg to follow the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe between 27-31 January. He met the General Secretary of Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks .During the session , he mentioned YPI , its works and its ideals .
Young Peace Initiative Association (GBİ) organizes "Young Peace Initiative Free Chair "in every 3 weeks. The reasons that drag the societies into conflict and the problems that are located in the center of the society are initially a communication problem. Lack of mutual communication cause people’s understanding of each other false and mostly cause of a small issues unsolved. The most important way of the communication is talking and creates a dialogue. Only this way, people will have an opportunity to understand each other better and have a chance to develop solution strategy to society problems with the compromise of each other. Accordingly, Young Peace Initiative Academy Directory will create opinion platforms that young people can share the opinions of each other easily about the current events through free chair every 3 weeks. With this platforms, our intention is to see the young peoples’ ideas about the World problems clearly, furthermore; their offer solutions.
Fatih Kafadar, former director of the academy in Young Peace Initiative, participated 26th meeting of United Nations Human Rights Council. YPI has also its place in this international meeting where the candidate countries to UN and known NGO’S will attend. YPI remains to play crucial role at the international agenda.
YPI was also participated to Young Turkey Summit which was organized at Lütfü Kırdar Congress Center on the dates of May, 23-24 2014. The YPI stand that was remained open during the event, draw great attention of both students and speakers. YPI magazine and studies had a considerable impact on participants.
GBİ took a place in Common Reaction by Youths in Turkey Against Law on Denial of Armenian Genocide. The foundations of Young Peace Initiative were laid with a protest against the law on denial of Armenian genocide in front of French ambassy.This protest, appeared as “common reaction by youth branches of AKP (the ruling party) and CHP (the main opposition party)” in the media, was carried out along with an act by youth in Turkey which supports freedom of expression in their country and all over the world and adopt brotherhood of societies and solidarity against political interests as principle.
GBİ paid a visit to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprusand conducted a Cyprus Field Work between 6-9 February 2013,in order to hold official visits and do field work. A range of visits was held with prominent political leaders such as former President Mehmet Ali Talat, Special Foreign Affairs Envoy of Presidency Gülfem Veziroğlu Sevgili, the president of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Özkan Yorgancıoğlu and the president of the Democratic Party (DP) Serdar Denktaş. In the visits, by addressing the historical process of Cyprus Problem, ideas were exchanged about peace talks and alternative solution offers were suggested.
GBİ conducted a Panel on the Problem of Social Tensions and Reconciliation in Turkey. The panel about the social tensions and reconciliation was held in Davutpasa, Yıldız Technical University on may 18th.The panel aimed at analyzing the problem of tension and disaggrement in the country in terms of historical,sociological and political backgruonds and reveal the reasons behind the problem.More specifically,the goal of the panel was to hear the voices of different parts and make them heard by adding life experiences to these issues/problems with their human points of view.
GBİ organized a Panel on the Problem of Reconciliation and Trust in Turkey. We hosted a panel in which Suda Vidinli was moderator; columnist-writer Nazlı Ilıcak and academician-writer Ass.Prof.Ferhat Kentel were speakers. In the panel that took place at Santralİstanbul Campus of İstanbul Bilgi University, different aspects of the problem of reconciliation and trust in Turkey were discussed elaborately.
GBİ organized a panel on “From Violence to Peace in Sports” at Bahçehir University in cooperation with Bahçeşehir University’s Unit of UNESCO Culture of Peace and Human Rights. In the panel, the effect of Olympics and sports media language on youth. It was moderated by Okay Karacan- sports columnist of Zaman Newspaper and LİG TV commentator. Financial Director of Turkish Olympics Committee, Selam Somer, Fanatik Newspaper columnist, Cem Dizdar; Hürriyet Newspaper sports columnist, Bilgi Gökberk and Fanatik E-Newspaper edito-in chief, Serkan Akcan were the speakers. Mainly violence in sports, the role of media, societal change and being a candidate country for Olympics (İstanbul 2020) were discussed in the panel.
GBİ made a Conversation with journalist and activist, Aliya Turki of Syria and academician and journalist, Naveed Ahmed of Pakistan who are the winners of X-Cultural Reporting Competition Award organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations with their online multimedia project “Silent Heroes, Invisible Bridges
GBİ had a pleasant conversation with Tuğrul Paşaoğlu-Chairman of İletişim Publishing House and President of Turkish Publishers’ Union (YAYBİR). In this extensive and intimate conversation in which different developments from economy to technology and law were discussed, Mr. Paşaoğlu presented slices of his own life. He stated that: “Being an activist itself is not enough; if you cannot struggle to change something, to know just doesn’t make sense and he added that an activist should be dynamic, faithful and have the merit of believing in change. Finally, he emphasized that: “The power of a political movement has something crucial to do with societal imagination.
GBİ made a conversation with Telekurye Boar Member Asuman Dayı on Sunday, October 6, 2013. Sharing her own entrepreneurship story, she emphasized the necessity of individuals that are young, dynamic, modest and creative in Turkey. Mrs.Dayı drew attention to the importance of abroad experience for young people because of its crucial role in career planning and she added that every young person should go abroad and gain experience there. She also expressed that self-esteem, discipline and modesty would play a key role in maintaining a job career, making references to successful entrepreneurs in Turkey.
GBİ made a Middle East Peace panel took at Istanbul Sehir University . Lecturer Asst. Assoc. Dr. Didem Havlioğlu, Bogazici University Lecturer Assoc, Koray CALISKAN, Euronews Istanbul Representative Bora Bayraktar and General Coordinator of the Global Issues Platform Idris Kardas gave a speech in the panel .
GBİ organized a Kurdish Issue Panel which was held with the participation of the moderator of Assoc. Dr. Nezil Akyeşilmen ,Leader of HAK-PAR Kemal BURKAY, Adem Seles and Asst. Assoc. Dr. Bekir Bicer in Konya Chamber of Commerce Conference Hall on Tuesday 13 May 2014
YPI Konya Office, has carried out “ interpersonal negotiation talks according to Mevlana” with the participation of Mevlana Research Enstitute Manager of Selçuk University, Assoc. Prof. Nuri Şimşekler.
We as Young Peace Initiative (GBİ) give crucial impact on to bring different cultures, lives, thoughts and world views together and enable people to tolerate each other and live in a peaceful environment. We desire to make contributions to universal peace. Therefore, we will do our best, in order to succeed and achieve our target. As of Young Peace Assıciation, we have coordinators from 38 city and 68 Universities. We have close connections with youths in Turkey. Also people who are the member of executive committee of Young Peace Initiative, are studying or graduated from the reputable Universities in Turkey such as Bilkent, Galatasaray, Bahçeşehir, Bilgi, Fatih, Yıldız Teknik and Aydın University. We have enthusiasm to work with non governmental organisations who has similar goals with our initiative. We are one of the participant of the United Nations of Global Compact Network. Our project which focuses on dialogues between cultures have deserved to receive a grant from Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports. Also YPI Chairman of the Board Directors Emre Akkaş, represented Turkey and YPI in UNESCO Youth General Assembly, which held in Paris. Moreover, former Academy Director Fatih Kafadar, held offical talks with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and he also participated 26th meeting of United Nations Human Rights Council. YPI also has its place in this international meeting where the candidate countries to UN and known NGOs attend. We always try to be objective and also care about being impartial and neutral toward all political parties and media. Therefore we believe that with our qualified member of executive committee and active University coordinators from different parts of Turkey, we contribute to have effective and peaceful dialogues between different cultures which will also lead universal peace.
We as Young Peace Initiative, would be so pleased to join the ALF Network which is an organization shared by the 44 countries of the Union for the Mediterranean. As the purpose of ALS, have similar objects such as improving mutual respect between cultures and overcoming the misunderstandings and stereotypes which affect relations between and within the societies, we want to join ALF Network. Because; we believe that GBİ(YPI) also other NGOs, become more influential by joining and working with other NGOs. Moreover; GBİ/YPI Director of Publicity and Media Fatih Kafadar, has participated Individual Fundraising For NGO's: Basic policies and methods seminer which was organized by Anna Lindh Foundation Turkey. At the meeting; Deputy Secretary General of TUSEV suggested us to apply for being a member tu ALF Network.