“Support to the Armenia-Turkey Normalization Process” Programme Presented at TEPAV Activities carried out in the context of the programme since its launch in January 2014 were shared with the participants.
ANKARA – The European Union-funded programme “Support to the Armenia-Turkey Normalization Process” aimed at supporting civil society efforts towards normalisation of relations between Turkey and Armenia was presented with a meeting held at TEPAV on Tuesday, October 21, 2014.
Opening addresses were delivered by TEPAV Director Güven Sak and Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey European Union Turkey Bela Szombati. Güven Sak highlighted that the protocol signed between Armenia and Turkey in 2009, although deemed not to have delivered any concrete outputs, had been a good starting point for the normalization process. Emphasizing that there was no real problem with the people in the two communities and that human interaction was an easier path to follow, Sak said, “I think it might be useful to start talking. And I think this is a useful opportunity. I hope that this project will contribute to the process as a whole.” Sak also underlined the importance of normalization for the Turkish and regional economy.
Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey European Union Turkey Bela Szombati, stressed that the two communities generally lacked accurate knowledge about the other and that the societies suffered from misinformation. Szombati said, “With this project, the EU aims to support, in an innovative and broad manner, the efforts civil society is making towards the normalisation of relations through enhancing people-to-people contacts, expanding economic and business links, promoting cultural and educational activities, and facilitating dissemination of balanced information".
Following the opening remarks, Programme Communication Coordinator Burcu Becermen, Armenia-based Eurasia Partnership Foundation Associate Director Vazgen Karapetyan, and Ussal Şahbaz, TEPAV gave information about the programme activities and beneficiaries, achievements so far, and upcoming activities. Becermen stated that individuals and civil society organisations from Turkey had shown great interest in the programme activities and said, “This demand indicates that civil society in Turkey is in favour of normalisation.” Talking about the Armenia pillar of the programme, Vazgen Karapetyan stressed that programme activities helped both communities come terms with their history and provided Armenians with the opportunity to get to know current inhabitants of modern Turkey. Ussal Şahbaz of TEPAV shared with the audience the results of the sectoral study TEPAV carried out to explore opportunities of cooperation between Turkish and Armenian SMEs. Şahbaz also gave information about programme activities Exchange of Entrepreneurs Project and Startup Weekend Armenia-Turkey.
Support to the Armenia-Turkey Normalisation Process is a Programme implemented by a Consortium of eight civil society organisations from both countries with the financial assistance of the European Union under the Instrument for Stability.
The overall objective of the Programme is to promote civil society efforts towards the normalisation of relations between Turkey and Armenia and towards an open border by enhancing people-to-people contacts, expanding economic and business links, promoting cultural and educational activities and facilitating access to balanced information in both societies.
The 18-month Programme launched in January 2014 has achieved remarkable results. 130 sub-grant scheme applications from the two countries and more than 520 applications to the travel grant opportunity we received.
The implementing Consortium includes Civilitas Foundation (CF), Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF), Public Journalism Club (PJC), Regional Studies Center (RSC) from Armenia; and Anadolu Kültür, TEPAV, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly (hCa), and Hrant Dink Foundation from Turkey. The Consortium will hold another presentation of the Programme in Yerevan and in Istanbul in early summer 2015 to share with the Armenia- and Turkey-based stakeholders the upcoming achievements of and lessons learned from the Programme.
Please click here for more information on the project.
Please click here for the presentation document (in Turkish)
