AEGEE builds bridges between Greek and Turkish youth

Last week around 5000 youths gathered in Kayakoy (Turkey), where AEGEE held it's largest event to date: KayaFest. This Youth and Culture Festival allowed the students to indulge in each other's arts, culture and backgrounds. Under the umbrella of the 'Turkish-Greek Civic Dialogue', AEGEE aims to bring youths from these countries together, in order to create a better understanding between them.Through it’s aim of gathering youth NGOs from the two countries as well as Balkan youth at Kayafest, AEGEE succeeded in building a platform for new partnerships. With the bridges built, and the ice broken with this gathering, the seeds of new projects and initiatives can be planted.

"AEGEE thinks that the history of the prejudices and problems between the Turkish and Greek nations are embedded in history,", said the President of AEGEE Europe, Ms Diana Filip. "All the problems in the past were the result of misunderstandings and the lack of communication between the two neighbouring countries. We believe that the activities of NGOs on the grassroots will have an impact on all the citizens and both governments,", added Ms Filip.

"Youth is a great dynamic group in terms of conflict resolution, and can contribute to a peaceful cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.", said Mr Ioannis Macheridis, Governor of Rhodos. Representing Turkey, Mr Cengizhan Aksoy, Governor of Fethiye added during his opening speech "we strongly believe all these networking activities are of pivotal importance to contribute to the civil dialogue between the two nations."

Promoting mutual understanding and cultural exchange, the festival was organised around several workshops, ranging from music and dance theater to architecture, photography, psychology and maquette making. Amateur and professional musicians from Balkans, dance performances, open-air movie sessions, exhibitions, a cooking day and rhythm activity all contributed to the hugely successful festival.

AEGEE Europe welcomes very much the initiative of our members in Ankara, Athina, Eskisehir, Istanbul, Izmir, Rhodos and Urla and continues to encourage the communication between the two nations.

For more information please contact:
Mr. Alexander Taylor
Director of Public Relations, Comité Directeur AEGEE Europe
at: [log in to unmask] or call +32-2- 245.23.00
For general information about AEGEE, please visit: <http://www.aegee.org>

The "Turkish-Greek Civil Dialogue" Project aims at fostering relationships and communication between NGOs and youth initiatives in Turkey and Greece. It covers a two-year period including activities which will reinforce them by providing the opportunity to develop and organise partnership projects. All the events and researches under this umbrella project will be realised within the framework of civic integration concept, the basic objective of the project. The Youth Festival will be followed by panels on compulsory exchange of population and a Final Conference. More information can be found at http://www.aegee.metu.edu.tr/trgr.



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