In the month of October the European Students Forum AEGEE organised in Turkey two remarkable events. First, at the beginning of the month, students of all faiths and none gathered in Ankara for a conference to build understanding between the European and Muslim worlds. Then, on the 21-24th of October, in Izmir, they gathered in a discussion over Turkey and its EU accession chances, opportunities and threats.
The "Islam and Europe: Eye Contact" conference took place
in the Middle East Technical University. Speakers including Prof. Dr. John
Esposito, Dr. Henner Fürtig, Assist. Dr. Peter Mandaville, Ibrahim Al-Marashi
and Ajmal Masroor provoked the students to heated debate, and led them to honest
and open eye contact. The 60 participants were hosted by AEGEE-Ankara (the
European Students' Forum in Ankara), with the support of Council of Europe, the
European Commission, the Secretariat General for EU Affairs and the Ministry of
Culture and Tourism.
Over six intensive days, the students outlined their
common values, and set out a range of projects for building dialogue and
understanding between their communities.Students of
all faiths and none gathered in Ankara last week for a conference to build
understanding between the European and Muslim worlds. Over six intensive days,
the students outlined their common values, and set out a range of projects for
building dialogue and understanding between their communities. In the process,
whilst identifying NGO partners for these projects, the participants built new
friendships across the cultural divide and overcame some of their own
prejudices.
Proposals included: further dialogue on women and the Hijab,
on the compatibility of Muslim and European identity, and on Turkey's accession
to the EU; media projects to reach a wider audience and overcome popular
prejudices; work with the socially excluded in both communities; the
developement of an NGO network to cooperate on these and other projects.
Professor John Esposito warned the students "to compare real with real, ideal
with ideal," and not to compare the best of their own culture with the worst of
the other. At the end of the conference, Mahmoud Youness of Lebanon remarked, "I
personally would live with this group forever. If we can create
this
atmosphere among ourselves, the world can do the same."
The highlight of the "EU and Turkey" Conference in Izmir was the
students-performed simulation of the Council of Europe November meeting, having
to decide on the Turkish candidature to the European Union. Simulations are one
of AEGEE's main learning-by-doing approach tools, allowing students to involve
in valuable debates on the current issues of the main importance to the
societies we live in.
AEGEE is one of Europe's largest
interdisciplinary and voluntary student associations, operating without being
linked to any political party, promoting a unified Europe, cross-border
co-operation, communication and integration in academic environment, and at the
same time striving to create an open and tolerant society by involving students
and young graduates in valuable projects and discussions over the topics of
importance for the communities they live in. It is represented in 260 university
cities, in 42 countries all around Europe and has about 17000
members.
More information:
Ewa Solarczyk
Vice-President
/ Director for Public Relations
European Students' Forum - AEGEE
Rue
Nestor de Tiere 15
1030 Bruxelles
Phone: +32 2 245 23 00
Fax: +32 2 245
62 60
Web: www.aegee.org
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