Why Istanbul?

Why Istanbul?

Turkey is a country where you can easily find social movements against neo-liberal agenda, war and racism. To organize the European Social Forum in Istanbul will create an opportunity to link the trade union movement, anti-neo-liberal movement, antiwar movement and environmental movement in Turkey with their partners in Europe.

It is also very important to organize the European Social Forum outside the official borders of European Union. This will support the expansion process of ESF to Eastern European countries.

We plan to organize the forum event as a part of the activities of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture. In this respect, we plan to give visibility to the cultural events.

Istanbul is a city where different cultures and life styles meet together respectfully for thousands of years. We believe that this will create an important basis for productive and collaborative activities of European Social Forum.

Istanbul is an important center for social movements in Turkey and its region. It is also located very close to Eastern Europe. So we believe that an ESF in Istanbul will attract a lot of social movements and people.

Who is proposing?

Social Forum of Turkey is proposing to host the 6. European Social Forum in 2010 in Istanbul. The Social Forum of Turkey (TSF) which is committed to World Social Forum Porto Alegre Charter Of Principles, has announced with an appeal at June 2005. In that appeal it is declared that “We share all of the struggles around the world against neo-liberalism, war, and every kind of discrimination. We are against the neo-liberal system which creates economical, social and environmental crisis and globalize the wars. We are coming from very different sectors, and backgrounds but we are part of the millions who unite in the will of living in a fairer and more equal another Turkey”

Main aim of the TSF was to establish a ground for gathering of hundreds of social movements from Turkey. In the foundation of TSF the labor unions like KESK (Public Workers’ Trade Unions Confederation) and DISK (Revolutionary Workers Trade Union Confederation) and profession chambers like TMMOB (Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects), Chamber of Dentists of Istanbul, Chamber of Medical Doctors of Istanbul, Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons of Istanbul and various social movements took active part.

The Social Forum of Turkey has organized by Preparatory Assemblies which took place in different cities (İstanbul, Diyarbakir, Ankara, İzmir, Adana). The first Preparatory Assembly which held at Istanbul in September 2005, attracted a really big attention from various social movements and especially from trade unions and profession Chambers. This has followed by Diyarbakir Assembly and others.

Social Forum of Turkey was held in the halls of Darphane-i Amire (the old mint of Ottoman Empire), Istanbul Journalists Community and Istanbul Chamber of Physicians. 3000 people attended to the forum. There were 24 seminars and 15 workshops which were organized by 70 institutions.

The meetings were covering the issues like “European Union, politics of energy, women rights, Kurdish problem, F type prisons and white cells, alternative globalization, local governments, problem of shantytowns and city politics, antiwar movement, politics of food and agriculture, social rights, trade union movement, imperialism and middle east, politics of industrialization, education, youth, politics of culture, mining accidents, discrimination against LGBT people”.

Social Forum of Turkey organised the mobilisation for Athens ESF from Turkey. It was a great success for the social movements of Turkey with a delegation of 1000 people.

The preparations for 2. Social Forum of Turkey are already started. 2. forum will gather in 2008.