Saturday, July 21, 2012

Abant Platform's contributions to societal wellbeing

Video Duration: (9 mins. 49 secs.)

The Abant Platform was established on the premise that dogmatic biases dominant for a long time in Turkish political life are foremost permanent obstacles hindering democratic development. If the irrevocable basic principle of democracy is “differences being in dialogue,” then the strengthening of democracy with the realization of dialogue is the reality that defines the Abant Platform.

In this respect, the Abant Platform has worked and is working with the public concept that all different groups should be able to express themselves freely to the utmost extent that time and special dimensions allow rather than the discussion arrangements of fixed political institutional structures like political parties or parliaments.

By means of the Abant Meetings, intellectuals are discovering the “other” as well. Internalizing the idea “diversity is richness”, they are forming the philosophy of living together.

The “Abant Meetings” which take up Turkey’s most striking social and political issues have continued on a regular basis since 1998. Intellectuals have simplified difficult subjects with difficult people at difficult times. They have chosen and bravely discussed the country’s most complicated problems, and issued declarations which deeply affected the society and politics. Issues that have been discussed include but are not limited to:
  • Islam and Secularism
  • Religion, State and Society
  • Democratic Law State
  • Pluralism and Social Reconciliation
  • Globalization
  • War and Democracy
  • Islam, Democracy, Secularism: Turkish Experience
  • Culture, Identity and Religion
  • New Searches in Education
  • Republic, Multiculturalism, and Europe
  • Turkey: A Bridge between Civilizations
  • Framework of the New Constitution
  • The Kurdish Problem
  • Future of the Middle East after the Arab Spring
  • Democracy and Tutelage
  • Egypt, Turkey and Stability in the Middle East
  • Alevites
  • Islam, the West and Modernization
  • Global Policies and the Future of the Middle East
Principles of the Abant Platform

1. Abant Platform is a free and original think tank in Turkey’s own backyard. The Platform is accepted as an appropriate foundation for proliferating the society’s rich cultural resources, living together in peace and social reconciliation.

2. The Abant Platform holds every subject open to discussion within a framework of certain rules and with a democratic attitude and stance.

3. The Abant Platform arranges international programs with the understanding that in the globalizing world existing by protecting one’s individualism is possible by being able to present recommendations for the solutions of global issues.

4. The Abant Platform shows utmost efforts to incorporate all colors and different voices from Turkey’s spectrum of ideas into its body.

5. Every idea is worthy of respect as long as it does not resort to violence and remains within the measure of respect and ideas.

6. Abant is the name of a search for a common intelligence, common denominator and dialogue.

7. The Abant Platform is a work group supported by the Journalists and Writers Foundation.

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