Forgot your password?
The Charter Enters in the Europe through Istanbul
By Yíldiz Temurturkan
The Charter left the Americas behind with success and entered in the Europe on May 9 and 10 accompanied by the vivid ceremonies in Ýstanbul. Michele Asselin, President of the FFQ, brought the Charter and Global Solidarity Quilt from Quebec to Turkey on 9th May.
Before the arrival of the Relay, on 6th May, the WMW in Turkey submitted a list of demands to the National Assembly. The WMW Initiative in Turkey proclaims that the gender inequality has dramatically deepened day by day being parallel with social inequalities. Conservative and sexist characteristic of the governmental policies cause exclusion of women entirely from the economic, politic and social fields. Drawing a special attention on the discrimination against women and human rights violation such as “honour killings” in the country, it calls the government to adopt and implement a national action plan and special measures such as positive discrimination.
On 9th May, 300 women came from the Asia Minor gathered in front of the Haydarpaþa Railway Station and made a press release to announce the arrival of Charter and the Quilt at the Europe. After press release a country meeting held to plan national actions and feminist solidarity action on 17 October.
Women representing Bulgarian, Greek, Turkish Cypriot and Azerbaijani sisters came to Istanbul to convey solidarity and unity message against nationalism and to greet the arrival of the Relay in the continent. On May 10, ferries from both sides, Europe and Asia Minor, departed to leave flowers to the Maiden Tower which is a symbol of female isolation and located at the intersection point of two continents.
3000 women marched behind the Global Solidarity Quilt and the Charter, which means a commitment to fight together for an egalitarian, equal, just and peaceful World. A square representing cultural inheritance based on human rights and gender equality and demonstrating diversity and productiveness of women in Turkey was attached to the Global Solidarity Quilt as a festival took place, singers greeted the struggle to build a new World by songs in various languages, women theatre performed a short play denouncing female poverty.
45 women departed from Istanbul on May 11 to Thessaloniki (Greece) with the Charter and Quilt. This Relay was a successful beginning to put women into the frontline of peace processes and establishing fraternal relations in societies.
All these enthusiasm, liveliness, vividness and creativeness in our actions display how the World women can build looks like!
