From 3 to 6 December, DPI held a comparative study visit entitled ‘Civil Society’s Priorities for Peace: A Lesson Sharing Visit’ in Dublin, Ireland. The visit, which was supported by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, was the first in-person event in Ireland since the start of the pandemic.
The visit brought together a multi-faceted group from diverse range of backgrounds including members of civil society organisations, academics, journalists, lawyers and political party representatives from Turkey to discuss the priorities of civil society for peace, through exposure to the Northern Ireland experience.
Participants engaged in a wide range of sessions which saw them interact with speakers involved in the Northern Ireland peace process. The group heard invaluable accounts of their experiences and engaged in a rich discussion on the importance of civil society’s inclusion during the different stages of the Northern Irish peace process. By looking at the Northern Irish example, participants were reminded that civil society actors can play a constructive role in a peace process, despite the extremely challenging periods.
The second part of the event explored Turkey’s experience and how civil society can play a meaningful role in starting and sustaining a well-rounded public debate on issues pertaining peace and conflict resolution.
As part of the project ‘Supporting inclusive dialogue at a challenging time in Turkey’ & ‘Forging Pathways to Peace and Democracy in Turkey’, the CSV provided an important contribution to DPI’s ongoing work focused on preparing society for any future peace process in Turkey, which emphasizes the importance of continuing dialogue and of broadening bases for participation in democratization and inclusive resolution processes even in the most challenging times.
A full report of the meetings that took place as part of this visit is forthcoming. Please refer to the gallery section of the website for photos of the events and to ‘In the media’ for media coverage.