From 21–23 April, DPI held its first International Conflict Resolution Exchange event in Diyarbakır, in collaboration with the Diyarbakir Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DTSO), as part of its ongoing Mapping the Dividends of Peace in Turkey series. The event explored the links between conflict, peace, and the economy, contributing to the debate on the economic rationale for peace in Turkey.
The meeting brought together business leaders and civil society actors from Turkey’s conflict-affected south and south-east regions. Keynote speakers İzzet Akyol and Ambassador Vegard Ellefsen addressed the direct and indirect costs of four decades of conflict, emphasising the potential for economic arguments to shift attitudes toward peace across the business community, political parties, and broader society.
Discussions highlighted how economic factors can be used as an argument to support conflict resolution and underlined the role of the business community in peacebuilding. The event provided participants with concrete ideas and strategies for engaging with peace in their work. As part of the Forging Pathways to Peace and Democracy in Turkey project, the exchange reinforced DPI’s commitment to fostering inclusive dialogue and preparing society for future peace processes.