On 23 March 2023 DPI, in association with the Irish Embassy in Ankara, hosted a Peace Table event titled Women in Peace-making: Policymakers, Peacekeepers, Facilitators, and Mediators. The event’s goal was to bring together a diverse group of women, notably, elected representatives, politicians, academics, and civil society members representing the broad spectrum of political affiliations in Turkey. The event’s keynote speaker was Avila Kilmurray, co-founder of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition (NIWC) which took part in the multi-party peace talks that led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Avila shared her experiences with the audience and discussed the role of women in peace processes in Northern Ireland as well as critical issues including the need for a baseline of values and collective leadership as well as the importance of framing the narrative of a peace process positively.
The meeting brought together a diverse group of women, as well as political and civil society actors from the region and represented the broad spectrum of different political affiliations in the south and southeast of Turkey. The group included members of political parties, representatives of embassies, lawyers, journalists, and academics. The event brought together new participants, as well as some attendees from past events to ensure the continuity of knowledge and trust-building.
This Peace Table is one of several events that are scheduled as part of the Voicing Peace and Fostering Inclusivity in Turkey project, which is funded by the governments of Ireland, Norway, and Switzerland.