Speaking at the programme “Women Speak of Peace”, Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Serra Bucak stressed that women are founding actors of peace and said that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the building of a new life on the basis of justice and equality.

The “Women Speak of Peace” programme was organised by the Democratic Progress Institute (DPI), the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Eastern and South-eastern Anatolia (DOGÜNKAD), the Women’s Assembly of the Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DTSO), and TOBB Women Entrepreneurs. Held at a hotel, the programme was attended by Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Serra Bucak, members of parliament, co-mayors of district municipalities, DBB Deputy Secretary General Zerin Türk, and representatives of political parties and civil society organisations.

In her opening remarks, Co-Mayor Serra Bucak welcomed the participants and drew attention to Diyarbakır’s historical and cultural heritage.

‘Ensuring the continuation of these gatherings is a historic responsibility’

Beginning her speech by thanking the institutions that contributed to the organisation of the programme, Co-Mayor Bucak underlined the importance of expanding such gatherings. She said: “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the DTSO Women’s Assembly, the TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Board, DOGÜNKAD and our partner DPI for their contribution to making this meeting possible. This is an extremely valuable and important gathering. Perhaps, as cities, metropolitan municipalities, municipalities, and local governments, we all share an important historic responsibility: to ensure the continuation of these gatherings, to increase their number, and to carry them into different venues and different cities. I would like to say that we must act with this awareness.”

‘Women are the strongest agents of peace’

Stating that Diyarbakır is a city where the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia meet, Co-Mayor Bucak said the programme spoke to a shared memory and shared pain. She said: “It is an honour to be together with you here in Diyarbakır, in this important city where the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia converge. Our coming together for the programme ‘Women Speak of Peace’ is an important gathering that touches the shared memory, shared pain and shared hopes of everyone living on these lands. Because we know that the effects of conflict are felt intensely not only in the political sphere, but also wherever women are present, even in the most ordinary moments of everyday life.”

Emphasising that the demand for peace has never disappeared, Co-Mayor Bucak referred to previous peace and resolution processes and said: “This geography has, of course, experienced many years of peace and negotiation processes. Unfortunately, it has also faced unsuccessful attempts. But it has never given up demanding peace, and it never will.”

A call for peace through the words of Yaşar Kemal

In her speech, Co-Mayor Bucak also referred to the 2013–2015 resolution process and to a message by the writer Yaşar Kemal. Recalling his words, she stressed that they remain relevant today, saying: “If creativity has diminished in this country, if our conscience has grown indifferent, if violence has descended upon every sphere of our lives, and if we have lost trust in every institution, these are the deep wounds that a dirty war lasting a generation has inflicted upon our humanity.”

Underlining the importance of remembering these words, Co-Mayor Bucak defined the scope of peace as follows: “For us, peace is not merely the silencing of weapons; peace is not simply the end of conflict. It is also the building of a new order in which justice, equality and a dignified life for all are possible.”

‘No solution can endure without the inclusion of women’

Placing particular emphasis on women’s role in peace processes, Co-Mayor Bucak said that no process from which women are excluded can produce lasting results. She stated: “Here in this geography, we know better than anyone that no solution in which women are rendered invisible in peace processes can be lasting. From both international examples and our own experience, we know that when women are included in and lead the building of peace, more inclusive and more conciliatory policies, as well as more durable solutions, emerge.”

Drawing attention to the experience of Northern Ireland, Bucak pointed out that women are founding actors in the making of peace.

‘Women’s movements charted the path to peace’

Co-Mayor Bucak described the role of women’s movements in the struggle for peace from the 1990s to the present in the following terms: “Since the 1990s, the Kurdish women’s movement, the women’s movement in Turkey, the feminist movement in Turkey, and women’s organisations that have been able to stand in solidarity with one another have played, and continue to play, their role at the highest level in bringing an end to war in this geography.”

Stating that women have continued their struggle even in the most difficult periods by insisting that “peace is possible”, Co-Mayor Bucak said that this conviction remains alive today.

‘Peace can be built from the local level’

Referring to the role of local governments in peace processes, Co-Mayor Bucak stressed that peace must be built from the ground up. She said: “We have always underlined how important it is to build peace from the local level. And by ‘local’, we do not mean only elected municipalities; we mean every part of society, from civil society organisations to women’s associations, and from bar associations to trade unions.”

Reference to trustees

In the closing part of her speech, Co-Mayor Bucak also referred to the appointment of trustees, describing it as an important issue in relation to the peace process. She said: “Today, unfortunately, 13 of our municipalities are under trustee administration. Our metropolitan municipalities of Van and Mardin are also under trustee administration. We want to reiterate our hope that this, too, can change on the road towards negotiation and peace.”

Co-Mayor Bucak stressed the importance of local governments once again taking office through the will of the people.

‘The most beautiful poem is peace’

Emphasising that peace is fundamental to a shared future, Co-Mayor Bucak concluded her speech with Yaşar Kemal’s words: “If the mountains, people and even death itself have grown weary, then the most beautiful poem now is peace.”

The programme continued with sessions on a range of themes.