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ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: [email protected]
www.zoryaninstitute.org
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: George Shirinian
DATE: May 24, 2005
Tel: 416-250-9807
First Conference by Turkish Scholars on the Armenian Genocide in Istanbul
Postponed (Cancelled?) by Government
Istanbul, Turkey -- During May 25-27, 2005, there was to be a conference
organized at Bogaziçi University. The hosts of the conference are the
Comparative Literature Department of Bilgi University, the History
Department of Bogaziçi University and the History Program at Sabanci
University. The title of the conference was "Ottoman Armenians during the
Decline of the Empire: Issues of Scientific Responsibility and Democracy."
Only Turkish scholars from around the world were invited to participate in
this conference, notably those who dispute the Turkish Government's version
of the events of 1915, which other countries recognize as the planned
Armenian Genocide.
This was an unprecedented, major, international conference. According to the
organizers, it was "time, ninety years after 1915, this tragic event in the
history of our country, for Turkey's own academics and intellectuals to
collectively raise their voices that differ from that of the official state
thesis.."
At the opening of the conference, the President of Sabanci University, Dr.
?, announced suddenly, to the great consternation of all present, that the
conference was postponed.
The day before, Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek accused those who
organized and participated in the conference of treason, calling them
traitors to their country. He condemned the initiative as a blow to
government efforts to counter a mounting Armenian campaign to have the
killings recognized internationally as genocide.
"This is a stab in the back to the Turkish nation. this is
irresponsibility," the Anatolian News Agency quotes Cicek as saying at a
parliamentary debate.
"We must put an end to this cycle of treason and insult, of spreading
propaganda against the nation by people who belong to it," he added.
All of this calls into question the letter sent by Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan only a few weeks ago to the President of Armenia,
Robert Kocharyan, calling for a joint commission on the Armenian issue. If
Turkish scholars, themselves, are not allowed to discuss this issue, without
the participation of scholars of other nationalities, how could such a joint
commission ever work?
The Zoryan Institute is the first non-profit, international center devoted
to the research and documentation of contemporary issues related to Armenian
social, political and cultural life. To this end, the Institute conducts
multidisciplinary research, publication, and educational programs dealing
with Armenia, the Armenian Genocide, and Diaspora, within a universal
context.
SEE RELATED ARTICLES BELOW
First Conference on the Armenian Issue Organized in Istanbul, Turkey
During 25-27 May 2005, there will be a conference organized at Bogaziçi
University. The hosts of the conference are the Comparative Literature
Department of Bilgi University, the History Department of Bogaziçi
University and the History Program at Sabanci University. The title of the
conference is "Ottoman Armenians during the Decline of the Empire: Issues of
Scientific Responsibility and Democracy."
Only Turkish scholars will participate in this conference which is not
international in character. As a consequence, the working language of the
conference will be entirely in Turkish. Only an invited group of people will
be able to attend the conference because of limited space and the vast
interest expressed in the proceedings.
The Organizing Committee of faculty members from the three participating
universities are, in alphabetic order, Murat Belge (chair, Comparative
Literature Department, Bilgi), Halil Berktay (coordinator, History Program,
Sabanci), Selim Deringil (chair, History Department, Bogaziçi), Edhem Eldem
(History Department, Bogaziçi), Hakan Erdem (History Program, Sabanci),
Çaglar Keyder (Sociology Department, Bogaziçi), Cemil Koçak (History
Program, Sabanci), and Aksin Somel (History Program, Sabanci).
In addition, the Consulting Committee of academics from Turkey and abroad
comprises, in alphabetical order, of Fikret Adanir (Bochum Ruhr University,
Germany), Engin Akarli (Brown University, USA), Taner Akçam (University of
Minnesota, USA), Ayhan Aktar (Marmara University, Turkey), Seyla Benhabib
(Yale University, USA), Üstün Ergüder (Director of Istanbul Policy Center at
Sabanci University, Turkey), Fatma Müge Göçek (University of Michigan, USA),
Nilüfer Göle (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, France), Cemal
Kafadar (Harvard University, USA), Metin Kunt (Sabanci University, Turkey),
Serif Mardin (Sabanci University), Oktay Özel (Bilkent University, Turkey),
Ilhan Tekeli (Middle East Technical University, Turkey), Mete Tunçay (Bilgi
University, Turkey), Stefan Yerasimos (Universite Paris VIII, France).
The schedule of the conference already contains more than thirty papers to
be delivered at ten sessions, a number of panels and a round table
discussion. The organizers of the conference regretfully note that they
have been unable to include many valuable suggestions that would have made
the schedule much richer because of the large number of interested
participants and the need to contain all the proceedings in three days.
According to the conference organizers, it is time today, ninety years after
1915, this tragic event in the history of our country, for Turkey's own
academics and intellectuals to collectively raise their voices that differ
from that of the official [state] theses and put forth their own
contributions. Turkish society that has grown, differentiated within
itself, and opened to the world has accumulated both qualitatively and
quantitatively an impressive amount of independent and critical thought.
This accumulation already covers a rather large spectrum, achieves breadth
and depth along the intellectual circles of historians, social scientists,
writers, publishers, lawyers, journalists and independent intellectuals, and
now wants to make its own voice heard and thus come of age as an
intellectual generation with its own free and autonomous ideas.
The conference organizers express the common denominator of this new
formation to be the recognition of a responsibility of conscience. This is
not solely a responsibility in reference to scientific truth or world
citizenship, but also a responsibility toward our own country, society and
democracy. It is once again Turkey that would benefit the most from the
emergence of different, critical and alternative voices and the portrayal of
multiplicity of ideas contained in Turkish society.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: [email protected]
www.zoryaninstitute.org
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: George Shirinian
DATE: May 24, 2005
Tel: 416-250-9807
First Conference by Turkish Scholars on the Armenian Genocide in Istanbul
Postponed (Cancelled?) by Government
Istanbul, Turkey -- During May 25-27, 2005, there was to be a conference
organized at Bogaziçi University. The hosts of the conference are the
Comparative Literature Department of Bilgi University, the History
Department of Bogaziçi University and the History Program at Sabanci
University. The title of the conference was "Ottoman Armenians during the
Decline of the Empire: Issues of Scientific Responsibility and Democracy."
Only Turkish scholars from around the world were invited to participate in
this conference, notably those who dispute the Turkish Government's version
of the events of 1915, which other countries recognize as the planned
Armenian Genocide.
This was an unprecedented, major, international conference. According to the
organizers, it was "time, ninety years after 1915, this tragic event in the
history of our country, for Turkey's own academics and intellectuals to
collectively raise their voices that differ from that of the official state
thesis.."
At the opening of the conference, the President of Sabanci University, Dr.
?, announced suddenly, to the great consternation of all present, that the
conference was postponed.
The day before, Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek accused those who
organized and participated in the conference of treason, calling them
traitors to their country. He condemned the initiative as a blow to
government efforts to counter a mounting Armenian campaign to have the
killings recognized internationally as genocide.
"This is a stab in the back to the Turkish nation. this is
irresponsibility," the Anatolian News Agency quotes Cicek as saying at a
parliamentary debate.
"We must put an end to this cycle of treason and insult, of spreading
propaganda against the nation by people who belong to it," he added.
All of this calls into question the letter sent by Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan only a few weeks ago to the President of Armenia,
Robert Kocharyan, calling for a joint commission on the Armenian issue. If
Turkish scholars, themselves, are not allowed to discuss this issue, without
the participation of scholars of other nationalities, how could such a joint
commission ever work?
The Zoryan Institute is the first non-profit, international center devoted
to the research and documentation of contemporary issues related to Armenian
social, political and cultural life. To this end, the Institute conducts
multidisciplinary research, publication, and educational programs dealing
with Armenia, the Armenian Genocide, and Diaspora, within a universal
context.
SEE RELATED ARTICLES BELOW
First Conference on the Armenian Issue Organized in Istanbul, Turkey
During 25-27 May 2005, there will be a conference organized at Bogaziçi
University. The hosts of the conference are the Comparative Literature
Department of Bilgi University, the History Department of Bogaziçi
University and the History Program at Sabanci University. The title of the
conference is "Ottoman Armenians during the Decline of the Empire: Issues of
Scientific Responsibility and Democracy."
Only Turkish scholars will participate in this conference which is not
international in character. As a consequence, the working language of the
conference will be entirely in Turkish. Only an invited group of people will
be able to attend the conference because of limited space and the vast
interest expressed in the proceedings.
The Organizing Committee of faculty members from the three participating
universities are, in alphabetic order, Murat Belge (chair, Comparative
Literature Department, Bilgi), Halil Berktay (coordinator, History Program,
Sabanci), Selim Deringil (chair, History Department, Bogaziçi), Edhem Eldem
(History Department, Bogaziçi), Hakan Erdem (History Program, Sabanci),
Çaglar Keyder (Sociology Department, Bogaziçi), Cemil Koçak (History
Program, Sabanci), and Aksin Somel (History Program, Sabanci).
In addition, the Consulting Committee of academics from Turkey and abroad
comprises, in alphabetical order, of Fikret Adanir (Bochum Ruhr University,
Germany), Engin Akarli (Brown University, USA), Taner Akçam (University of
Minnesota, USA), Ayhan Aktar (Marmara University, Turkey), Seyla Benhabib
(Yale University, USA), Üstün Ergüder (Director of Istanbul Policy Center at
Sabanci University, Turkey), Fatma Müge Göçek (University of Michigan, USA),
Nilüfer Göle (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, France), Cemal
Kafadar (Harvard University, USA), Metin Kunt (Sabanci University, Turkey),
Serif Mardin (Sabanci University), Oktay Özel (Bilkent University, Turkey),
Ilhan Tekeli (Middle East Technical University, Turkey), Mete Tunçay (Bilgi
University, Turkey), Stefan Yerasimos (Universite Paris VIII, France).
The schedule of the conference already contains more than thirty papers to
be delivered at ten sessions, a number of panels and a round table
discussion. The organizers of the conference regretfully note that they
have been unable to include many valuable suggestions that would have made
the schedule much richer because of the large number of interested
participants and the need to contain all the proceedings in three days.
According to the conference organizers, it is time today, ninety years after
1915, this tragic event in the history of our country, for Turkey's own
academics and intellectuals to collectively raise their voices that differ
from that of the official [state] theses and put forth their own
contributions. Turkish society that has grown, differentiated within
itself, and opened to the world has accumulated both qualitatively and
quantitatively an impressive amount of independent and critical thought.
This accumulation already covers a rather large spectrum, achieves breadth
and depth along the intellectual circles of historians, social scientists,
writers, publishers, lawyers, journalists and independent intellectuals, and
now wants to make its own voice heard and thus come of age as an
intellectual generation with its own free and autonomous ideas.
The conference organizers express the common denominator of this new
formation to be the recognition of a responsibility of conscience. This is
not solely a responsibility in reference to scientific truth or world
citizenship, but also a responsibility toward our own country, society and
democracy. It is once again Turkey that would benefit the most from the
emergence of different, critical and alternative voices and the portrayal of
multiplicity of ideas contained in Turkish society.