"Civilnet is in Istanbul For More Questions and Dialogue”

Civilitas, an NGO aimed to bridge gap between Turkey and Armenia through joint projects, has opened its first office in Istanbul. “We are here to ask more questions and engage in dialogue,” said Civilitas director Salpi Ghazarian.

A ceremony organized for the opening has been attended by several notable activists including journalist Yavuz Baydar, academician Cengiz Aktar, Agos newspaper editor-in-chief Rober Koptaş and bianet’s project advisor Nadire Mater, as well as representatives from various consulates.

Addressing a speech at the opening ceremony, Ghazarian said they have been working on the Turkish-Armenian relations since 2008.

“We are here to fill the need for those who say ‘I wish somebody from Armenia was here’. We would like to reflect the image of Armenia and its diaspora to Turkey. There are several questions that has not been vocalized yet. There are several people who want to ask these questions. Maybe we can’t reply all but we will keep talking and dialogue.”

“We wish to contribute to dialogue”

The office will work as Civilitas’s communication headquarters. It also aims to realize projects on Armenia and its diaspora, as well as raise questions regarding Turkey - Armenia relations. Ghazarian underlined the necessity of an office in Istanbul as the physical border between the two neighboring countries is still closed.

“Therefore,” she continued, “Civilitas will work on to listen and understand the two peoples more. It will organize research and follow up the existing research on the issue. This is, of course, not the sort of political work that government engage in. It is neither a new tool of reconciliation. Civilitas will support the projects that grassroots organizations are engaging. We will also come up with new ideas and ensure that the interaction is rapid and permanent.

“Civilitas is opening the office before the 100^th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. While Civilitas’s main concern is not this, we also aim to contribute to a 600 year old dialogue that has been interrupted for the past 100 years due to delocations and disappearance.”

What is Civilitas?

Established in 2008, Civilitas is an NGO aiming to strengthen civil society in order to enhance democracy with a series of reports, open forums and public discussions. Civilitas also provides news content in English, Armenian and Russion at civilnet.am. (EA/BM)