CITTA’ DI VENEZIA - VENICE CITY COUNCIL, ASSESSORATO ALLA PRODUZIONE CULTURALE ALLE POLITICHE GIOVANILI E PACE,
KROSSING/PLANET K, MARCO POLO SYSTEM, ASSOCIAZIONE EUROPA LEVANTE in collaboration with BIBLIOTECA NAZIONALE MARCIANA
14 NOVEMBER 2009, Conference in Venice:
PEACE PROCESSES
AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION
>> Download of the flyer in English language (PDF, 93kB)
Dialogue is the only way forward in resolving conflicts and must be between equals. But
a dialogue among equals is possible only when the parties involved recognize the
existence of a reality until now denied. There can be no pre-conditions dictated by one or
the other party in a conflict to sit around the negotiating table.
South Africa led the way in this direction by developing a series of important mechanisms in the resolution of the
conflict that became a model for other conflicts. First of all in Ireland, where a peace
process - even with ups and downs and certainly not yet complete - has been possible
thanks to the recognition by all of the parties involved, the British government,
republicans, unionists, the Irish government, that the only possibility to initiate a fruitful
dialogue was to sit around a table as equals.
Today many conflicts are still open, the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Kurdish-Turkish conflict, the Basque-Spanish conflict.
Venice has always played an important role as a place where open and frank debate can
take place, as long as the parties involved are on equal terms. So it is in Venice (which
through the years has hosted several times conferences and meetings and has commented
on the conflicts we are going to discuss about) that the international conference on peace
processes and conflict resolution will be held.
The conference will not only be a statement
on the current state of conflicts, those which are being resolved, and those which have
been resolved (albeit partially), but will above all be a time for discussion and proposal.
Proposal and discussion coming from the parties in the conflict which are generally
considered to be second class, or against which conditions and preconditions are set
before they can sit at the negotiating table.
The South African and the Irish experience
teach us that only when attempts to set preconditions are abandoned, and only after full
acceptance of the other as legitimate partners with equal dignity and rights, dialogue has
been possible. A dialogue at time hard but frank that has led to important results in the
difficult building of a just and lasting peace.
In Venice these are the people who will meet, discuss and present their proposals:
- Brian Currin (South African lawyer, mediator in the Irish conflict, in the Basque country, in Sri Lanka)
- Raymond McCartney (Sinn Fein International Department, MLA - deputy Northern Irish parliament)
- Emine Ayna (DTP chairwoman, party of the democratic society)
- Jone Goirizelaia (lawyer representing Ezker Aberzaleak, Independentist Basque Left)
- Haluk Gerger (writer, Turkey)
- Irfan Dundar (lawyer of Pkk president Abdullah Ocalan)
Video messages by Nelson Mandela (Nobel Peace Price), Gerry Adams (president of Sinn Fein), video of the
Independentist Basque Left (with a speech by Arnaldo Otegi), Moni Ovadia (musician).
SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER 10 am:
PEACE PROCESSES. THE SOUTH AFRICAN AND IRISH EXPERIENCES
Introduction by Luana Zanella, peace and cultural minister of Venice City Council
Message by Nelson Mandela, Nobel Peace Price
Video message by Gerry Adams, President of Sinn Fein
Raymond McCartney (The road towards the Good Friday Agreement)
Brian Currin (The South-african experience)
Emine Ayna (Kurdish initiatives for dialogue)
Jone Goirizelaia (Basque initiatives for dialogue)
Video-letter by Moni Ovadia
Introduction Gianfranco Bettin (writer)
Chair Gabriele Polo (journalist)
SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER 3 pm:
DIALOGUE, DIALOGUE, DIALOGUE. IDEAS FOR KURDISTAN AND THE BASQUE COUNTRY
Haluk Gerger (Turkey and the Kurdish question)
Emine Ayna (The Kurdish proposal)
Irfan Dundar (Abdullah Ocalan’s road map)
Video of the Independentist Basque Left containing a speech by Arnaldo Otegi
Jone Goirizelaia (The Basque Left proposal)
Brian Currin (Ideas for a possible dialogue)
Introduction Pietrangelo Pettenò (president Marco Polo System)
Chair Gabriele Polo (journalist)
Information:
centropace@comune.venezia.it
press office: 00 39 3491305039/ 00 39 3331836785
Calle del Cappello, S. Marco n. 180/c, 30124 Venezia – tel. 041 2703720 fax 041 2703721
e-mail: assessora.zanella@comune.venezia.it
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CITTA’ DI VENEZIA
