Abant Platform to discuss framework of new constitution


Date posted: March 6, 2012

5 March 2012 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL

The prestigious Abant Platform, which has tackled pressing issues facing Turkey since its establishment in 1998, will aim in its next meeting to contribute to the shaping of Turkey’s new constitution.

The 26th Abant meeting, which will be held from March 9 to 11 in Turkey’s northwestern province of Bolu, will bring together a wide spectrum of intellectuals, lawyers, political leaders and journalists to discuss the problematic areas of, and propose solutions to, the constitutional drafting process. Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek will be among those attending the meeting.

Participants will examine the constitutional process through the following subjects — citizenship and identity, mother tongue education, local governments in the balance of a unitary state and autonomy, freedom of religion, religious education and the position of the president in the constitution.

Former head of the Supreme Court of Appeals Sami Selçuk, Turkish-Armenian biweekly Agos Editor Rober Koptaş and academics from various universities and journalists from Turkey’s many dailies will lead the discussions.

As with every Abant meeting, the platform will release a summary declaration arising from the discussions’ conclusions.

The Abant Platform is an independent think tank that takes its name from Lake Abant in the province of Bolu, the location of its first meeting. It is one of the most well-known programs of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV).

The GYV was founded in 1994. Its mission and work were inspired by the GYV’s honorary president, Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Source: Today’s Zaman http://www.todayszaman.com/news-273342-abant-platform-to-discuss-framework-of-new-constitution.html

 

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Silencing Taraf daily

The liberal Taraf daily, where I write a column, is one of the few independent newspapers in this country. Those who don’t know the Turkish media well need to know that media outlets are largely owned by private holdings which have close ties to the government. Thus, Turkish newspapers need to consider whether their reporting would harm their bosses’ business connections with the government.

Frontal assault on free enterprise in Turkey: The case of prep-schools

Erdoğan fired a warning shot across the bow of the Hizmet movement, which operates some one-third of the more than 3,500 prep schools, hoping that the movement would fold under the pressure and shy away from criticizing the government on lingering corruption, the lack of bold reforms, the stalled EU membership process, the failed constitutional work, its intrusion in people’s ways of life and privacy, blunders in foreign policy and the weakened transparency and accountability in governance.

Former TÜBİTAK VP: Over 250 dismissed in 2 months

The report claimed that large-scale profiling activities have been launched against personnel who possibly have links to a “parallel state” — a term used by pro-government circles to define the faith-based Hizmet movement — upon orders from Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Işık. Those being profiled by the center are being systematically dismissed.

Erdogan: Turkey’s man of mystery armed with extra powers

Erdogan’s Islamist supporters sometimes suggest that he is on his way to declaring himself caliph. As the 100th anniversary of the caliphate’s abolition approaches, he may find this tempting; depending on whether he uses the Islamic or Christian calendar, that could happen, respectively, on March 10, 2021 or March 4, 2024. You read it here first.

Turkey- the state versus the people

Using the failed military coup attempt on July 15 as a pretext, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan orchestrated a huge purge of more than 100,000 people from the civil service without bothering to implement administrative or judicial investigations.

Abant Platform on Africa

For three days I will be away from Turkey’s increasingly suffocating internal politics. For this reason alone I am grateful to the Journalists and Writers Foundation, organizer of the Abant Platform on Africa. I think this three-day event will, among other things, show us, Turks, that there is a huge world outside Turkey and that we need to […]

Latest News

Sacramento leaders gather for Iftar dinner in celebration of Ramadan

SEO Skill Suite: Tools for Keyword Research, Technical & Backlink Analysis

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

In Case You Missed It

Fethullah Gulen: Muslims, we have to critically review our understanding of Islam

Fethullah Gülen Reiterates No Involvement In Turkey’s Controversial Coup Attempt

Informant on Gülen movement members says he fabricated testimony to avoid jail time

Fethullah Gülen suggests Turkish coup attempt could have been staged

Çelik admits profiling as daily faces criminal complaint for revelations

Sajjanhar: Dialogue urges one to excel in one’s own faith

Turkish community in Springfield area to host Turkish bazaar, conference

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News