İSTANBUL - Amid escalating tensions between Turkey and Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean, 350 women from both countries, including artists Jülide Kural and Füsun Demirel, writer Ayşe Kulin and politician Binnaz Toprak, have made a call for peace.

 

Women from Greece and Turkey have made a call for peace in the face of escalating tensions between the two countries in the Eastern Mediterraenan. Initiated by women's rights activist Gülseren Onanç, the joint declaration entitled "A Call for Peace" has been signed by 350 women.

 

In their joint call, women have reiterated their "determination to strive for peace in the Aegean, enhance shared culture, and embrace solidarity and friendship despite the patriarchal system that threatens the world."

 

Published in Greek, Turkish and English on www.womencallforpeace.net website, artists Jülide Kural and Füsun Demirel, writer Ayşe Kulin and politician Prof. Binnaz Toprak from Turkey have also expressed their support for the campaign. Women who want to sign the joint call for peace can do so on the website of the campaign.

 

The full statement of the women is as follows:

 

"We, women from Turkey and Greece, are following the escalation of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean with great concern.

 

Tensions that have risen through confrontational rhetoric and increased military mobilization from both sides intensifies the risk of armed conflict.

 

The discourse of conflict and the possibility of confrontation threaten not only security and peace in the two countries concerned but the entire region at large. We, as women, are calling for an 'end' to the dangerous escalation.

 

We believe that cooperation between the two countries is more important than ever at a time when the global pandemic is deepening inequality, leading to economic crises and increasing the marginalization of women.

 

We believe that Greece and Turkey can negotiate their differences through peaceful diligent diplomacy under the guidelines of international law and equity, if necessary, with observers from international institutions.

 

The peaceful co-existence of the peoples of Greece and Turkey is more valuable than all underground resources.

 

Peace, nature and people are the most valuable assets for humanity. As peace loving women from Greece and Turkey, we are determined to strive for peace in the Aegean, enhance our shared culture, and embrace solidarity and friendship despite the patriarchal system that threatens the world."

 

The names of the signatories are as follows: Arife Dursun (Retired), Aimilia Voulvouli (Academician / Aristotle University of Thessaloniki), Alessandra Pagani (Artist / Activist), Anastasia Georgiou (Immigration and Refugee Policy Expert), Anastasia Sachinidio (Officer), Angela Brisnovali (Academician), Angeliki Demesci (Samos Women's Union), Angeliki Papazoglou (Kifisia Municipal Council Member, Leader of the municipal party "Active Society", Chair of the Gender Equality Commission), Anna Karamanou (EMP-FEMM Committee Chair), Anneta Kavadia (Journalist), Antigoni Karali-Dimitriadi (Socialist International Women's Organization Responsible for the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and Caucasus, Vice President of KEDE), Aslıhan Tekin (Lawyer / Eko Feminist), Asuman Bayrak (Economist), Asuman Kayan, Asuman Höbek (Retired Engineer), Athanazia Zoe ( Oceanographer), Ayda Arel (Professor of Art History), Ayla Türksoy (Journalist), Aynur Yalçın (Retired), Ayşe Erzan (Academician / Physicist), Ayşe Kulin (Writer), Ayşe Arat (Retired), Ayşe Erdem (Publisher), Ayşe Gözen (Academician), Ayşe F. Akbulut (Retired), Ayşegül Altınay (Academician), Ayşegül Devecioğlu (Author), Ayşegül Dinçkök (Underwater Photographer), Ayşegül Özsan (Human Resources Consultant), Ayşenur Atik (Laborer), Aysun Höbek (Engineer) , Ayten Yıldırım (Dentist), Banu Tuna (Journalist), Begüm Zorlu (PhD Student), Berat Alanyalı (Author), Betty Dimitriou (Self Employed), Betül Ünal (Retired), Betül Sinanoğlu (Graphic Designer), Binnaz Toprak (Politics Science Professor), Birgül Değirmenci (Lawyer), Birsen Temir (Teacher), Buket Uzuner (Author), Burcu Karakaş (Journalist), Büşra Ersanlı (Political Science Professor), Calliopi Liadi (Academician), Canset Big Aksel (Retired), Catherine Varvia (Self-Employed), Cemile Mavioğlu (Retired Banker), Ceyda Uzunkaya (Worker), Chloe Koutsoumpeli (Author), Chrisanthi Sterregaard (Retired Public Employee), Chrissanthi Karra (Translator), Christina Varvia (Architect), Christina Cautrakis (Painter / Musician), Çiğdem Erko (Retired Manager), Dafni Themeli (Front Office Hotel Manager), Danae Sakellari (Physical Education Teacher), Demet Koç (Architect), Deniz Şengeç (Director), Despina Arial (Samos Women's Association), Despina Charalambidi (NGO Secretariat), Despoina Logiadou (President of the Greek Women's Association, Vice President of the Greek Women Scientists Association ), Dilek Koç (Commenter / Y. Architect), Dilek Bil (Consultant / Civil Society Volunteer), Dilek Gökçin (Director), Dimitra Nassou (Retired), Ece Temelkuran (Author), Eda Gemi (Senior Lecturer and Migration Management Researcher), Efharis Mascha (Assistant Lecturer, Hellenic Open University), Efi Kanner (Faculty Member / University of Athens), Eirini Ntai (Researcher at ENA Institute), Eirini Avramopoulou (Assistant Professor of Social Anthropology, Panteion University), Ekaterini Behtsi (Retired), Eleftheria Kinia (Retired Public Servant), Elena Karavakou (Bank Employee), Elena Natassa Kaitsa (Journalist), Elengo Manusaki (Biologist), Eleni Polychronatou (Artist / Art Theorist), Eleni Zondirou (Lawyer, KINAL Deputy Secretary General for Integration, Social Cohesion and Social Welfare Office), Eleni Stavrou ( Human Rights Activist, National Coordinator of the Movement of Democratic Socialists Women's Network), Elif Aytaç (Architect), Elisabeth Papachristou (Linguist), Ellie Simigdala (Housewife), Elsa Chiou (Author), Emel Şensezgin Founded (ST K Manager), Emine Akın Fırat (Kuşadası City Council Member), Emine Uşaklıgil (Author), Emine Gönel (Lawyer), Eminenur Diler (Designer), Erato Tati (Translator), Esra Koç (High Agricultural Engineer), Esra Mungan (Academician ), Ester Behmoaras (Retired Faculty Member), Eten Aysan Dramaturg (Author), Eva Mavraki (Human Resources, PhD Candidate (AUEB), Eva Frantzi (High School Teacher), Fadime Kam Temel (Retired), Fani Stathoulopoulou (Workplace Owner), Fatma Gülten Gülay (Academician), Fatma Duran (Nurse), Fatma Özüpak (Retired), Fatma Sema Özülker (Archeologist), Fethiye Çetin (Lawyer), Figen Altıntaşbaş (Painter), Figen Öcal (Writer), Fikriye Yadırgı (Teacher), Filiz Kardam (Retired Faculty Member), Firdevs Güremen (Chemical Engineer), Fotini Tsibiridou (Professor Social Anthropology), Fotini Sianou (Head of Peace Research and Action Center WINPEACE Coordinator), Fügen Aybars (Retired Banker), Fulya Erdoğan (Economist), Fulya Önay (City Planner), Füsun Demirel (Actor), Füsun Ertuğ (Archeologist ), Füsun Erkel (Retired Doctor), Gamze Elvan (Journalist), Gaye Boralıoğlu (Author), Georgia Ftinoyianni (Retired), Georgia Mathiopoulou (Lawyer), Giovanna Voutsinou (Mental Health Consultant), Gonca Bağdat (Retired), Güler Kandemir ( Unemployed), Gülsen Şahinbaş (Teacher), Gülsen Tayluk (Textile Manufacturer), Gülseren Onanç (Founder of SES Equality Justice Women's Platform), Gülsüm Akbay (Retired), Gülsüm Doğan (Unemployed), Gülten Kaya (Producer, Activist), Hacer Ansal (Academician), Halime Güner (Chairman of Flying Super Woman Association), Hande Karakulah (Lawyer), Hande Arslan (Communicator-Advertising Writer), Haralambia Stathoulopoulou (Shipping Agency), Havva Gürbüz (Retired), Hayriye Aru (Retired), Hülya Bal (Retired), H