turkish-greek civic dialogue - AEGEE Europe

EARTHQUAKES KNOCKED-DOWN
THE HOSTILITY
PSYCHOLOGY WORKSHOP
....................................................................................... Serdar M. Değirmencioğlu
Workshop Leader
“Everyone surely has come across some brothers or sisters, who have a lot
of conflicts between each other and seem not to like each other. However,
if something bad happens to one of them, the other would be the first one
to give a hand. This is exactly what happened with Turkey and Greece, when
Kocaeli and Athens earthquakes hit the countries. Although there are still
some problems blocking the friendship, we believe the problems will be solved
friendly.”
At the psychology workshop, the participants shared the experiences they
lived during and after earthquakes, analyzed the warm winds blowing after
the earthquakes, and discussed how to keep this friendly trend in future. The
activity included some special psychology techniques. The participants were
asked specific questions to elaborate discussions on their identity.
Serdar M. Değirmencioğlu has been an Associate Professor at the Department
of Psychology of İstanbul Bilgi University since 1999. He had his M.A and Ph.D
in Psychology at Wayne State University, Detroit, USA; 1995. He has been the
president of Istanbul Branch of Turkish Psychological Association. He was the
coordinator of Earthquake Relief Task Force, Turkish Psychological Association
in 1999. He has been organising Public Achievement in Turkey in schools and
other sites since late 2002.
The Psychology Workshop took place at the classrooms of Kayaköy Primary
School in a very colourful atmosphere. The workshop participants worked on
questions on a daily basis through self-reflection. They also interviewed with
festival participants on a daily basis about the themes they are working on.
Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de L’Europe
1 st DAY
Participants coming from each country drew maps of Greece and Turkey to
mark the cities they came from and their cities of birth.
Thessaloniki- Ioannina - Kozani - Olympus- Kavala- Komotini- Athina- Egina-
Kalamata- Spetses-Hydra - İstanbul- Bolu – Kocaeli – İzmir- Giresun- Siirt-
Trabzon - Rize - Ankara - Çankırı
How do you define being Turkish or Greek?
Being Turkish: Identity + Homeland + Belongingness + Hospitality
Being Greek: Antiquity + Ethnic Group + Warm but slow + Identity (limited)
How do you define Greece and Turkey?
Turkey: Peace + Safety and Trust (because of being in homeland) +Natural
Beauties
Greece: Homeland + Family and Food + Security + Europe + Islands + Sun
DAY2
Question:
What would you want to change by attending this workshop?
“No borders + More interaction and dialogue + More support from
government and interdependence
Social injustice and economic inequalities + Stereotypes +
an EU including Turkey”
The participants discussed their own experience of witnessing the earthquake
or the experiences of other people they interviewed prior to festival as a preassignment.
The effect of earthquake on changing balances was emphasized.
The technological problems were given as example on how an incidence like
a disaster knocks down the balances that people are not so much aware of in
their usual life.
The psychological influence of closeness/proximity of an incidence was discussed
with the example of the Iraqi War. The closer you are, things become more real
KayaFest Youth and Culture Festival
87