Western Thrace Turkish Minority represented at UN Minority Forum
The Association of Western Thrace Minority University Graduates (WTMUGA) participated in the 18th Session of the United Nations (UN) Forum on Minority Issues, held on November 27–28 in Geneva, Switzerland. WTMUGA was represented by Human Rights Experts Dr. Pervin Hayrullah and Kerem Abdurahimoğlu.
The forum, titled “The Contribution of Minorities to Diverse, Stable, and Peaceful Societies,” began with an opening session followed by three thematic sessions.
During the first thematic session, “Building Trust and Social Cohesion: Addressing Barriers to Peaceful Coexistence,” BTAYTD delivered a statement highlighting the denial of the identity of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority, challenges in education, the closure of minority schools, and restrictions on the freedom of association. The representatives called on Greece to recognize the identity and rights of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority, ensure access to modern education, provide justice, and engage in constructive dialogue under the auspices of the UN.
The forum continued with sessions on “Recognizing the Full Contribution of Minorities to the Economic, Social, Cultural, Political, and Institutional Life of Society” and “Empowering Minorities’ Voices in Peacebuilding, Accountability, and Transitional Justice Processes.”
During the forum, the WTMUGA delegation met with Antonia Luciani, President of the Cooppieters Foundation, as well as representatives of the Macedonian minority in Albania and Bulgaria and the Hungarian minority in Romania, exchanging ideas on new collaborative projects.
The forum concluded with a closing session in which the final communiqué was read.
