THIS EVENT IS COMPLETED
At the proposal of the Mesopotamia Ecology Movement (MEH), two interconnected workshops will be held: "Discussions on Social Peace" with Prof. Dr. Beyza Üstün and "The Water–Energy Nexus: Agriculture and Search for Solutions at the Local Level" organized in collaboration with Dr. Adnan Mirhanoğlu. This series of events aims to collectively discuss how water policies in the Tigris–Euphrates Basin (dams, the disruption of the urban–rural balance, forced migration) intertwine with local agricultural livelihoods, ecological destruction, and social tensions.
The workshop will begin by examining the impacts of water policies on agriculture and life, followed by discussions on the "justice of water" within the process of building peace. Subsequently, a forum coordinated by MEH will address the political responsibilities facing the peoples of the Mesopotamia Basin, ecology movements, and women’s councils.
In areas where the irrigation infrastructure of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) remains incomplete, agriculture has become largely dependent on groundwater, which in turn depends on electrical energy. This has created a permanent line of tension, pitting farmers against the privatized electricity distribution company (DEDAŞ) over high/unpayable bills, power cuts, and accrual disputes.
In a reality where the pace of capital accumulation interferes with living spaces—characterized by dam construction, depopulation policies, and their ongoing effects on subsistence living—how can water justice be achieved? By addressing the "justice of water" alongside these concrete crises, the workshops aim to build a platform for dialogue based on cooperation, where will and voice can be established away from accusatory and polarizing language.
Within these discussions, where social ecology is internalized through an ecological-political perspective, the liberation of life and social peace will be questioned through "water justice," exploring how to purge them of the mechanisms of patriarchy and capitalism. On this platform, which seeks to reverse current water policies on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and prompt a rethinking of the political stance in the Mesopotamia Basin, the praxis of reflecting voice and will onto water/justice will be constructed.
The workshop will be built upon structured participatory exercises following brief framework presentations:
- Mapping: In small working groups involving various stakeholders, field problems, tension thresholds, and stalled processes will be questioned and mapped within a shared framework.
- Concretization: Feasible methods and mechanisms will be concretized and transformed into a draft text, focusing on the facilitating roles of women’s councils, municipalities, local governments, and ecology, urban, and labor organizations.
The goal is for participants not only to join the debate but to leave the workshop with concrete methods and ideas they can implement within their own institutions, organizations, and local work.
Concrete Outputs:
- Map of Local Issues and Tension Points: A shared regional analysis created through the experiences of the participants.
- Note on Facilitating Roles and Solution Options: A brief "options guide" focused on coordination, mediation, and transparent process management for local governments, ecology, and urban organizations.
Language: Turkish
Participation: Open to anyone aged 18 or over.
Capacity: 30 people