"The Second European Conference On the Science and Art of Peace and Reconciliation"

8-12 October, 1994, San Sebastian, Spain

In the last day of “The First European Conference for the Science and Art of Peace and Reconciliation” held in Antalya, the place for the second meeting was decided as San Sebastian upon the invitation of the governor of San Sebastian province.

The first reason of this choice was that San Sebastian was in the Bask Region of Spain and the success of taking the Bask movement in this region to a democratic platform with the efforts of reconciliation experts. It was aimed that the participants would benefit from this experience.

Secondly, our Foundation was aiming to promote the science and art of reconciliation to Middle Eastern countries and establish a similar organization in this region. There was a belief that Spain which has been affected from the Islamic tradition and Arabic world would help Europe to connect to Middle East.

Umut Foundation, in order to realize this experience, has helped Gernika Gogoratuz who has undertaken to be the host for this organization but lacked the skills in organizing an international meeting. It has produced joint projects in order to provide monetary support for the organization and has helped in announcing the agenda and content of the meeting to the participants. These helped Umut Foundation to be known in Europe as the center of this efforts.

In this meeting held in San Sebastian, Spain which had 300 participants, the results of ‘Middle East Meeting on the Science and Art of Peace and Reconciliation’ held in Antalya Dedeman Hotel between 13-16 October 1993 has been presented to a work group that the Foundation has formed and a new organization was made in this subject.

The other subject that Umut Foundation has contributed to the Meeting was Media’s contribution to Peace. In the light of conference held in the headquarters of Umut Foundation on ‘Middle east Media Conference: Towards Peace’, a work group has been formed in the conference held in Spain. This work group has been watched especially by media members and the opening talk of Umut Foundation’s President Nazire Dedeman has been published in two leading newspapers in Spain.

In San Sebastian, the participants have requested the 3rd conference to be held in an East European country. This offer has been accepted in order to speed up the integration to the Conference of these countries which has recently opened up to the Western World. Umut Foundation has undertaken to determine and assist the country BUBSAK would be held.