17th Individual Disarmament Award-Winning Contest

• Dr. Erdal Atabek - Doctor, Author
• Prof. Dr. Yasemin İnceoğlu - Faculty Member of Faculty of Communication Galatasaray University
• Ragıp Duran - Journalist
• Lawyer Fikret İlkiz - Umut Vakfı (Umut Foundation) Trustee and Member of Board of Directors
• Prof. Dr. Timur Demirbaş - Member of Board of Directors at Umut Vakfı , Bahçeşehir Unv. Faculty of Law Faculty  Member
• Dr. Ayhan Akcan - Psychiatrist, Member of Board of Directors at Umut Vakfı 
• Asst. Prof. Dr. Bülent Şam - Forensic Expert
• Prof. Dr. İsmail Tufan - Gerontologist
• Prof. Dr. Yakın Ertürk - Turkish Society Social Scientist
• Nazire Dedeman - Umut Vakfı Founder President 

1.First Prize
Fulya Seda Giray
"Study of the Relationship Between Just World Belief and Forgiveness Approach in Criminal and Non-Criminal Adolescents"

2. Second Prize
Asst. Prof. Dr.İrfan Kalaycı
“Problem of Individual Armament in Turkey and the Globe and Solving it Psych-economically: ’A Manifesto for Sustainable Disarmament’" 

September 28 Individual Disarmament Day
17. Individual Disarmament Daye Prize Ceremony
Dedeman Istanbul Hotel
2011 

Dear Guests,
Welcome;
We organized the eleventh Sessiz Ayakkabilar (Silent Shoes) Walk in Taksim Square today at 12 O’clock. 
I would like to state that I am happy to be among you dear friends this evening during the 17th Individual Disarmament Day Prize Ceremony.
Violence incidents, which have become wide spread during recent years, and violence against women have been drawing attention of all of us. Preventing access to guns, which are the extreme points of  violence, is among the first three 
steps towards fight against violence indicated by World Health Organization. 
• 42.7% of the armed violence incidents in Turkey are results of momentary rage. 
• High rate of armed violence incidents happen among family members and relatives. 
• Approximately half of the incidents have happened in the streets open to public. 
These incidents indicate that as a population we get angry easily, we attempt to use our guns fast and we aim our guns at our relatives in the streets. According to Eurostat, the European Union Statistics Office,  
Turkey stands third in murder rates . This means that Turkish Population use guns to "kill". Guns are used as a solution to dissolve disputes, but using guns kills any  
possible solution as well.
It is clear that the law, which is not complied with at all, shall be reviewed in this new legislative session. We shall also consider the results of the armed violence in our society when 
reviewing the law. We shall set the parliamentary bills so that they would prevent armed violence and we shall take advantage of good examples in the world in this respect.

Valued guests,

Sustainability of our foundation with no doubt is an outcome of the efforts made by other public organizations and citizens. But contributions of the lawmakers and executer officers and government 
authorities regarding individual disarmament is very substantial. 
Therefore,
we will award local directors and police forces with plaques to appreciate their support in fight against individual armament, which directly violates right of living, and firing the guns into the air, which is one of the shabbiest uses of guns, and implementing  the project in which the attempts are made to keep children away from toy guns this year.    We hope that these applications set examples all around Turkey, become wide spread and long term that they could result in cultural change. 
Without any doubt researches and studies are pretty important in shaping discussions that form our future. At the same time the fact that our problems are visible makes it easier to recognize our problems. 
Umut Vakfi as a public organization has selected scientific research and study as the subject of the Traditional Prized Competition of September 28, the Individual Disarmament Day with an aim to intervene with recognition of our problems and receiving solution recommendations.   
Our goal was to draw attention to the principle of removing discrimination and the features of discrimination that result in actual or potential conflict and to prevent violence, hatred expressions, racism, rage, fear of crime and crime and to study social life in subjects such as role of media and cultural industry, guns and individual disarmament with an approach focused on different disciplines and to provide the grounds for presentation of solution recommendations.     Discrimination has most of the time been the source behind national and/or international conflicts and it may grow in dimension to become a threat for social peace and security. Umut Vakfi, the foundation that implements its activities with the purpose of bringing up youngsters, who adapt themselves to superiority of law, who are aware of the environment and humanity, who prefer peaceful methods in solving conflicts and who acquire the necessary awareness for becoming good citizens, considers the individual disarmament in this context.  
I, hereby, would like to take time to appreciate the valued members of jury , Honorables Erdal Atabek, Prof. Dr. Yasemin İnceoğlu,  Prof.Dr. Timur Demirbaş, Asst. Prof. Dr. Bülent Şam, Ragıp Duran, Prof.Dr. İsmail Tufan, Dr.Ayhan Akcan and Fikret İlkiz’for their selfless contributions.
I also appreciate all participants, who supported fight against individual disarmament with their works and I congratulate the winners from bottom of my heart. 
With a wish for great futures...
I hereby appreciate the Honorable Istanbul Deputy Governor, Ali Bakoğlu, who supported us by his presence in September 28 Individual Disarmament Day, and invite him to take the stand before we start the Award ceremony.