Middle East Meeting on Science and Art of Peace and Reconciliation

13-16 November 1993, Antalya, Hotel Dedeman

During November 13-16, 1993, the Umut Foundation co-sponsored the first ever regional Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution together with the "Conflict Resolution Working Group of Search for Common Ground, Initiative for Peace and Co-operation in the Middle East" and the "European Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution".

This groundbreaking event was successful in bringing together a diverse group of individuals who, after three days of intense and constructive dialogue, panel presentations, and small group sessions, commited themselves to establishing a regional conflict resolution network. The twenty-seven participants, representing a range of professions and points of view, came from across the Arab world, Israel, Turkey, Northern Cyprus, Central Asia, Europe and North America.

Twenty-two of the participants made formal presentations rich enough in substance and ideas to generate intense and exciting follow-up discussions. They focused on topics of interest to all including :

At the end of the conference, a regional conflict resolution network having its temporary base at the UMUT FOUNDATION was established, linking practitionersi academicians and institutions of the field. A consultative committee was appointed to support and guide its work. A "Regional Consultative Committee" which included voluntary members from Egypt, Israel,Jordan, Kuwait and Turkey, as well as from the Palestinian and Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities was also formed.