Private Boğaziçi High School/ Student Mediation-Introduction and Certificate Ceremony
6 May 1997
Private Boğaziçi High School / Istanbul
Nazire Dedeman
Founder President of Umut Foundation
Speech Text
Dear Managers of the School, participants and dear students, on behalf of the Umut Foundation, I would like to greet you all with love and respect.
Our foundation started lead and contribute the development of reconciliation and peace in our region years ago and it has organized many activities just like this one or similar to this one for the young people to date.
The reason why we have gathered here today, Certificate Ceremony, will be an important step in communicating reconciliation, pursuance and improvement of peace skills to other young people through you. If we can spark off the will to resolve conflicts with peaceful methods starting from the school age, if we can help out youth gain these skills, I believe that we will get them to realize that violence and carrying guns, which is the tool of it is unnecessary.
Mediation is to arrange or help to arrange the agreement of parties in conflict. It facilitates fair treatment. We do not see fair treatment and providing supremacy of law as a duty of just the lawyers and the judicial system. We see it as an objective every citizen internalizes and works for.
The state governed by the rule of law means freedom to individuals. It means setting the citizens under this roof free. It is living with the fear that if this is lacking these freedoms can be taken away from you any time. And this brings about the fertility of fear. Rather than being scared and just standing there, one should walk even if it is hesitantly. And so today you have taken that hesitant step.
I am saying that you will start up with hesitant steps because you may have doubts like "We learned mediation, resolving issues, but would our friends want a mediator? Would they trust us?". Dont have doubts. At the first stage you will not evaluate yourself according to the success of the first mediation you did. Your mediation may be successful or unsuccessful. Moreover your friends may not want a mediator at first. This is not your actual aim. Your actual aim is to create a fair world. You will be proud because you have taken the first steps towards a fair world.
A fair world is a world in which people will get what they deserve. Those who do not believe this may look at a mediator with suspicious eyes at first. You will inject the faith that everyone will find the place they deserve. You will give them hope that our would can be a fairer place. With this faith you will make them take the first steps.
I would like to congratulate the Managers of the School for this initiative.
I am wishing hope for tomorrow and embracing you all..