ENVISIONING FUTURE IN THE BALKANS

THE SYMPOSIUM OF ENVISIONING FUTURE IN THE BALKANS

CULTURE, POLITICS, ORGANIZATIONS AND AREAS OF COOPERATION IN THE BALKANS’

FINAL DECLARATION



The final declaration of the Balkan Symposium that was organized between October 18-19, 2008 by the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation has been released. Certain problems of the Balkans and suggestions for solution are as follows:



· Balkan communities are having political, economic and cultural problems due to long years of volatility in the region; the low level of communication within region as well as with Turkey and the Islamic world reinforces these problems.



· International justice mechanisms have failed to prevent rights violations in the Balkans. More effective policies have to be employed to prevent more rights violations and to achieve peace in the region.



· Rights and liberties of minorities in the Balkans should be brought up and a special Balkan Law Platform should be set up to this end.



· Thousands of structures were systematically destroyed following the withdrawal of the Ottomans from the region. Those that survived are either being used for purposes other than their original mission or are left to destruction without maintenance. These invaluable structures should be returned to local Muslim communities, repaired and restored; legal procedures should be initiated in every region to get back those structures. Turkish General Directorate of Foundations, Turkish Ministry Culture and Tourism and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) should take initiative in this direction. A scientific conference about foundation structures in the Balkans should be organized in the coming days.



· Muslim communities have been prevented from practicing their cultural and moral values, and transmitting these values to new generations during the repressive period of the last 130 years. Balkan communities should be empowered with social development projects against cultural and political degeneration attempts.



· Balkan countries host communities with different ethnic origin, religion and culture. Common denominators should be highlighted to secure peaceful coexistence of different ethnic and religious groups, and a Consultative Council should be formed to settle disputes among Muslim communities.



· Partial history writing is influential in the construction of identity and values in the Balkans. However, the history of the Balkans cannot be understood as separate from the Ottoman history. A common language and sense of belongingness should be created among Balkan peoples. Common historical legacy should be revived and alienation should be prevented through history writing.



· The Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs should help with its experience to improve religious institutions in the Balkans. Periodical meetings should be held and communication channels should be diversified. Clerics that will represent Muslim communities should be qualified enough. These individuals should be chosen by credited religious institutions that represent Balkan Muslims.



· Cooperation between Balkan countries and Turkey and other Muslim countries should be increased. Turkey and the OIC should take the lead in organizing periodical meetings in Muslim countries.



· A Balkan Forum as a civil society organization that will focus on cooperation and joint activities should be established.



· Economic cooperation between Balkan countries and Turkey and the Islamic world should be improved through joint platforms that will bring together businessmen.



· The Balkan youth get accustomed to drug use and alcoholism, get involved in prostitution, and lose their religious and national identities due to weakening in familial structure, identity crisis, missionary activities, etc. These problems should be tackled at their roots and youth-oriented institutions should be founded.



· Activities of nongovernmental organizations that focus on women, who play a significant role in raising new generations, should be supported.



· Theology schools, Islamic institutes and joint research institutes should be established, student exchange programs should be launched, and international meetings should be held to bring together the youth in the region.



· The number of mass media outlets that broadcast in accordance with cultural fabric of the region should be diversified; radios, television stations, magazines, books and newspapers should be supported and translation activities should be done. A Balkan Monitor Boards should be set up to monitor developments in the Balkans on a daily basis.



· Balkan people are threatened by missionaries who are trying to Christianize the region. Local NGOs should be supported against missionary activities; scientific studies should be conducted; a group of Muslim scholars should be formed to guide local NGOs and other related organizations regarding the issue; a secretariat should be set up to bring together academics, educators and representatives of civil society; Muslim thinkers, poets, artists and politicians should be supported.

The second round of this meeting will be held in the Balkans in 2009.

Hany M. Salah