Women Call for Peace

122 women, many of them singers, actresses, writers, academics and journalists, have published their peace messages on a website, www.vakitgeldi.org. They also published advertisements in newspapers. Other women are welcome to add their message on the website.

"The greatest wish"

"We women have promised peace! We have expressed in words the greatest wish which holds us together."

Famous singer Sezen Aksu reminded the readers of Mahatma Gandhi's words: "An eye for an eye makes the world blind". Writer Oya Baydar said, "When the issue is peace, people and life, then the rest is details." Human rights activist and lawyer Fethiye Cetin wrote: "The right to peace is a human right which includes the right to live, to oppose violence, armament and war and the right to conscientious objection; like all rights, it becomes more powerful when it is used and shared."

Oya Eczacibasi, co-founder of the Istanbul Modern art museum, said: "As a whole nation, we have to make an effort towards peace and brotherhood to succeed in our country before more blood is spilt.

Human rights activist Eren Keskin said, "Understanding is the beginning of peace."

Women's rights activist Zozan Özgökce wrote, "The ones who survive war are those who cry, who have a bad conscience and who are wounded. I do not want to cry, have a bad conscience or be wounded. And you?"

Journalist Ece Temelkuran said, "I don't want the child I will give birth to to die. Is that too much to ask?"

Anti-intellectualism in Turkey

Bosphorus University lecturer Prof. Dr. Nükhet Sirman, also a participant in the campaign, told bianet that the campaign was an effort to open a new space for women as an alternative to the hegemonic war discourses. However, she pointed out that the wide-spread anti-intellectualism in Turkey would obstruct the campaign.

The organisers have called on men to start a similar campaign.

The 122 women are:

Selma Acuner, Adalet Agaoglu, Meltem Ahiska, Nilüfer Akbal, Nebahat Akkoc , Sezen Aksu, Cihan Aktas, Gülen Aktas, Derya Alabora, Evrim Alatas, Leyla Alaton, Ayse Gül Altinay, Müjde Ar, İnci Aral, Jülide Aral, Nurdan Arca, Müjgan Arpat, Sibel Asna,  Cigdem Aydin, Aydan Baktir, Arzu Basaran, Oya Baydar, Saadet Becerikli, Aynur Bektas, Gila Benmayor, Fatmagül Berktay, Meral Danis Bektas, İdil Biret, Aksu Bora, Ayse Böhürler, Ayse Bugra, Nilgün Cerrahoglu, İpek Calislar, Ayse C avdar, Jaklin Celik, Fethiye Cetin, Nesteran Davutoglu, Ayse Bilge Dicleli, Adalet Dinamit, Gönül Dincer, Aynur Dogan, Yildiz Ecevit, Oya Eczacibasi, Sibel Eraslan, Sema Erder, Asli Erdogan, Ayla Erduran, Büsra Ersanli, Ayse Erzan, Sirma Evcan, Leyla Gencer, Nur Ger, Berat Günc ikan, Halime Güner, Ayse Hür, İpek İlkkaracan, Pinar İlkkaracan, Handan İpekci, Müge İplikci, Karin Karakasli, Yildiz Kenter, Eren Keskin, Zülal Kilic , Ayse Kulin, Reyhan Kumru, Jülide Kural, Dilek Kurban, Pinar Kür, Perihan Magden, Lale Mansur, Nur Bekata Mardin, Cigdem Mater, Türkel Minibas, Nil Mutluer, Meral Okay, Gülseren Onanc , Zeynep Oral, Günay Göksu Özdagan, İsil Özgentürk, Zozan Özgökce, Melek Özman, Jale Parla, Sirin Payzin, Yildiz Ramazanoglu, Rojin, Suzan Samanci, Türkan Saylan, Pinar Selek, Sennur Sezer, Nükhet Sirman, Sükran Soner, Hale Soygazi, Ayse Soysal, Müge Gürsoy Sökmen, Talin Suciyan, Nesrin Sungur, Gülriz Sururi, Meral Tamer, Zeynep Tanbay, Alin Tasciyan, Melek Uagay Taylan, Sirin Tekeli, Latife Tekin, Ece Temelkuran, Nuran Terzioglu, Ferai Tinc , Gülay Toksöz, Takuhi Tomasyan, Rojbin Tugan, Deniz Türkali, Emine Usakligil, Buket Uzuner, İlknur Üstün, Nazan Üstündag, Fatma Nevin Vargün, Reyhan Yalc indag, Yesim Yasin, Nese Yasin, İsik Yenersu, Serpil Yilmaz, Serra Yilmaz, Su Yücel (GG/AG)