Istanbul Yaşam ('Life') Radio brought together executives and program staff with media representatives and listeners who attended a cocktail organized in Sed Hotel in Istanbul.

On 89.4 FM, the privately owned radio station broadcast not only in Turkish, but in a number of minority languages and dialects. Radio Board Chair İbrahim Gürbüz emphasized that the radio does not operate as the tongue of any political party, ideology, religion, sect or institution but instead embraces a democratic attitude towards rights and freedoms.

Board Chair Gürbüz said that the government of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) should reduce the democratic initiative to practice as soon as possible. "They should take steps to create a civil-democratic constitution. They have to release hundreds of people who are detained without evidence, especially affected children. It is clear that the democratic initiative cannot advance without the Kurds, the Armenians and the Alevi", Gürbüz argued.

Programs in minority languages

Publishing director Güler Yıldız, host of the program "Günaydın Türkiye" ('Good morning, Turkey') aired on weekdays from 8.00-10.00 am, introduced a team of about 30 Radio Yaşam employees who prepare programs in the Kurdish dialects of Kırmancı, Zaza and Sorani and culture and art programs in the languages of Syriac, Armenian, Laz, Greek, Arabic and Circassian.

The team includes journalist and publisher Ragıp Zarakolu, who hosts the 'Kırkambar' books program together with publishing director Yıldız on Saturdays from 6.00-7.00 pm; furthermore Mehmet Ava who leads through the 'Radio Erivan' program on four days a week, social services expert Kahraman Eroğlu who prepares the program 'Social Life' and lawyer Mehmet Ali Barış Beşli who presents the 'Radio Cixa' program in Laz and Turkish.

Following the introduction, the radio employees in charge of the music programs played songs in Kurdish, Armenian and other minorities' mother tongues.

The event was attended by journalists Cengiz Aktar and Celal Başlangıç and writer Halil İbrahim Özcan among others. (EÖ/VK)