2016 Congress for Liberal Thought

15 July Coup Attempt: Significance and Results

22 - 23 October 2016
Hotel Altınel, Tandoğan, Ankara

July 15: A brutal coup attempt took place in front of people at all ages in Turkey. However, this will be written in history as an honorable date of the resistance of the political authority, the media, the civil society and furthermost the individual citizens via courage and their sole lives - unarmed - against arms and tanks ever reckless, and bloody in the Republican history.

The struggle for freedom in Turkey could be read along with the history of democracy. Individual citizens can very well observe through not only past but also through their personal experience the following cause:  To preserve a legitimate civil authority and the democratic political arena against the bureaucratic institutions and anonymous power circles - in this country we all live in- denotes to claim our liberties, free trade, justice, and prosperity. 

In this respect to address this historical experience and related matters, Association for Liberal Thinking devoted 2016 Congress for Liberal Thought which is to be held on 22 - 23 October 2016 at Ankara Altinel Hotel.

We would be delighted to elaborate all together the happenings before and after July 15, in and around Turkey, and what to do on the way to establish a pluralist democratic system.

Program

* Simultaneous translation between English and Turkish will be provided

22 October 2016, Saturday

09.30 Registration
09.30 - 10.30        Welcoming Tea-Coffee

10.30 - 10.45        Opening

Özlem Çağlar Yılmaz, General Coordinator, ALT

10.45 - 12.30        I. Session: 15 July and Consolidation of Democracy in Turkey

Chair: Prof. Dr. Bekir Berat Özipek, Medipol University, Department of Political Science and Public Administration
Speakers:
Prof. Dr. Cemil Koçak, Sabancı University, Department of History
Prof. Dr. Atilla Yayla, President, ALT
Prof. Dr. Tanel Demirel, Çankaya University Department of Political Science and International Relations

12.30 - 13.00        Award Ceremony of 2016 Essay Contest
MC: Asst. Prof. Dr. Salih Zeki Haklı

13.00 - 14.00        Lunch

14.00 - 15.30        II. Session: Inconsistency of the Attitudes of Western States

Chair: Asst. Prof. Dr. Levent Korkut, Medipol University Faculty of Law
Speakers:
Şeyma Akın, Aksaray University Department of Political Science and Public Administration
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Balcı, Sakarya University Department of International Relations
Akın Özçer, Retired Diplomat - Author at Serbestiyet.com 

15.30 - 16.00        Break

16.00 - 18.00        III. Session: Understanding Resistance of the Society Against the Coup Attempt

Chair: Unsal Cetin, Economist, Association for Liberal Thinking 
Speakers:
Harun Kaban, Columnist at HurFikirler.com
M. Fatih Zengin, Principal of Tevfik Ileri Imam - Hatib Anatolian High School
Nurhayat Kızılkan, Sociolog
Aşkın Baysal, Author

18.00 End of the First Day

23 October 2016, Sunday

10.00 - 11.30        IV. Session: Mentality and Functioning in Closed Structures

Chair: Prof. Dr. Erol Göka, Psychiatrist - Columnist, Yeni Safak daily 
Speakers:
Asst. Prof. Dr. Yasemin Abayhan, Hacettepe University Department of Psychology
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Öztürk, Çukurova University Divinity Faculty
Cengiz Alğan, Author at Serbestiyet

11.30 - 12.00        Break

12.00 - 13.30        V. Session: Reforming the State Structure

Session Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alim Yılmaz, Philosophy Scholar, Association for Liberal Thinking
Speakers:
Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Çolak, Head of Police Academy
Yusuf Alabarda, Security and Defense Expert
Prof. Dr. Hamza Al, Sakarya University Dean of Faculty of Administrative and Economic Sciences
Dr. Murat Yılmaz, Political Scientist

13.30 - 14.30        Closing 

Thanks to the Contributions of 
Association for Esteemed Education 

Participation to Congress is free and open for everyone. Please fill out the form below for registration.