Muş
in eastern Turkey is a remote and little-known city synonymous among most
Turkish people with social, geographical and other hardships. In addition to
the general difficulties of life in eastern Turkey, there is a further reason
behind the city’s reputation for misfortune: During World War I the Ottoman
Empire sent troops to fight in Yemen. Reportedly, in an effort to ensure
solidarity among the troops to be sent to the front (and thereby reduce the
chance of desertion), the decision was given to send men from only one city.
That city was Muş, and of all the men sent, not a single one returned. This
tragedy is recorded in the folksong “Yemen Türküsü,” which recounts the grief
of the mothers, sisters, wives and other loved ones left behind. And so Muş’s place
in posterity as a scene of mourning was established. Thus, while many Turkish
people might struggle to find Muş on the map, the city’s image is imprinted on
their minds through the tragic folksong.
However, Muş need not carry this ill-fated image with it into the new millennium, not least because the younger generation is ready and willing to do its best to change the face of the city. A perfect example of this is the Young Steps association (Genç Adımlar Derneği).
Young Steps was founded in 2006 by a group of young Kurds with the aim of creating projects to contribute to Muş, encourage young people to get involved in the issues facing youth in the region, and enable them to actively participate in politics and decision making processes. In addition, the group planned to take action to contribute to human rights, democratization and intercultural interactions in the region. Initially no-one had a clear idea how to achieve these goals. After a detailed online search, answers began to emerge: EU projects funded through the Turkish National Agency. And that is exactly what Young Steps did.
With the funds provided by the Turkish National Agency it first rented an office in a block used mostly by lawyers, bought the necessary equipment to fit it out and began to organize projects that soon made it a leading youth NGO in Muş.
Youth Exchange Projects were established to develop intercultural and international dialogue between young people as well as providing a platform for sharing Muş’s cultural and historical wealth. Youth Initiative Projects were initiated to raise awareness of various subjects, such as drug abuse among the young, the importance of NGOs and political participation, protecting cultural and historical heritage, etc. It also held a Central Finance and Contracts Unit (CFCU) funded symposium: “Where are we as NGOs in the adaptation process for EU reforms?”
In addition, it participates in the policy making processes of the region through gatherings like the Youth Employment Meeting for the East Anatolian Region. Seminars like these gather together around 100 young people from cities across the region with local policy makers and businessmen, enabling them to share ideas and find solutions to problems.
Last but not least, through partnerships with many European countries, it sends dozens of young people abroad each year. For instance, during 2011, 32 young people were able to visit Romania, Spain, Macedonia and France with the support of Young Steps. These projects are open to young people from across Turkey, not just Muş. In fact, applications have even been received from relatively wealthy cities in the west of Turkey, such as İzmir.
Young Steps’ participation in the policy making processes in Muş and the relationships it has built with the governor and mayor, in addition to many other institutions in the city, demonstrate the association’s influence in the city. Such is its effectiveness, some NGOs in the city were left without function, eventually shutting down, while others were forced to up their game and developed as a result of the competition, says founding member Bülent Bingöl.
Acting for Muş and the local environment in no way prevents it from being a universal organization. Rather, it represents an intersection of local and international NGOs. For instance, Muş’s Amnesty International representative is one of the founders of Young Steps, and the international aid organization uses the association’s address as its local branch in Muş.
Young Steps was founded by young, democrat Kurds who believe in the virtue of human rights, democratization and intercultural interaction, and who do their best to overcome prejudices between cultures. As Bingöl notes: “There is prejudice against Turkish people in Europe and there is prejudice against Kurdish people in Turkey. This situation increases the importance of our cultural diversity projects, which make young people in the region understand that they are not alienated or discriminated against.”
Although life is more difficult in eastern Turkey due to insufficient access to many social and economic opportunities and political hardships caused by the conflict between the status quo and the armed Kurdish movement, these young Kurds believe it is high time to abandon complaints of being disadvantaged by the state. They neither angle for sympathy nor rebel, and similarly they do not align themselves with either the armed Kurdish movement or the administration. They know they are not the only ones facing difficulties; people around the country have their own hardships. Accordingly, they have adopted a philosophy that “opportunities are equal” and take legal and mature action for the solution of their problems.
Young Steps is a successful example of increasing political participation by young people brought about partly through the increasing democratization of Turkey over the past decade. They have successfully seized the opportunity presented by improving communication tools and the widespread use of the Internet. This is further boosted by growing awareness of the importance and power of NGOs, thanks in part to Turkey’s EU candidacy. In short, Young Steps is not only challenging the old image of Muş and building a new one, but is also providing a forum for the city’s young, international opinion leaders.
The Young Steps can be reached through their
website: http://www.gencadimlar.org.tr
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