Social Democracy Foundation
(SODEV)
SODEV has been
founded in 1994 by more than 100 people aiming at development and propagation of
the social democratic “ideal”.
Until today, SODEV
organized about 500 activities such as meetings, conferences, workshops,
symposiums, etc.
It is of a great
importance for SODEV to cooperate with similar NGO's for democracy and peace. In
this respect, SODEV founded "the Social democracy school" in collaboration with
TÜSES, which is a social democratic research institution.
Since the foundation
pays special attention to establishing contact and granting solidarity with
young people, special seminars for them are organized. SODEV has also granted
scholarships for young students until 2005.
45 books and
booklets have been published up today as "SODEV-publications". The "social
democracy library" contains more than 5000 special books, booklets and
documents.
 Meetings
and debate forums
This is the main
field of activity of the foundation. SODEV organises meetings, once a week in
average, on its own account or in cooperation with its partners. The subject to
be treated and the shape of the activity depend on the national and
international conjoncture and the fund allocated for the purpose. Twice a year
“weekend seminars” are organized in order to reach among members a common view
and terminology concerning main issues. These meetings, conferences, workshops,
symposiums are essentially directed to Turkish public opinion, but may include
also foreign participation.
Publications
SODEV publishes some
of the organized debates in order to bring them to the acknowledge of the public
opinion. Books are written by specialists and published by SODEV, in relation
with crucial issues, such as “political system: presidential / parliamentary
system”, principal topic of discussion of the year 2007. Books of some
remarkable authors, Thomas Meyer for example, are translated into turkish for a
better understanding of the contemporary social democracy.
SODEV-youth
As already
underlined above, SODEV pays special attention to young people and tries to
grant solidarity with them. But, no scholarship can be given since 2005, due to
financial difficulties.
In conformity with
its vision regarding young people, SODEV has constituted a youth-group. This
group is open to all young constituencies having social democratic oriented
political sensibilities.
This group organizes
internal meetings and participates in international meetings. Find below some of
the activities organized for/by this group and some of its participations during
last 5 years:
2001 Summer Camp
(İzmir)
2002 Winter Camp
(Bolu Aladaglar)
2002 Summer Camp
(Assos)
2002 IUSY Summer
University, Balkan Round Table Meeting (Bulgaria)
2003 Winter Camp (Eskisehir)
2003 Summer Camp
(Assos)
2003 Our Common
Future Meeting (Greece)
2003 IUSY Festival (Greece)
2004 ECOSY Summer
Festival, IUSY Balkan Round Table Meeting (Romania)
2004 Winter Camp
(Yalova)
2005 Winter Camp
(Bolu Aladaglar)
2005 IUSY Festival (Portugal)
And in 2006
January The 4.
preparatory meeting of the ESP, Vienna
February Winter
Camp, Dardanels
March Training
seminars, Bolu
April ESP,
Athens
April
Meetingseries, Istanbul
June IUSY
İstanbul-meeting
July ECOSY
Festival, Alicante
September Summer
Camp, Burhaniye
October
Workshops for establishment of a “youth-trade union”, Istanbul
December Start of
the campaign “Everyone different everyone equal”, İstanbul
December “Gepgenç
Festival” in Bilgi University, İstanbul
Special
bodies
An advisory group
has been formed within SODEV for debating about “civil society, NGO’s” in
general and for suggesting SODEV’s global orientations. An other special
committee is the jury which determines candidates for SODEV-prize. In this
respect, the 2 last SODEV-prizes have been given to Prof. Saylan (in 2005) for
her efforts concerning scholarization of young girls in Southeastern Anatolia
and to KAMER (in 2006), an NGO protecting women from violence in the eastern and
southeastern regions of Turkey.
Partnerships / cooperating institutions
SODEV had the
privilege to cooperate with following valuable national / local partners within
last 5 years:
Center for Turkey
studies
DİSK (Trade union
confederation)
EU-Representation
in Ankara
Freidrich Ebert
Foundation – Representation in Turkey
Union of Voluntary
Associations
HDF (Federation of
Turkish Social Democratic Associations in Europe)
Heinrich Böll
Foundation – Representation in Turkey
Kadıköy
Municipality
STKB (Union of
NGO’s)
Küresel BAK-Turkey
(Global Peace and Justice Coalition)
TESAV (Turkish
Foundation for Economic and Social Research)
TESEV (Turkish
Foundation for Economic and Social Studies)
TÜRSAK (Turkish
Foundation of Cinema and Audiovisual Culture)
TÜSES (Turkish
Foundation for Social, Economic and Political Research Foundation)
TÜYAP (Book
Exhibitions Organisation)
SODEV has been
actively working within the umbrella organisation SDI (Social Democratic
Cooperation), which is established together with TUSES, DCP, SDD and other
social democratic oriented NGO’s.
Social
democracy school
Since 2001, SODEV
organizes, in collaboration with TÜSES, a social democracy school. The program
consists of 14 lessons comprising nearly all aspects of the social democratic
vision. The lecturers are reputed academicians and politicians. The program
takes place in Bilgi University. A certificate is delivered to those having
participated in the program.
 Library
A specialized
library has been established in SODEV's central building, Today, more than 5000
books, booklets, brochures are available for researchers and students. Programs,
reports etc. of political parties with social democratic identity such as CHP,
SODEP, HP, SHP are available as well.
International relations
Contacts have been
established with European institutions having similar orientation. SODEV became
during last years an appreciated partner for European politicians and civil
institutions. In this respect, representatives of SODEV are invited to PES-meetings.
Eminent politicians, such as those of the HLAG and members of EU Parliament
consult SODEV in frame of their Turkey-visits.
Many European NGOs
have cooperated / are cooperating with SODEV. Some of them invited SODEV’s
chairpersons to their meetings. Among them we may mention Friedrich Ebert
Stiftung, Fondation Jean Jaurès, Olof Palme Center, Alfred Mozer Stichtig,
Italienieuropei, ISTAME, Heinrich Böll Stiftung, etc.
SODEV has been / is
executing projects supported by the EU Commission Delegation to Turkey, These
are mainly projects aiming at strenghtening the NGOs democratic participation
level or/and at consolidating and promoting human rights, etc. One of them has
already been successfully accomplished in 2006; one other project is starting
from January 2007 and a third one is preselected for April 2007.
SODEV
İstiklal Cad. Bekar Sokak
No:22/2 Beyoglu / ISTANBUL - TURKEY
Tel :+90.212. 292 52 52
Fax:+90.212. 292 32 33
info@sodev.org.tr
SODEV YOUTH
genclik@sodev.org.tr
Tlf : +90.212. 292 52 52
Fax:+90.212. 292 32 33
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