Minority Rights In The Centennial Of The Rebublic

The concept of minority, which historically emerged in the context of protecting the rights of religious communities in Europe, has undergone numerous transformations over the years. With the rise of nationalism, the definition of minority has expanded and been redefined to include ethnic and linguistic minorities. Following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey and the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne, the status and rights of minorities in the country were defined and have since become subjects of debate, especially in light of these historical and conceptual transformations. In this context, the conference titled “Minority Rights in the 100th Year of the Republic,” held in Istanbul in November 2023, explored topics such as the rights of various minorities living in Turkey, the changes these rights have undergone, the challenges faced by minorities, and international developments along with their impact on minority rights. These issues were examined through

interdisciplinary studies and fresh perspectives. “In recent years there has also been a dramatic increase of hate speech in social media targeting mainly, overwhelmingly minorities, and an increase in violent attacks and

hate crimes against minorities in Europe. Social media platforms have become propaganda megaphones,

and now amplify intolerance and prejudıce to spew propaganda of hate and racism, almost immediately reaching huge numbers, thousands and even millions, of people and causing real harm, literally leading to individuals around the world being vilified, pointed out, lined up, even killed because they belong to dehumanised groups of others, who are usually, overwhelmingly, minorities.”

– Fernand de Varennes, from the keynote speech