The Fourth Phase Experience Sharing and New Phase Opportunities Meeting of the Civil Society Dialogue Programme implemented by the Ministry for EU Affairs, was held in Ankara on 14 December 2017, under the theme “Capture The Dialogue”. Approximately 350 participants and over 200 CSOs attended the meeting.
In the morning session of the Capture the Dialogue Meeting, the Civil Society Dialogue family was greeted by Ege Kayacan, Fahir Öğünç and Oktay Demirci, hosts of the morning radio show Modern Sabahlar. Gathering again after a 22-month project period, the grant beneficiaries, Ministry for EU Affairs -Directorate of Project Implementation and the Technical Assistance Team celebrated their success and congenially discussed this phase with Modern Sabahlar crew. Following this fun chat, the documentary film produced by Iz TV, telling stories of projects from the fourth phase of the programme, was screened for the first time.
A compilation of successful and human oriented frames from the Civil Society Dialogue bringing together Turkish and EU communities for the last 9 years were shared with the audiences through the lens of photography artist Çağrı Öner in his “Capture the Dialogue” exhibition. The exhibition in CerModern stayed open for a week, and continued to please art lovers.
The afternoon session started by the opening speeches of Michael Rupp Head of Civil Society, Fundamental Rights, Judiciary and Home Affairs Section of the EU Delegation to Turkey, and Mehmet Cangir, Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry for EU Affairs. The importance of civil society was emphasized. Bülent Özcan, Director of Project Implementation in the Ministry for EU Affairs, explained what has been achieved and how the concept of civil society turned into a sector since the very beginning of the Civil Society Dialogue Programme in 2006. Then he gave information about the fifth phase of the Civil Society Dialogue.
Capture the Dialogue closing meeting ended with the presentations of Mr. Murat Özçelebi, Civil Society Sector Coordinator and Mr. Murat Başer, Civil Society Dialogue Programme Coordinator from the Project Implementation Directorate of the Ministry for EU Affairs on New Phase Opportunities and Civil Society Dialogue Fifth Phase.
The event came to an end following the presentations of Murat Özçelebi, Coordinator of the Directorate of Project Implementation, Ministry for EU Affairs, and Murat Başer, Coordinator of the Civil Society Dialogue Programme, regarding the new phase grant opportunities and the fifth phase of the Civil Society Dialogue.