There are many forgotten aspects of the Great War of 1914. One is the fact that Britain violated Greek neutrality because the Greek government resisted its pressure to join its war on Germany and Ottoman Turkey, and then invaded neutral Greece, overthrew its government, and installed a puppet government which declared war on the Ottoman Empire. Britain then lured Greece into a fatal military adventure in Anatolia in order to impose a punitive treaty on the Turks and to advance its Imperial interests in the region. This produced a Greek tragedy of immense proportions whilst at the same time generating a powerful Turkish nation out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. No wonder such a disastrous policy and turn of events is seldom talked about in the West or examined by its historians.
Britain’s Great War of 1914
The character of Britain’s Great War on the Ottoman Empire was largely responsible for the Greek war on the Turks. It is possible that there could have been a local Greek/Ottoman war if the events of 1914 had not generated a world war but it would have been an entirely different affair, much more limited in scope and duration. It certainly would not have resulted in the catastrophe it did.
The catastrophe was inherent in the nature of Britain’s Great War on Germany and the Ottoman State… Source:(https://drpatwalsh.com/2021/09/07/the-great-war-and-the-great-idea-megali-forgotten-aspects-of-the-greek-war-on-the-turks/)
Forgotten Aspects of the Greek War on Turkey 1916 – 1922″, & VIDEO:”The Great War and the Great Idea (Megali)
On Septemper 29, Chelyabinsk, a Russian city in the South Urals has become a platform for hosting the II Forum of the Heads of Regions of the SCO Member States. The decision was made after the Declaration at the XX Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Dushanbe was signed.
The Forum’s Plenary session was moderated by Alexander Kalinin, President of OPORA Of RUSSIA. The participants of the event discussed the mechanisms for implementing the Program for the Development of Interregional Cooperation of the SCO Member States.
According to Alexander Kalinin, the Forum is gaining its momentum and is becoming an increasingly popular platform.
“The importance of the Forum was noted in the final declaration of the SCO summit, which was recently held in Dushanbe and was dedicated to the twentieth anniversary of the organization. Today, it is very important to develop interregional cooperation between the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. After all, these are direct contacts between various regional authorities and businesses of the SCO member states. This makes it easy to build joint projects, removing all sorts of barriers to economic development. The key to success is the joint work of the government, business and citizens of our countries. The Forum contributes to this in every way, ”said Alexander Kalinin.
Delegations from China (Chongqing city, Shandong province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region) and Pakistan (Sindh, Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Punjab) took part in the forum via videoconference.
Representatives of Uzbekistan (Navoi region), Kazakhstan (Turkestan, North Kazakhstan and Akmola regions), the Kyrgyz Republic (Issyk-Kul region), Tajikistan (Sughd region) and India joined the event in online and offline formats.
The participants of the Plenary session discussed the ways to increase the efficiency of cooperation within the Forum and projects of the regions of the SCO countries. They also shared their experience in the development of foreign economic activities in their regions. The result of the Forum was an agreement to consolidate efforts in fighting the pandemic consequences and to increase cooperation in such spheres as agriculture, international security as well as culture, education and international diplomacy.
I am (R) Admiral Cihat Yaycı –the President of Turk Maritime and Global Strategies Center. I was promoted to Rear Admiral on 30 August 2012. I continued my academic studies during my tenure. I made presentations and notifications about ‘Security Cooperation in the Black Sea’, ‘Piracy’, ‘Maritime Security’, ‘International Activities at Sea’,’ Maritime Jurisdiction’, ‘New Maritime Security Ecosystems’, ‘Current Developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and Libya’, ‘Blue Homeland’, ‘Global Maritime Power’ and ‘Turkish Straits’ in public institutions, organizations, public and private universities in our hometown and abroad.
I have been working as a TURK DEGS manager since 2020. Turk Maritime and Global Strategies Center is founded on July 24, 2020, operating in the field of international relations, international law and maritime. The aim of the center, which also provides consultancy services to state institutions, is defined as “identifying, defending and developing Turkey’s rights and interests within the framework of international law”.
Our Vision
TURK DEGS aims to become a leading research center, think tank and educational institution in the global context that analyzes international developments, interstate relations, and all activities related to ‘Seas’/’Oceans’ (such as; Maritime Law, Settlement on Maritime Jurisdiction). In this context, concomitantly TURK DEGS aims to identify the rights and interests of Turkey under international law, as well as to defend and develop the interests of Turkey.
Our Mission
Following and evaluating international relations and developments in relation to Seas/Oceans (such as; Maritime Law, Settlement on Maritime Jurisdiction) in global context.
Publishing daily reports, monthly bulletins and doing research on areas in relation to Maritime issues not only on interstate relations but also on issues covering a wide range of concepts such as; environment, security and law.
Analyzing and evaluating critical areas such as law, politics and international relations.
Creating policy papers.
To get assistance from the knowledge and experience of leading academics, statesmen and private sector representatives on their field to be able to develop ideas to foster improvement on areas where academic and non-academic fields unite their potentials.
Creating products with high academic value by making use of numerous national and global sources.
To create an academic and up-to-date archive on the use of countries’ maritime jurisdictions, laws and practices in this regard
To make contributing evaluations and studies on relevant legal regulations and practices on national and international ground.
To supervise Turkey in her fight against the sharing of the seas to determine the rights and interests.
In order to have unity of doctrine regarding maritime law in Turkey to create common ground
To ensure that the national doctrine is used as a reference method in the International Court of Justice and Arbitration Courts
As a multilingual center to produce internationally reliable resources
To prepare research files to be demanded by state institutions, organizations and the private sector and to provide consultancy services
To provide training to participants who are interested on Maritime issues with the programs to be organized within the School of Maritime and Global Strategy
Organizing congresses, symposiums, panels, seminars and workshops
To provide student candidates with all the professional equipment that they need theoretically and practically thanks to our MA and PhD programs to train young academicians and experts
Handling sensitive and difficult issues in a professional and objective manner, thanks to the research focused teams and the common platform been created under the name of TURK DEGS with contribution of wide range of sectors.
GANDHI & ENVIRONMENT (Mahatma Gandhi at 152 | October 2, 1869 – January 30, 1948)
“We have to stop this undeclared war against nature” On the Occasion of the International Day of Non-Violence (October 2) #UNGA Res. A/RES/61/271 (2007) & In correlation with the current world-wide environmental concerns
“The importance of environmental protection is ever increasing, there is no compartment of life that is not effected by environment.” – Mahatma Gandhi
WHEN:ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 TIME Zones: 12:00–14:00 (EDT) | 11:00-13:00(CDT) 9:00–11:00 (PDT) | 10:00–12:00 (Costa Rica) | 18:00–20:00 (South Africa) | 19:00–21:00(Turkey) | 22:00–24:00 (India)
Register in advance for this webinar via Zoom platform:
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For more information, please email to EVENT@lightmillennium.org or ShantiFund@gmail.com
• The Light Millennium, Charitable Global Human Advancement Organization and • Anuvrat (Anuvibha) Global Organization, Associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications; and • Shanti Fund, •Consulate General of India in New York and • Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations
• Contributing Organizations are: Global Green University and World Intellectual Forum
Hashtags: #NonViolenceDay #Gandhi #GandhiAndEnvironment #IndiaInNewYork #CostaRicaOnu #SDG15 #SDG17 #UNWithCivilSociety #UNDGC_NGO www.lmglobal.org | www.lightmillennium.org | www.anuvibha.in | www.shantifund.org– E-circulated by: Bircan Ünver, Founder-President of The Light Millennium, Charitable Global Human Advancement Organization (LM, 2001, New York); Associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (formerly UN.DPI/NGO since 2005). – Web sites: www.lightmillennium.org | www.lmglobal.org | www.turkishlibrary.us | www.isikbinyili.org | www.unngoga.org – Social media @The Light Millennium (Linkedin) | @lightmillennium (Twitter) | @lightmillennium (Facebook)
We, the people of Azerbaijan just learned that you have acted in the House of Representatives to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, which includes an amendment in regard to our country. In your amendment we witness many fake accusations which press us to share our position openly.
First of all you claim that “On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan, with support from Turkey and foreign militia groups, launched a military assault on Nagorno-Karabakh”, “resulting in the deaths of thousands and displacing tens of thousands of ethnic Armenian residents”.
Just to enlighten you and your supporters I’ll recall the statistics delivered by official Yerevan that about 30 civilian Armenians were killed during this 44 days of war, not thousands. And military personal which were eliminated in thousands in the territory of Azerbaijan were mostly of Armenian citizenship, not Karabakh residents. Thus Azerbaijan eliminated foreign occupants and cleansed its territories from the foreign occupants which is not against any international law or obligation.
By the way, Armenian occupant army launched dozens of rocket attacks on civil settlements of Azerbaijan out of war zone during this war and killed more than 100 civilians. Among them many kids, children and women fell victim of Armenian rockets.
Then you claim that Azerbaijan used “support from Turkey and foreign militia groups”. Are you serious? Do you know that no any foreigner fought in the side of Azerbaijan and there are no any evidences proving that? Just do not fell a victim of Armenian propaganda.
You are citing the tripartite statement by Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia from the November 10, 2020 to end the conflict. This statement really oversees exchange of all POWs, and the conflicting sides really had returned all of them immediately after the statement was signed. Thus Azerbaijan and Armenia both have no POWs after this date. But ugly Armenian propaganda is spreading fake information that Azerbaijan is still keeping Armenian POWs. And people like you are volunteering to be a tool for this propaganda.
Again, to enlighten you, Azerbaijan has several Armenian detainees, but they are not POWs as those people were stopped and detained at the end of November 2020 while illegally entered Azerbaijani lands, killed several Azerbaijanis including civilians. They all are citizens of Armenia and captured in the territory of Azerbaijan. Even most of them are freed and returned home. Going back they claimed that Azerbaijan tortured them, but they could not provide evidences of torture.
And a question for you: if any well equipped military group would enter the US illegally and kill people what would your government do with them? In such a case would you call on the US Government as well to release these people untouched? I believe that you’ll say no.
Once, you’re citing on “The Third Geneva Convention, of which Azerbaijan is a signatory, and customary international law” which “require the release of prisoners of war and captured civilians upon the cessation of hostilities and require that all detainees be treated humanely”.
And again you are claiming that “the Government of Azerbaijan continues to detain an estimated 200 Armenian prisoners of war, hostages, and detained persons, misrepresenting their status in an attempt to justify their continued captivity”.
Again, I’ll call on you to be serious. If Azerbaijan has released all persons who were captured before the end of the war, how you can claim that my country is still keeping POWs? Just ask the Government of Armenia and they will tell you that Azerbaijan had released all detained persons who were captured during actions of war days.
While seeing your citation of the Human Rights Watch and Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights reports, once more we see manipulation approval by such organizations. This kind of “human rights” organizations are always used as a tool to serve the interests of those who pay.
I was surprised while reading your claim that Azerbaijan could subject to sexual assaults woman detainees. Just to enlighten you once more, there is no any female detainee of Armenian origin in Azerbaijan. Even due to other crimes as we have more than 30 thousands of citizens of Armenian origin out of Karabakh, which lived all these years of conflict in peace in Azerbaijan.
You say, that “Armenia has fulfilled its obligations under the November 9 statement and international law by returning Azerbaijani prisoners of war”. You are right. And Azerbaijan did the same as the sides exchanged mutually in this regard.
Thus your demand to call on Azerbaijan to “immediately and unconditionally return all Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians” falls apart for having no ground.
In regard to your baseless claims on “Azerbaijan’s use of white phosphorous, cluster bombs, and prohibited munitions deployed by Azerbaijan against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Nagorno Karabakh” I’d say this is a joke by your side. No evidence on these fake claims as well.
I believe that you were maybe drunk while claiming “Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s recruitment of
foreign terrorist fighters to participate in Azerbaijan’s offensive military operations against Nagorno Karabakh between September 27, 2020, and November 9, 2020”. Why do I think so? Just for very simple reason. A person must be drunk or very far from the issue to claim this way.
Turkey helped Azerbaijan in this war in political and moral realms and we – the people of Azerbaijan and Turkey are happy with this. But no any person from Turkey or beyond was engaged in military actions in this war. For very simple reason: Azerbaijan does not need this kind of support as we have very professionally trained and well equipped Army. Plus if compare with Armenian Army and even two nations, Azerbaijan’s military, economic and human power is more from Armenia’s for several times. There is no logic to involve foreign fighters while the country has quite enough power. You as a member of Congress had to know this.
And at last I’d call on you and likewise people to stay away and let the people of Azerbaijan and Armenia to find common language. We here in the Caucasus, which is very far from the US know better how to deal with issues of conflicts between ourselves rather than you. If people like you will stay away from the issues and will not make any interference we’ll find solutions to all questions in our geography. Once we reach an agreement with Armenians you’ll see that we can live together in peace and prosperity. And without your involvement…
With hopes to be understood,
Mr. Azer HASRET
A Journalist, Human Rights and Civil Movement Activist
UNESCO defines literacy as :”the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create and communicate, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts”.
The historical and political context of adult literacy in Turkey Fevziye Sayilan &Ahmet Yildiz
Abstract
The aim of this article is to analyse the development of adult literacy education in Turkey in a historical and political context. The development of adult literacy education is studied in three different historical periods. To spread literacy and create novel institutions, although these institutions were closed later, played a critical role in the formation of modern Turkey. During the whole history of modern Turkey, five great mass literacy campaigns were organised. After this period of construction, later in the period of rapid social change adult literacy education was institutionalised as non‐formal education within Ministry of National Education and literacy education was defined as a public service. Literacy education still continues to be a public service during the neo liberal transformation period. Today illiteracy is still an important problem. Because of the regional, class and gender inequalities in education, illiteracy turned into being a chronic and structural problem. Therefore the solution of the problem necessitates positive action politics and more support.
Notes
1. The population of Turkey in the year 1927 stood at 13,648,000. The number of literate people within this population is 1,120,000 and the number of illiterate people is 12,528,000. As a proportion the rate of literate people is 8.9%, whereas the rate of illiterate people is 91.1% (Öztürk 2004, 48). It can also be seen that when Istanbul and Izmir districts in which the minorities were concentrated and the district of Ankara in which civil servants were abundant are left out, the rate of literate people in the remaining 60 provinces is 6.6%. And the research of Başgöz and Wilson (1968) describes the scene concerning the conditions of the schools: in the 1923–1924 school year, a student body, the number of which is estimated to be between 6000–18,000, were studying in approximately 480 madrasahs. There were around 4894 primary schools, 72 rushdiyas (the old institution in the place of secondary school) and 22 idadis (the historical counterpart of high schools) which could be accounted as secular. 342,000 (perhaps 20% of the child population who should go to school), 5900 and 2900 students were enrolled in these schools respectively. The number of students enrolled in higher education is 2900.
2. According to Kafadar (1997) the period of the Republic up to 1950 can be labeled as ‘the period of primary school’. While the number of primary schools, which was 4894 in the 1923–1924 school year has risen to 10,596 in the 1940–1941 school year, the number of enrolled students has risen from 341,941 to 955,947 during the same period (Akyüz 1993: 304).
3. The unification of the education code was accepted in 1924. By this law the Ottoman system of education which contained mainly religious but modern schools also was ended and the control of all the schools was given to the Ministry of National Education and religious school and institutions were closed.
4. The lessons in Millet Mekteps were organized in periods of four months and took place in the evenings. There have been two classes in these courses. In the A class the literacy education was more emphasized whereas B class was more centered on reading, composition, calculation, measures, health education and national knowledge. More than 1.5 million adults have received a certificate from Millet Mekteps during 1928–1950. Nevertheless, the most intense working period of the movement is the first 5–10 years (Akyüz 1993: 351).
5. The rise in the number of schools in villages has overcome the decline in the impetus of Millet Mekteps so that the rise in the rate of literate population kept continuing. According to the 4274 numbered Law for the Organization of Village Institutes and Schools in Villages, the schools in villages had assumed public education while realizing the education of the students on the one hand. With all the efforts that these schools have made, the rate of the previous 10 years have been kept intact and the rate of literate population has risen from 22.4 to 33.6 in the 10 years that have passed from 1940 to 1950.
6. The army has a double impact on the subject of literacy because it has continual practices within its own body on the one hand and it has another effect through the mass mobilizations following the military interventions. Army has been the main institution which provides the basic education to the adult population in the initial stages of the Republic (and it also partially continues to be so today). Because a large majority of the population was living in the rural areas and because the level of education was low in these places, most of the base ranks recruited in the army were illiterate (Arayıcı 1999: 160). This is why since 1928 the army played an active role in teaching the young men how to read and write during their military service, presenting them with elementary knowledge and providing some with trades. The army has opened up 16 ‘Private‐literacy schools’. These schools were opened for 15 years according to the 291 numbered Law. They were shut down in the year 1975 at the end of this time period (Bülbül 1991: 257).
The number of rank soldiers who have been educated in and achieved a certificate of success in these TAF (Turkish Armed Forces) organized courses has exceeded 480,000 from 1959 to the end of the year 1972. And the rate of success is around 77%. Even though a ‘General Culture Education’ program was prepared in order to continue the education during the services of the soldiers who have attended literacy schools or learned how to read and write beforehand but did not have any further education, it was never implemented (Geray, 2002: 258). A total of 532,266 privates have attained education until the end of the year 1975 when the legal timeframe ran out for these schools. 392,277 out of these have graduated showing success; the unsuccessful continued the reading and writing practice in their own brigades. If we consider that MONE (Ministry of National Education) has thought how to read and write to 577,111 adults, this is an important number (Günlü 2005: 83).
Today, with the cooperation protocol signed between MONE and Commandership of General Staff, literacy courses are opened up in all the brigades. TAF is determining the illiterate privates and the public education centers are providing the course material and teacher; and then imparting a literacy document to those who succeed (Nohl and Sayılan 2004: 11).
7. Contrary to the single party period, DP (the Democratic Party) has advocated a political line in favor of economic liberalism, rather than the economy which has been statist, strictly controlled and was tending towards self‐sufficiency. A great economic progress was attained during the initial years of the government. This progress was achieved through a great amount of American aid (Zurcher 2004).
8. Following the date of 17 July 1962, the Ministry of National Education Public Education General Directorate, ‘People’s Learning Houses (Halk Dershanes) Code and Temporary Curriculum’ program ran into force (on 6 August 1962) (Journal of Communications, 6 August 1963: quoted in Günlü 2005: 95). According to the rules of this code people’s learning houses were opened and administered by governors. The teachers who would serve in people’s learning houses and the education program are provided by directorates of national education. The code has also brought the governors the obligation to open learning houses in order to educate and inform the highest possible number of citizens (Günlü 2005: 95). The public learning houses have been divided into three groups as A, B and C. In the program of learning house A, reading, writing simple letters, punctuation and four mathematical functions within the number which could answer people’s daily needs were taught. The program of learning house B is one followed by those who have completed learning house A. The subjects of reading and writing, punctuation, mathematics and information on health and citizenship were taught in this program. In learning house program C, preparations for primary school qualification exams in order to cover the subjects included within the primary school curriculum (Günlü 2005: 95).
9. The functional literacy program which was accepted by UNESCO in the 1965 Tehran Conference was carried out in Turkey as a pilot project for 20 months during the years 1971–1973 with the aid provided by World Education Organization and US; with the provision to open up 50 literacy courses in Ankara, Kars, Muğla and Sinop and teach approximately 1000 adults functional literacy and then assess the results. Nevertheless in application, 28 classes were opened up in these five cities and there were 572 registrations (Oğuzkan 1981: 27). FLHEP had the aims of ending the dry method of teaching how to read and write in classes, taking the public education as a whole, reaching daily lives of adults, connecting literacy with health and the productive activities of villagers (Günlü 2005: 114). Functional literacy studies have been applied in Turkey for three years. Nonetheless, it was seen that the results were not at the desired level. What’s more, a dropout rate of 40% was witnessed in these courses (Gulbay 2000: 3).
10. With the 2841 numbered law passed in 1983 titled ‘The law concerning the turning of the citizens beyond the ages of compulsory education literate and providing them with primary school level education’, MONE and public institutions are appointed responsible on this subject. MONE and Apprenticeship and Non‐Formal Education General Directory (ANFEGD) have been fully authorized to open literacy education courses. This law required the cooperation of other state institutions with MONE and the reporting of illiterate people in the private sector to MONE and letting them follow courses. Again with the aforementioned law, it has become obligatory for the illiterate citizens to attend the literacy courses. In addition to this, together with the 2821 numbered trade unions law, it has become obligatory for the trade unions to open up literacy courses for their illiterate members.
11. The ‘Project of Development of Education of Young Girls and Women’ has been carried out between the years 1997 and 2000. Together with income generating and occupational courses, this project has provided literacy courses for all the adults, especially targeting young girls and women. The ‘Project for Supporting Social Development and Employment in Eastern and South‐Eastern Region’ has provided literacy courses for adults, especially targeting young girls and women who are suffering from poverty because of social and economic reasons. These courses are organized together with education courses on fundamental life capabilities, income generating skills and employment promoting occupational skills. Between September 2001 and October 2002, 151,213 people have attained 7730 courses within the reach of this project, out of which 64,812 were women and 86,401 were men. Despite the fact that both projects were aimed at women, they have served the needs of men in actuality and this situation shows how hard it is to find a proper way to reach the target group which needs the literacy education most, the illiterate women (Nohl and Sayılan 2004).
12. Cf. Sayılan, Balta and Şahin. (2002), Research for finding out the illiterate and unemployed women living in Ankara’s Gecekondu Districts, unpublished research report (Ankara: UNDP‐KSSGM‐KASAUM).
13. The ‘Campaign for Supporting the Schooling of Girls’ has been realized in the 53 cities with the lowest girl schooling rates. The aim of the campaign which started with the slogan ‘Come on Girls, to the School’ is to raise the schooling rates of girls, and gain back the students who have dropped out or who have been practicing non‐attendance. The application area of the project has been raised to 81 provinces by the year 2006 (UNICEF Report). Moreover, the extension of primary education to a compulsory and continuous eight years in 1997 have contributed to the rise in the rate of schooling of girls in every level and the rise in the period that girls stay in education. While the net schooling rate for girls in the elementary school has been 7.6% in the school year of 1997–1998, this rate has risen to 92.2 in the 2004–2005 school year. However there are still 1.5 million kids (who are overwhelmingly girls) at the elementary school level who do not attend school. Despite the comparative rise of this rate at the elementary school level through schooling campaigns, the schooling rate at middle school turned out as 57.2% for girls while it is 74.3% for boys.
14. The Adult Literacy Education Programme and Materials have been reorganized in the year 2005 in accordance with the Primary Education Curriculum Reform. An ideological transformation accommodating the neo‐liberal tendencies of the period can be clearly seen on the level of curriculum. The angle between the life worlds of illiterates who are at the most disadvantageous position and the fundamental life capabilities that this program, which is targeting to produce a profile of entrepreneur citizens, is aiming to offer them will keep its existence.
15. MEB. Support to Basic Education Project. Basic Line Study. Ankara. 2003: 4
