By Ezrela Dalidia Fanai
NEW DELHI: The seminar was chaired by Prof. Anwar Alam, Director, Centre of West Asian Studies, JMI and H.E. Burak Akcapar, Ambassador, Republic of Turkey lectured on the topic. Mr. Akcapar said, “Arab Spring or Uprising is just a repetition of history. In 2006 I had mentioned that the region was on a path of reformation. This uprising is not an ideological motivation. It happened because the people wanted better quality of life and freedom of expression. Genuine democracy cannot happen overnight. It is a long process that requires effort, resilience and citizens’ participation.” “Turkey has also embarked on a long and tough journey to establish a strong democracy. We had faced four military coups, but Turkey still manages to uplift a strong and secular democracy. Turkey’s own experience proves that the Arab world can achieve democracy,” he added The Ambassador also highlighted that the region has arrived at a turning point, where change and democracy are inevitable. Sustainable security and stability are required. “Turkey wants stability in the whole region. We will oppose any attempt by fundamentalists to hijack this transformation”, he said. He called on Israel not to mistreat this change, but rather use it as an opportunity to undergo a change itself, and realise that an independent Palestinian State must exist. The lecture was followed by a session of discussion. Students asked questions and expressed their opinions.