Europe Day, 9 May Event at BİLGİ

European Institute of Istanbul Bilgi University, Jean Monnet Chair for European Politics of Interculturalism of the Department of International Relations, and Beyoglu Municipality’s Europe Day 9 May event was celebrated at İstanbul Bilgi University Dolapdere Campus with the participation of 9th class high school students from Beyoglu district of Istanbul. The workshop on "High School Students Discussing the EU” was made within the framework of the ongoing "EU Boat Project".

The performancesof the students was impressive in the workshop which was moderated by Ayhan Kaya, Jean Monnet Professor and the Director of the European Institute, and by Senem Aydın, Jean Monnet Module holder at the Department of International Relations. The students exchanged their opinions about Turkey’s problems, Turkey-EU relations, the future of Europe, the problems of the EU, global economic crisis, gender equality, access to jurisdiction, and seperation of powers. The group later had a lunch together on Campus.

The students’ skepticism towards the EU was remarkable, and it seems that they are unwilling to join the EU due to the devastating externalities of the economic crisis in Greece. In this regard, a consensus was reached stating that the relations between Turkey and the EU will be improved, when the crisis is overcome and when Turkey solves her own domestic problems of democratization, social-economic inequalities, and gender related issues.

We congratulate ther students, their teachers, and their families, and we clearly state that they should be proud of the students. We thank the Beyoğlu Municipality Youth Center employees, and Aslı Aydın and Engin Fuat Engin, the instructors of the European Institute.

Participating High Schools
Beyoğlu Endüstri Meslek Lisesi
Kabataş Ticaret Meslek Lisesi
Özel Alman Lisesi
İTO Anadolu Terzilik Meslek Lisesi
Güner Akın Lisesi
Eyüp Haydar Akçelik Meslek Lisesi
Beyoğlu Anadolu Lisesi
Saint Benoit Lisesi
Beyoğlu Anadolu İmam Hatip Lisesi
Galileo Galilei İtalyan Lisesi
Kasımpaşa Çok Programlı Lisesi
İstanbul Atatürk Anadolu Lisesi
İtalyan Lisesi