Lesbos Peace Festival: People from both sides of the Aegean came together for peace and brotherhood

The Lesbos Peace Festival, held in Mytilene, Lesbos, brought together mayors, artists, and peace advocates from Turkey and Greece .

Documentary film screenings, concerts and exhibitions were met with great interest at the festival, which was organized by the Aegean Peace and Communication Association from Türkiye and the Siniparxi – Aegean Coexistence and Communication Association from Greece, who have been working for peace and brotherhood on both sides of the Aegean for 30 years.

Zeynep Altıok Akatlı and Paris Vounatsis, the presidents of the two associations, who have been working together for nearly 25 years, had previously shared the following message for the festival, which ran from September 2nd to 7th: "We are not participating in the arms spending competition between the governments of our two countries, and we recognize that the Aegean Sea is a sea of ​​peace and friendship between peoples. We do not embrace the discourse of competing for sovereignty or any property regime in the Aegean. We declare our intention to organize the 1st International Peace and Anti-Racism Festival in Lesbos in 2025."

Mayors together

One of the highlights of the festival was the roundtable discussion titled "Intercity Cultural Diplomacy and Peace," held on September 6. The meeting was organized through the initiative of Siniparxi, the Aegean Peace and Communication Association, and the PADOP Peace Association in Athens, hosted by the Municipality of Mytilene and the North Aegean Region.

Present at the meeting from Türkiye were İzmir Gaziemir Mayor Ünal Işık, Ayvalık Mayor Mesut Ergin, and Fındıklı Mayor Ercüment Cervatoğlu; and from Greece were Lesbos Mayor Panagiotis Christofas, North Aegean Region Deputy Governor Kostas Astyrakakis, Lykovrysa-Pefki Mayor Marios Psychalis, Lokra Mayor Thanasis Zekentes, Zografou Deputy Mayor Rania Nenedaki, Chalandri Mayoral Advisor Kostis Masouras, and former Saronikos Mayor Petros Filippou.

ZEYNEP ALTIOK AKATLI SHARED EKREM IMAMOĞLU'S LETTER

Following the participants' presentations, Zeynep Altıok Akatlı, President of the Aegean Peace and Communication Association, shared a letter of solidarity sent by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu from Silivri Prison. İmamoğlu noted the following in her message:

"Dear Friends, Esteemed Participants,

I send you my warmest greetings from the prisons of Silivri. Although I cannot be with you today, I want you to know that my heart always beats with you, in peace and brotherhood. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Aegean Peace and Communication Association and its President, Ms. Zeynep Altıok, for helping me bring this message to you. I feel the support of millions of people who believe in democracy in our struggle for rights, law, and justice in Türkiye. I receive messages of support from Greek friends on both sides of the river who are fighting for peace, tranquility, and justice. I also take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Siniparxi and the PADOP Peace Association.

Today, unfortunately, democracy is under immense pressure around the world. Our immediate region is surrounded by wars and conflicts. It's not just us, but the entire world, that needs the Turkish and Greek peoples to paint a picture of peace and brotherhood in a region that has become a ring of fire. The lesson we should learn from history is that peace, not conflict, brings prosperity to people.

Local governments play a crucial role in both developing local democracy and building bridges between nations. City diplomacy enables cities to develop by working collaboratively around common projects and goals. This is, in fact, just a small demonstration of the benefits peace brings to the people. The strengthening of the long-standing Turkish-Greek friendship will also bring hope to our neighboring region, which desperately needs peace today.

Our gathering today on Lesbos, as representatives of the Turkish and Greek peoples, is invaluable, not for recounting the pain of the past, but for fostering a shared goal for the future. It is our shared duty to defend peace on both sides of the Aegean, to strengthen the brotherhood of our peoples, and to advance democracy against authoritarian oppression.

I believe that in the world of tomorrow, the voice of democracy and the brotherhood of peoples will prevail, not authoritarianism. Your solidarity gives us strength and hope on this path. Turkey, with its deep-rooted tradition of democracy and the will of the people, will overcome these challenging times. I have no doubt that we will come together in more just, freer days, in a peaceful future. Because I know full well that millions stand with me who will never give up their struggle for peace, democracy, and freedom.

I greet you with love and respect, with my belief in peace and democracy.

MESSAGE FROM ATHENS MAYOR DOUKAS

The message from Athens Mayor Haris Doukas is as follows:

"Good evening,

Unfortunately, I can't be with you this evening because we're currently in Thessaloniki with the other mayors. We're marching with all the social institutions of our country for the rights of citizens—for people-centered cities, better-paid jobs, and social structures accessible to all citizens.

However, I want you to consider me an ally in your endeavors. I stand with you in our region, on both sides of the Aegean, for peace, cooperation, and mutual respect through urban diplomacy.

As elected officials in local government, we know that bridges of cooperation and dialogue between cities can be built much more easily. Because city diplomacy is a bottom-up approach to diplomacy; it occurs where dividing lines are weakened and effective collaboration is necessary to solve common and complex problems.

We also know that there is no true democracy without local democracy. Freedom is impossible when elected leaders are behind bars.

In recent months, progressive mayors in our neighboring Türkiye have been imprisoned and subjected to immense pressure, yet they continue to stand strong.

A few days ago, I was in Silivri Prison with other European mayors, where Ekrem İmamoğlu has been detained for six months.

What struck me was not the absence of the person we went to see—which the national authorities didn't allow—but the presence of his values. Every voice that spoke echoed those values. We realized that hope cannot be confined by prison walls.

To our commitment to peace and cooperation, we must also add our active efforts to defend imprisoned progressive Turkish mayors.

I wish success to the Lesbos Peace Festival's efforts. My belief is this: ethnic, religious, linguistic, and cultural differences are a source of richness and not a cause for division.

The meeting ended with mutual agreement.

The meeting concluded with a mutual agreement between the municipalities of the two countries to expand the sister city network and to cooperate in cultural, commercial and social projects.

Over the course of three days, the festival showcased documentaries on migration, population exchange, Palestine, women, and LGBTQ+ issues. The closing concert, featuring Burçin Büke, Güvenç Dağüstün, Nikos Andrikos, Mehtap Meral, and Erdem Güreler, took place in Milena Kontou Square on the evening of September 7th. Poet and musician Mehtap Meral performed a song she recently wrote and composed for Palestine and Gaza.

Peace idols specially designed by sculptor Cem Sağbil were presented to the festival stakeholders and mayors.

The Lesbos Peace Festival concluded as a gathering that conveyed a message of strengthening the brotherhood of peoples on both sides of the Aegean.