The year 2003 saw one of the largest anti-war demonstrations in Turkish history. Solid civil society opposition successfully defeated the March 1st parliamentary resolution, which would have sent Turkish troops to Iraq alongside the U.S.
So, what constituted this civil society, and what did it mean to be civil?
Philosophy professor İoanna Kuçuradi, speaking at the 13th NGO Symposium, defined it as "organisations providing public services based on human rights".
This definition captured the spirit of Turkey that year. Expectations were high, the atmosphere was hopeful, and there was a strong sense of self-confidence.
Turkey had won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, fuelling the possibility of becoming an equal partner in the West, a place that evoked both admiration and opposition.
At least, that was the prevailing sentiment at the time.
1 – While calls for peace echoed on one side, Turkey's Jewish community and the Neve Shalom Synagogue became victims of the bombings that struck nearby. (Şalom) 2 – Some of the thousands who took to the streets to say “No to the War” ahead of the 1 March resolution voting down the Turkish government’s motion to deploy American troops in Turkey and open a northern front into Iraq. (Bianet) 3 – Sertab Erener on stage as Turkey wins Eurovision for the first time in its history. (IMAGO/TT) 4 – Turkey’s second-place finish in the European Women's Volleyball Championship and the national team being called the “Sultans of the Net” for the first time also happened in 2003. (TRT Spor). 5 – A pioneer of climate action, Greta Thunberg, was born in Sweden that year. (STV News/Angela Christofilou) 6 – Ulrike Dufner, the new director of the Istanbul office of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung, found herself in Brussels shortly after taking office. Dufner (sixth from left) is pictured with Greens MEPs who supported Turkey's EU accession at the European Commission in 2004. As the Greens viewed Turkey as part of the EU, the Istanbul office was moved to the North America and Europe section in a show of support—a position it still holds today. (hbs) 7 – On 15 December 2004, during the EU Parliament's vote on Turkey’s accession, the Greens group led the display of “Yes“ banners in support of the vote. (Hürriyet)