Why Institute of Historical Research for Peace?

Historical Thinking Promotes Peace

Historical Thinking is:

  • the process of understanding History deeply and widely
  • a tool for predicting future possibilities and probabilities.

Peace is hidden by Historiography because Children:

  • Learn more about wars and victories
  • NOT much about the way to treaties and the national victories of the neighbouring countries.

Vision

The Institute of Historical Research for Peace (INISME)
is a not for profit N.G.O. dedicated:

  • to the adults’ education
  • to the resolution of conflicts
  • to the promotion of research
  • to education for Peace
  • to international exchange programs

Two examples – Historical anecdotes

1. History of Cyprus 1955-58:

  • After the struggle for independence had begun and the partisan movement was getting stronger, the British appointed Turkish Cypriots as auxiliary policemen.
    Counterproductive to Coexistence.

2. History of Kosovo 1999:

  • UCK soldiers were appointed policemen having the task to promote peace in the affected area. However, this proved to be unrealistic for two reasons: first, the UCK was not accepted by the other party (the non-Muslims of the region);
  • and second, UCK soldiers were not in the psychological condition to be friendly to their historical enemy.=> wrong historical understanding

    No Peace!

Bi-communality

Interdisciplinary Teams:

  1. Architects, Theologians, Historians and Psychologists.
  2. Sociologists and Political Scientists.
  3. Turkish Cypriot Turcologists.

Expected Benefits

  1. Understanding will be gained on whether Muslims and Christians on the island share common/different folk piety, mentality, economic interests, “psychological stereotypes” and life style based on unifying cultural patterns.
  2. Common heritage, mosques which had been churches before the advent of Islam will provide evidence of common interests in history. Besides, it will be documented where and how the two cultures come together.
  3. Turkish Cypriot intellectuals will be able in cooperation with Greek Cypriot intellectuals to open a public critical discourse on problems existing between the two communities. This will contribute to mutual understanding.
  4. The AIDS of hostility will be refuted by cultural, historical and other arguments which will prove that Turks and Greeks have been real friends and that they have all the necessary background to convince the international community that war will not be even a next choice.
  5. Problems faced by Cypriot women will be studied and solutions will be suggested to the Government, the European Union and the United Nations.

International Collaborations

Transnational Collaborations

  1. EUROPEAN UNION – International Association for the Promotion of Women of Europe (AIPFE)
  2. GREECE – Mediterranean Women’s Studies Centre (KEGME)
  3. GERMANY – German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Atlantik-Brücke e.V.
  4. IRAN – UNESCO Chair for Human rights, Peace and Democracy, Shahid Beheshti University
  5. ISRAEL – Centre for International Collaboration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MASHAV) and the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  6. ITALY – Centro Studi Città di Orvieto
  7. ROMANIA – Association Internationale d’ Études du Sud-Ést Européen (AIESEE)
  8. UNITED KINGDOM – Centre for the Study of Jewish-Christian Relations (CJCR), Cambridge University

The Problem of Language

  1. Another piece of evidence contributing to peaceful coexistence is the problem of language. In countries with different communities, the understanding of the language of other groups is required in order to achieve a good level of communication.
  2. The knowledge of Turkish language in Cyprus, for example, is sine qua non for Greek Cypriots so that they become able to understand the Turkish mentality and history as well.

One of the main tasks of the Historians

  1. To provide information on the importance of examining the past without repeating past mistakes and of course not before realising that decisions are made according to peoples’ historical and psychological background.
  2. Let us now come to the problem:
    Our time is characterised by nationalistic polarisation which prevents peaceful coexistence or respect of differences. Religious differences often prevent a peaceful coexistence. Minority problems, self-determination of groups belonging to the same country, disrespectful treatment of these groups by governments cause usually a special form of disease, the AIDS of hostility among people who normally should be friends.
  3. The problem of structuring heterogeneous societies in a country cannot be solved without insightful historical understanding.
  4. The question of the national security cannot be separated from the issue of human security.

This is the challenge for a creative new form of coexistence in countries with heterogeneous populations, with different values, national, ethnic, linguistic, religious or racial backgrounds.

Objectives

  1. To find out the potential of peaceful coexistence among the Cypriot communities.
  2. To get to know the unknown Turkish Cypriot neighbour and his/her language and therefore to contribute to the Peace process.
  3. To establish close contacts aiming at cooperating with scientists in our field from the Turkish Cypriot community.
  4. To inform the public on the importance of looking back without repeating the mistakes of the past.
  5. To use the special power, wisdom and capacities women have shown across centuries in order to promote peace and partnership.
  6. To study through research the archaeological, theological and historical development of Muslim places of Worship.
  7. To try to find a creative new form of coexistence in countries with heterogeneous populations espousing different values.

No man is an island

  1. Speaking about Historical Thinking and its contribution to the peace process one cannot avoid discussing briefly the contradiction between economic crisis and peace. Nearly every war has deep financial roots.
  2. The world has more than six billion inhabitants. Unfortunately two billion are under the poverty limit. Can this be a guarantee for peace?

The poet reminds us:

  1. “No man (human being) is an island, entire of itself”.
  2. Every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main.
  3. Any man’ s death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind;
  4. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee (John Donne, Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, “Meditation XVII”).
Scroll to Top