Belgian-Turks a Bridge Or a Breach Between Turkey and the European Union?
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King Baudouin Foundation Working together for a better society www.kbs-frb.be Belgian-Turks The King Baudouin Foundation supports projects and citizens with a commit- ment to build a better society. We look for sustainable ways of bringing about jus- Belgian-Turks tice, democracy and respect for diversity. A Bridge or a Breach between Turkey and the European Union? The King Baudouin Foundation is independent and pluralistic. Working from our base in Brussels, we are engaged in activities in Belgium, in Europe and interna- tionally. In Belgium the Foundation has local, regional and federal projects. The A Bridge King Baudouin Foundation was founded in 1976 to mark the 25th anniversary of King Baudouin’s reign. To achieve our aim we use a number of different working methods. We support third party projects, develop our own projects, organise workshops and round-table dis- or a Breach cussions with experts and citizens, set up groups to reflect on current and future issues, bring together people with very different perspectives to sit around the table, distribute the results through (free) publications etc. The King Baudouin Foundation works with government bodies, associations, non-governmental organisations, research centres, businesses and other foundations. We have a strategic partner- between Ce rapport est également disponible en français sous le titre: ship with the European Policy Centre, a thinktank in Brussels. ‘Belgo-Turcs : pont ou brèche entre la Turquie et l’Union européenne ?’ Our activities are focused on the following issues: Deze publicatie is eveneens verkrijgbaar in het Nederlands onder de titel : Migration & a multicultural society - promoting integration and a multicultural soci- ‘Belgische Turken : een brug of een breuk tussen Turkije en de Europese Unie ?’ ety in Belgium and Europe Turkey and Poverty & social justice - identifying new forms of social injustice and poverty; A publication of the King Baudouin Foundation, supporting projects that build greater solidarity between the generations Rue Brederode, 21 – B-1000 Brussels, Belgium Civil society & social commitment - encouraging social commitment; promoting democratic values among young people; supporting neighbourhood and local Authors : projects the European Ayhan Kaya, Associate Professor, Director of the Centre for Migration Research, Health - promoting a healthy way of life; helping to build an accessible and social- Istanbul Bilgi University ly acceptable healthcare system Ferhat Kentel, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Istanbul Bilgi University Philanthropy - helping to make philanthropy more efficient in Belgium and Europe The Balkans - protecting the rights of minorities and the victims of human traf- Coordination for the King Baudouin Foundation ficking; setting up a visa system for students Union? Françoise Pissart, director Central Africa - supporting projects in the field of AIDS prevention and offering Saïda Sakali, project manager guidance to AIDS patients Benoît Fontaine, programme advisor Anne Bruwier, assistant The Board of Governors of the King Baudouin Foundation outlines the main areas of policy. A staff of sixty - men and women, Belgian natives and ethnic minorities Vormgeving: Casier/Fieuws – is in charge of the implementation. Druk: Enschedé-Van Muysewinkel We have total annual expenditures of some 40 million euro. In addition to our own This report can be downloaded from www.kbs-frb.be capital and the significant grant from the National Lottery there are also Funds set This report is available free of charge, online, via www.kbs-frb.be, up by individuals, associations and companies. The King Baudouin Foundation is by e-mail at [email protected] or at our Contact Center, happy to accept donations and legacies. tel. +32-70-223 728, fax. +32-70-233 727 You can find more information on our projects and publications at www.kbs-frb.be Legal deposit: D/2007/2893/35 An e-newsletter will keep you informed. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@kbs- ISBN-13: 978-90-5130-587-6 frb.be or on 070-233 728. EAN: 9789051305876 December 2007 King Baudouin Foundation, rue Brederodestraat 21, B-1000 Brussels +32-2-511 18 40, fax +32-2-511 52 21 With the support of the Belgian National Lottery Donations made to our account number 000-0000004-04 are tax deductible from 30 euro. King Baudouin Foundation Working together for a better society www.kbs-frb.be Belgian-Turks The King Baudouin Foundation supports projects and citizens with a commit- ment to build a better society. We look for sustainable ways of bringing about jus- Belgian-Turks tice, democracy and respect for diversity. A Bridge or a Breach between Turkey and the European Union? The King Baudouin Foundation is independent and pluralistic. Working from our base in Brussels, we are engaged in activities in Belgium, in Europe and interna- tionally. In Belgium the Foundation has local, regional and federal projects. The A Bridge King Baudouin Foundation was founded in 1976 to mark the 25th anniversary of King Baudouin’s reign. To achieve our aim we use a number of different working methods. We support third party projects, develop our own projects, organise workshops and round-table dis- or a Breach cussions with experts and citizens, set up groups to reflect on current and future issues, bring together people with very different perspectives to sit around the table, distribute the results through (free) publications etc. The King Baudouin Foundation works with government bodies, associations, non-governmental organisations, research centres, businesses and other foundations. We have a strategic partner- between Ce rapport est également disponible en français sous le titre: ship with the European Policy Centre, a thinktank in Brussels. ‘Belgo-Turcs : pont ou brèche entre la Turquie et l’Union européenne ?’ Our activities are focused on the following issues: Deze publicatie is eveneens verkrijgbaar in het Nederlands onder de titel : Migration & a multicultural society - promoting integration and a multicultural soci- ‘Belgische Turken : een brug of een breuk tussen Turkije en de Europese Unie ?’ ety in Belgium and Europe Turkey and Poverty & social justice - identifying new forms of social injustice and poverty; A publication of the King Baudouin Foundation, supporting projects that build greater solidarity between the generations Rue Brederode, 21 – B-1000 Brussels, Belgium Civil society & social commitment - encouraging social commitment; promoting democratic values among young people; supporting neighbourhood and local Authors : projects the European Ayhan Kaya, Associate Professor, Director of the Centre for Migration Research, Health - promoting a healthy way of life; helping to build an accessible and social- Istanbul Bilgi University ly acceptable healthcare system Ferhat Kentel, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Istanbul Bilgi University Philanthropy - helping to make philanthropy more efficient in Belgium and Europe The Balkans - protecting the rights of minorities and the victims of human traf- Coordination for the King Baudouin Foundation ficking; setting up a visa system for students Union? Françoise Pissart, director Central Africa - supporting projects in the field of AIDS prevention and offering Saïda Sakali, project manager guidance to AIDS patients Benoît Fontaine, programme advisor Anne Bruwier, assistant The Board of Governors of the King Baudouin Foundation outlines the main areas of policy. A staff of sixty - men and women, Belgian natives and ethnic minorities Vormgeving: Casier/Fieuws – is in charge of the implementation. Druk: Enschedé-Van Muysewinkel We have total annual expenditures of some 40 million euro. In addition to our own This report can be downloaded from www.kbs-frb.be capital and the significant grant from the National Lottery there are also Funds set This report is available free of charge, online, via www.kbs-frb.be, up by individuals, associations and companies. The King Baudouin Foundation is by e-mail at [email protected] or at our Contact Center, happy to accept donations and legacies. tel. +32-70-223 728, fax. +32-70-233 727 You can find more information on our projects and publications at www.kbs-frb.be Legal deposit: D/2007/2893/35 An e-newsletter will keep you informed. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@kbs- ISBN-13: 978-90-5130-587-6 frb.be or on 070-233 728. EAN: 9789051305876 December 2007 King Baudouin Foundation, rue Brederodestraat 21, B-1000 Brussels +32-2-511 18 40, fax +32-2-511 52 21 With the support of the Belgian National Lottery Donations made to our account number 000-0000004-04 are tax deductible from 30 euro. KBS•Belgian-Turks GB:GB version 17/01/08 18:58 Page 1 Belgian-Turks A Bridge or a Breach between Turkey and the European Union? A study commissioned by the King Baudouin Foundation Conducted by Ayhan Kaya, Associate Professor, Director of the Centre for Migration Research, Istanbul Bilgi University and Ferhat Kentel, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Istanbul Bilgi University December 2007 A Bridge or a Breach between Turkey and the European Union? 1 KBS•Belgian-Turks GB:GB version 17/01/08 18:58 Page 2 Who are the Belgian-Turks, the people of Turkish origin who live in Belgium? This is a pertinent question, given that Belgian-Turks form one of the largest immi- grant communities in our country and one which has developed down several gen- erations during the last four or five decades. The answer, however, is neither sim- ple nor straightforward: despite an image that is all too often stereotyped, immi- grants of Turkish origin and their descendents form a heterogeneous group, what- ever the criteria considered (political, socio-economic, religious or cultural), so that it would be more prudent from the start to refer to Turkish communities in Belgium. It would be pointless to deny that interest in the subject also lies in the questions raised by the Muslim identity of these groups and the “relationship difficulties” sometimes experienced, as in October 2007, when some neighbourhoods in Brussels with a high Turkish presence were severely shaken by serious incidents.