The annual meetings of Greek and Turkish architects from the neighboring regions of the Dodecanese and Muğla were initiated in 2009 and are continued uninterrupted to this day. Everything started when a group of Turkish architects decided to visit the Dodecanese to meet colleagues from the Technical Chamber of Greece-Dodecanese Department and to examine a possible collaboration between the two sides.   

 

This collaboration of architects apart from its scientific and professional side had from its very beginning a character of interpersonal relationships. The participation in the events is open and voluntary for every architect and for the wide public of the regions of both countries. The only condition is to be interested to get to know the other side. 

 

The keystone of the meetings has always been a short symposium. It includes lectures by Greek and Turkish academics - on a common architectural theme, an exhibition with projects of Greek and Turkish architects, a dinner always ending up in a feast and an excursion to the sights of the town and its region. All these constitute the base for the participants, architects or not, to get to know each other. The architectural and the documentary workshop, which were added later, give young architects from both countries an opportunity to interact with each other and work closely together for one week.  The different cultural background of the participants reinforces the interest of the collaboration.

The resulting architectural proposals and the short documentary film are presented by each team and are evaluated and commented by the audience during the symposium in an open democratic procedure. The largest possible participation of the local residents is a particular pursuit of the organizers given that the subjects of the workshops are directly related to the place where they live.

In the past eight years, the wish and interest for continuing the collaboration remain undiminished from both sides, in spite of the obstacles and difficulties. The continuous contact of several men and women, mostly of young age, with the “other side”, has helped stereotypes and prejudices to be demolished or - at least – to have wavered. New points of view have been opened and new questions concerning the “other” have arisen. Additionally, the architects have the opportunity to review and compare the architectural and urban problems of their own region. Through the settlements and the buildings, participants have the chance to discover the way of living and the culture of various areas and historical periods. The acquaintance with all the facets of the history of towns and buildings is a great lesson particularly for architects and leads to mutual understanding and appreciation of the works produced but also of the people who created them. This experience has importance between neighbors with a long, turbulent coexistence in the past and numerous cultural affinities till now.

 

A great part of that knowledge and appreciation has been already gained. That knowledge, along with the human relations and friendships shaped during these last ten years, constitutes bridges of understanding and peace. And that is the great benefit we are in need of.