Η ΑΛΛΗ ΑΚΤΗ · ÖTEKİ KIYI
4 / 4
Our proposal
A letter to the people of both shores.
The geography we share
Greece and Türkiye share a geography neither chose: one sea, centuries of intertwined cultures, exchanges and conflict.
They also share uncertainty about the intentions of their neighbor. There are real disputes, and we do not pretend otherwise.
The paradox of being neighbors
Greeks and Turks visit one another, work together, share meals, form friendships and build families. Yet many grow up believing the neighbor could become an enemy at any moment.
Concern for security is understandable. But we should ask what happens when that concern becomes the way we judge an entire people.
A day of friendship and remembrance
Our shared history also includes wars, persecution, displacement, lost homes and separated families. Behind every event were human lives. We want April 4 to be their day too.
Memory need not become a competition of suffering. Acknowledging someone else’s pain does not diminish our own. We do not equate historical responsibility or demand a single account of the past.
Security and friendship are not opposites
Every country has a responsibility to protect its people. Disputes require serious diplomacy, respect for international law and peaceful resolution. A citizens’ initiative cannot replace those processes.
It can, however, help build human relationships that endure even during times of tension.
Why a shared day?
A single day will not resolve Cyprus or disagreements in the Aegean. That is not our claim. Societies choose dates to give continuity to what matters to them.
April 4 could become an occasion for meetings, cultural exchanges, shared creativity and collaboration.
Why April 4?
4/4. Two identical numbers. Two shores. One date. We did not choose an anniversary of victory or defeat. We chose a simple, symmetrical day to give new meaning together.
April 4 is not currently an officially recognized joint Greek–Turkish Friendship Day. We propose that it become one.
What might change?
Perhaps very little at first: two schools getting in touch, two musicians playing together, a family telling its story, a local group organizing a gathering.
None of these acts is a historic agreement. But each adds lived experience to the relationship between our societies.
An invitation open to everyone
4/4 does not require political agreement or a change in national identity. It welcomes both optimists and skeptics.
You do not need to trust an entire people to begin an honest conversation with one person.
4/4 is an invitation, not a promise
We do not promise that relations will change in a day. We propose something within our reach: to devote April 4 to actions that bring people closer.
Our neighborhood will endure. The question is not whether we will live side by side, but what kind of neighbors we choose to become.
Our neighborhood will endure. The question is not whether we will live side by side, but what kind of neighbors we choose to become.
Memory · Respect · Dialogue · Peace