German-Turkish League: Manifesto

„Stronger Together“

I Basics

The German-Turkish League (GTL) is a union of Germans and Turks for comprehensive and sustainable improvement of German-Turkish Relations.

This mainly concerns personal human relationships, but of course applies to official government and institutional relations or other groups and organizations of members of both nations: on equal standing, respectful, irreversibly close friendship.

 

II Strategy

a) Aims (Vision)

The German-Turkish League aims for irreversibly excellent and close friendly relations between both peoples.

We ensure and support permanently peaceful, trustful commune and joint striving for peace and mutual well-being, including in the neighborhood of our friends. In case of breaches of law and other difficulties, we strive for solutions exclusively based on friendship and commune interest.

In its last consequence, our friendship always serves all peoples and countries globally – and will always seek to make available for all others outside our community all the good aims we jointly work for.

 

b) The Right Way to Reach Our Aims (Mission)

To reach our aims we directly use human, political, economic and cultural relations of all sectors. This is based on mankind and its well-being, with its possibly different perceptions – all other relations and procedures have to adjust to this basic understanding.

In this regard, equal standing and mutual respect come naturally and as irrevocably as mutual acceptance of elected governments. Doubtlessly we foster understanding and tolerance for distinct religious and other beliefs and perceptions.

In this struggle we are guided by important principles, which are being accepted all over the world: We strive to foster freedom and self-determination for all peoples; we help to limit the power of cartels and other organizations or groups beyond democratic rule or control.

We respect foreign policy obligations of our friends as much as our own

– and will conclude or support only those foreign policy obligations, which are enhancing and not in the least diminishing the well-being of our friends. To this end we ensure, that both countries are never forced to confront each other in international relations. If and as far as this cannot be avoided, we will never ever cause harm to our friend.

We take good care, jointly and powerfully, that our nations and their governments are striving to faithfully serve all citizens in all aspects of interior policy. Severity and pungency in disputes we avoid as far as possible. Our principal determination to friendship and community on good and commune basis shall always prevail.

Persons and groups, which are not sufficiently sharing and fostering our aims and aspirations or even damage them, we will do our utmost to deny access to or exclude from our ranks. We do understand, that powers, which are not sharing or fostering the GTL aims or even strive to damage them, will seek to hinder our success or even advance destruction of the German-Turkish League. We will counter those adverse efforts in appropriate and exclusively legal ways.

We will not use our good community and cooperation against third parties, but always see to it, that neighbors and as many more people and peoples in this world as possible, may live in growing peace and well-being by our or similar principles.

 

c) Strengthening the German-Turkish League and its Values (Value Proposition)

The German-Turkish League (GTL) is to be founded as a German registered charity based on German law for private organizations (Vereinsrecht) by a group of at least eight founders, who are full members. Additional members require consent of the whole group of founders, based on written recommendations of at least three of its members; at least one of the three signatories has to originate from a national and cultural background different from that of the applicant. Exactly half of the members in the group of founders are of German origin, the other half of Turkish origin – therefore, eight founding members are minimum requirement.

Members of Turkish origin have to be acceptable to all three of the big mosque organizations in Germany. Couples and relatives of first and second degree are not allowed to fulfill any function within GTL – this is to be observed strictly.

All decisions should be taken unanimously, one dissenting vote is possible, two adverse votes require fresh debate.

In addition to the small vote carrying body, a patrons council will be inaugurated; council members are not allowed to vote; they help to raise the necessary funds and perform honorary duties in accord with the group of founders.

In addition to the registered charity mentioned above, a German registered charitable foundation based on German law is to be set up. The foundation will be led jointly and on honorary basis by two full voting members of different origin of the charity mentioned above. This helps to secure progress of the work financially.

Financial support will be gathered everywhere, connected demands on the work will be accepted in no case and under no circumstances.

Whosoever undertakes to act contrary to this or any other GTL principle must to be excluded from all GTL organizations – with out exception. This applies as well to others, whose actions damage organization and aims – or might do so in the future.

Public relations work of at least good quality in all channels within reach, all useful efforts, actions, events and undertakings are to be discussed, decided and carried out jointly.

Best possible connections to all political quarters, in economics, cultural life and society, in churches and mosque communities have to serve GTL aims as a general rule – not any other idea or desire.

Measured and professional research and presentation of the history of both peoples and nations is an important foundation of strongly improved future commune activities.

Existing political and other power structures do not carry any special authority or influence in planning and implementation of all activities, which might be based on their abilities and potentials. The German-Turkish League is solely directed towards the cause as put forward irreversibly in chapter one.