IPC-Sabancı University Conflict Resolution Simulation

Istanbul Policy Center (IPC), in conjunction with Sabancı University, organized a simulation of the Cyprus negotiations by Sabancı University students on February 25, 2012 at the Marmara Hotel in Taksim. The simulation was the last session of the Istanbul Conference on Mediation entitled “Enhancing Peace through Mediation New Actors, Fresh Approaches, Bold Initiatives,” a two-day conference hosted by the Turkish Foreign Ministry. The summit began on the previous day and was attended by approximately 250 foreign ministers, local and foreign experts, academics, civil society representatives, and UN officials. During the conference, a wide range of issues on different aspects of mediation were discussed in a broad framework, including the future of Istanbul as an international mediation hub. 

The simulation, prepared by Sabancı University Professor and IPC Senior Scholar Meltem Müftüler-Baç and Sabancı University Professors Teri Murphy and Emre Hatipoğlu, was carried out by 34 students from Sabancı University’s European Studies (MA), Social and Political Sciences (BA), Political Science (MA, PhD) and Conflict Analysis and Resolution(MA) programs. The purpose of the simulation was to have the students develop a deeper understanding of confidence building measures and the interworking of the mediation process as a whole. To accomplish this, traditional top-down approaches to mediation were supplanted with cross-stitching, a mediation tool designed for confidence building between parties by encouraging representatives from different segments of society to share their perspectives and their view of human security and needs with various segments from all parties. The students were divided into three teams representing the international community, Turkish Cypriots, and Greek Cypriots, with each team having two facilitators. After days of preparation, it was conducted in two separate phases: the first, a five hour session was held at the IPC headquarters in Karaköy; and the second, a one hour session took place at the Marmara Hotel.