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The Participation of The Young People In Social, Cultural and Political Life: Malatya City Council Youth Assembly Sample
JOURNAL OF YOUTH RESEARCHES
As an other example of cultural projects, the members of Malatya City Council Youth
Assembly have undertaken a project called “A Language, A Culture” in cooperation with
İnönü University International Student Community in order to recognize the cultures of
other countries besides their own cultures. Within the scope of the project, students from
Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Syria and Pakistan were able to wear their local
clothes reflect their culture and traditions and found the opportunity to introduce their
culture with the dances they performed and the meals they served.
5. Conclusion and Recommendations
Encouragement of young people to participate in decision-making processes in all social
issues in general, especially in decision making process in which decisions related to the
young is an important aim for modern societies and states. International gains related to
youth guide the efforts on the same issue on local and national level. Like many countries,
Turkey aims at encouraging the participation of young people. In respect to this aim,
some efforts on this way are financially and legally supported by the State.
When we look at the analysis of discourse on strengthening the political, social and cul-
tural participation of young people in Turkey, it can be observed that this is a positive
perception but it is also seen that there is a number of problems related to the issue. The
main reason is that the civil societyin Turkey is not strong and well organized. Moreo-
ver, there are still suspicions about the viewpoints of the central and local governments
against young people. Thirdly, it is evident that the legal and administrative obstacles
against social, cultural and political participation of the young. The perception that young
people have not enough experience and they are inadequate in terms of experience in the
local, national and international governance is another obstacle on the issue.
In order to increase participation rate of the young they should be encouraged by central
and local governments and civil society; and by the help of specific programmes, they
should be made conscious of participation.
However, it is also a fact that young people are not interested in local governments. The
main reason for this disinterest is the lack of awareness of local governments and the
lack of knowledge of the role of local governments. The mass media may be used as an
important mean in order to weaken this disinterest.
Another problem is that UGP, City Councils, youth centers sreestablished within local au-
thorities. The youth centers of Youth and Sports Provincial Directorates are unfortunately
criticised to be formed and administred with political incentives.
In order to prevent this situation, it is expected that youth related activities of civil and
official authorities working on the youth program, especially the local government units
should be open to all parts of the society. The City Councils of local government, central
government and civil society should make an intensive, continuous and self-devoting
effort in order to overcome these problems.
