Public Forum and Collective Statement

Public Forum and Collective Statement, November, 2023

• Location: Antakya, Türkiye
• Date: 2023
• Programme: Change by Design 
• Project Partners: Herkes İcin Mimarlik, Hatay Mimarlar Odasi, ASF UK
• Activities: Learning and Capacity Building, Advocacy

In November, 2023 ASF-UK and HiM, in collaboration with grassroot groups, civil society actors, local NGOs, and built environment professionals, held a two-day public forum to learn and facilitate discussions on community-led reconstruction following the 2023 earthquakes in the region. 

The forum took place under the theme of “living heritage”, aiming to share education about Antakya’s living heritage and potential ways to involve community needs in reconstruction plans. Through workshops, group discussions and site visits, various stakeholders were engaged to find a common ground for people and organisations to place living heritage at the centre of the city’s future. 

The result of the forum was a collective statement between actors framing six core issues in the region and the challenges they pose to local residents. The statement also includes potential ways forward aimed towards collaborative efforts to place the people of Antakya at the heart of the reconstruction process.