Duvar English columnist Temelkuran, politician Kürkçü among Progressive International advisors council

Duvar English

Duvar English columnist and renowned writer Ece Temelkuran and politician Ertuğrul Kürkçü are among the advisors council of Progressive International, a global initiative to unite, organize and mobilize progressive forces around the world.

First convened by Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator, and Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek Finance Minister, it aims to mount a fightback against the increasing rise of right-wing populist movements around the globe.

Other members include Prof. Noam Chomsky, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the Icelandic Prime Minister, former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell, the authors Naomi Klein and Arundhati Roy, and Rafael Correa, the former president of Ecuador. In September, pandemic permitting, the council will convene for an inaugural summit in Reykjavik.

In addition to Temelkuran and Kürkçü, Burcu Kılıç is also among the movement's council, which consists of figures from 31 countries and is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Progressive International.

The initiative took its first step in December 2018, when the Democracy in Europe Movement (DiEM25) led by Varoufakis and the Sanders Institute led by Sanders issued an open call to form a common front in the fight against rising authoritarianism.

"Progressive International takes up that call. We unite, organize, and mobilize progressive forces behind a shared vision of a world transformed," it says on its website.

"From Delhi to Paris, Santiago to Beirut, citizens rose up to defend democracy, demand a decent standard of living, and protect the planet for future generations in 2019,” said the initiative.

'The stakes could not be higher'

"2020 will be the year that we unite these disparate protests in a Progressive International, bringing together activists and organizers, trade unions and tenant associations, political parties and social movements to build a shared vision of democracy, solidarity, and sustainability.”

According to Progressive International, "the stakes could not be higher."

"The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the urgent need for universal healthcare, worker protections, and international cooperation. Only a Progressive International can match the scale of these challenges and stand up for collective rights against those that would profit from fear, bigotry, and alienation," it said.