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.

The time has come for progressives everywhere to form a common front.

Join us today, and help us build the Progressive International — brick by brick, member by member, action by action. https://t.co/4KFoVA88rp pic.twitter.com/JeGVeynuLc

— Progressive International (@ProgIntl) May 11, 2020

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.

Delighted to be part of the @ProgIntl advisors council. Thank you for the invitation @HorvatSrecko and @yanisvaroufakis . Looking forward to the Iceland meeting. / İlerici Enternasyonal @ProgIntl konseyinde yer almaktan sevinç duydum. İlk toplantı Eylül’de. Yolumuz açık olsun! https://t.co/YiQbREsBlw

— Ece Temelkuran (@ETemelkuran) May 11, 2020

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.

Eylül'de Reykjavik'de toplanacak İlerici Enternasyonal'in 31 ülkeden 50’yi aşkın danışmanı arasında Noam Chomsky, Yanis Varoufakis, Naomi Klein, İzlanda Başbakanı Katrín Jakobsdóttir ile Türkiye'den Ertuğrul Kürkçü ve Ece Temelkuran da var.https://t.co/JKquCc437U pic.twitter.com/FsbZbJWLVl

— Ertuğrul Kürkçü (@ekurkcuHDP) May 11, 2020

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.”

We are at a fork in the road: either we unite with progressives around the planet in a shared struggle for justice, or we surrender to the forces of nationalism and free-market fundamentalism. @yanisvaroufakis, Greek MP and PI Council member, on the mission before us: pic.twitter.com/fiZ3s4emri

— Progressive International (@ProgIntl) May 11, 2020

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.