03/09/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
At the September 1 World Peace Day march in Izmir, Colors of Resistance joined with LGBTI+ and trans flags. The slogan “Queers don’t want war” echoed in the cortege.
On the occasion of September 1, World Peace Day, the Izmir Labor and Democracy Forces organized a march and rally. Trade unions, political parties, and mass organizations formed a cortege at Cumhuriyet Square and marched to Gündoğdu Square.
In the march, Colors of Resistance took part in the cortege with LGBTI+ and trans flags. Queers made their call for peace visible with the slogan “Queers don’t want war.”
At the front, behind a banner signed by İzmir Labor and Democracy Forces reading “We want peace, freedom, equality, and justice,” stood KESK (Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions), TMMOB (Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects), the Bar Association, the Chamber of Doctors, retirees’ organizations, disability organizations, the October 10 Association, the DEM Party, the Labor Party, the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), and many other institutions.
Throughout the march, participants chanted slogans such as “Budget for workers, not war,” “The people of Palestine are not alone,” “Long live peace, bijî aşitî,” and “Long live the fraternity of peoples.”
At the rally in Gündoğdu Square, the joint statement was read by İzmir Bar Association President Sefa Yılmaz and DEM Party Provincial Women’s Assembly Spokesperson Türkan Aslan Ağaç. Yılmaz emphasized that resources allocated to wars only deepen poverty and hunger, stressing that peace is only possible through the solidarity and organized struggle of peoples.
Ağaç stated that peace is not merely the absence of war, but a social order in which labor, freedom, and equality are guaranteed. She underlined that the capitalist order produces both war and ecological destruction, declaring: “No to imperialist wars and occupations! No to NATO, militarism, and armament!”
The rally ended with a concert by Bajar.
Tags: human rights, trans, lgbti, lezbiyen, gey, biseksüel, interseks
