ENIEC has over the years seen a growing group of members, both from Türkiye itself and members who have a connection with the country because they were born there, or because their parents came from there and they now live in countries such as Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and other European countries. It is enriching to hear their diverse insights and to experience how varied these members are, despite their shared connection with Turkey. That in itself is an added value.
In many European countries there are older people who originally come from many different parts of Türkiye. ENIEC experiences that it, as a network and organisation, sometimes contributes to strengthening national networks in the countries where members come from. This is because members meet each other in a different context, often far from home and far from everyday reality and the distractions of daily life, and sometimes have not met each other before. This regularly offers a new perspective on the situation at home, in their own city, region or country, and leads to new forms of surprising collaborations, up to and including the creation of national networks, such as in Finland.
