On May 18-19, 2008 students organinised the first University Social Forum at Bogazici University, Istanbul.
The social forum was organised by the students` union Genc-Sen and started on May 18 with great enthusiasm. Many youth coming from different cities to Istanbul have led vivid discussions in workshops for two days. During the opening, the students shouted the slogan "You will never walk alone", sang the march "Ciao Bella" and a minute`s silence was hold for the revolutionary martyrs.
On the first day the students discussed the topics "The relation bewtween the working class and the students` movement", "The problem of internships and the exploitation of labour in high education", "The problems of students studying cinema" and "The people`s brotherhood" in different work shops. The workshop "The relation between the working class and the students` movement" was the one which founded the main interest, it was participated by a large number of students and had many vivid discussions. Speeches were hold by Elif Berk in the name of Genc-Sen of Bogazici University, Sefa Yuksel in the name of Genc-Sen of Istanbul quarter Gazi and general president of the union Limter-Is Cem Dinc.
The activists of Genc-Sen danced traditional dances during breaks and continously shouted the slogans "Long live the people`s brotherhood" and "You will never walk alone". On the evening of the first day the students marched from the campus where they were to another one to protest against the accident-related murders at Tuzla shipyards.
On the second day of the University Social Forum, the following workshops took place: "Change of cities", "Patriarchaic rules applied at education" and "Economy - politics". The topics decided on at the work shops where the students were presented. The students also formed a workshop called "On the 40th anniversary of 1968 and on the 30th anniversary of 1978, we are following the traces of the struggle" and discussed about the periods of 1968 and 1978.
The forum made the union Genc-Sen meet with the youth, discuss freely the problems of the youth and look for solutions.