A group of artists, including Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan, Altan Erkekli, Bülent Kayabaş, Cahit Berkay, Devin Özgür Çınar, Halil Ergün, Mehmet Aslantuğ, İsmail Güneş and Mesut Uçakan, said in a joint statement released on Friday that they support “all efforts to end suffering in every corner of this country and to construct our common future.”

“We would like to share our great hope that we have after the ruling and opposition parties of our country came together and initiated a process of dialogue for a solution to our country’s massive and decades-long problem. … Let’s come and, as the poet says, ‘Let’s gather tears from all eyelashes, let’s burn all weapons in the public square, let’s turn all sufferings to love’,” they said, referring to a poem by Şükrü Erbaş.

Last month the CHP submitted its suggestions on how to solve the Kurdish problem to Parliament, presenting a proposal detailing ideas first announced as part of the party’s campaign in the last general elections.