In an effort to address the needs of minority groups in Turkey, the Ministry of EU Affairs organized a Civil Society Dialogue which brought together civil society organizations. Among the program's 55 projects, one titled "Social Media and Minorities" was initiated with a budget of 151,000 euros in early 2015. With the project's conclusion on Jan 14th, Turkey's EU Minister Volkan Bozkır reaffirmed during the closing reception late Tuesday that the government will continue its commitment to protect and advance basic rights, including freedom for minorities, through promised reforms. Bozkır underlined that Turkey has always been the land where all people can enjoy freedom, noting that the project is highly significant for encouraging the freedom of expression.The project was introduced in 2015 by Laki Vingas, chairman of the Association of the Yeniköy Greek Orthodox Church of Panagia. He emphasized the significance of the project and said that social media is an important tool which allows minority groups to integrate into society. While the project aims for the freedom of expression in social media by suggesting modifications aimed at preventing racism and hate speech, it also encourages the integration of minorities into society and communities through social media outlets.Speaking during the reception, Bozkır underlined that the government's priority is to strengthen the culture of democracy, suggesting reforms to the political sphere and active implementation of these reforms. He added: "Since the establishment of our Republic, the EU accession process, democracy for citizens, supremacy of law and attaining the ultimate levels of freedom have been the main priority of Republic of Turkey and our government." Continuing to emphasize that the government will continue to meet with leading representatives and minority religious leaders, the Minister added that, "As part of Turkey's centuries-long history of unity and togetherness, we will continue our reforms to protect and enhance the rights and freedoms of all our citizens."Further commenting on the project, Vingas stated during the closing reception that the project included various workshops and activities for children, research and surveys, conference, television programs, domestic and international trips and meetings throughout. Vingas added that the churches and synagogues have announce their activities on Twitter, and that prayers are being followed on Periscope. He closed remarks by thanking Minister Bozkır for his support for the project and gave him a gift.The project also included a comprehensive survey taken by nearly 1,000 individuals and taken by one of the most credible polling companies in Turkey, KONDA Research and Consultancy. The purpose of the survey was to provide detailed qualitative and quantitative information on the use of social media by minority groups. Project Coordinator Cemre Baytok told the local media that even though minorities actively use social media, users indicate that they face various obstacles. Baytok added that 19 percent of the participants are active users of social media.The Civil Society Dialogue was established in 2008 and features 16 media projects. It is co-financed by the EU and the Republic of Turkey under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). The Ministry for EU Affairs is responsible for the technical implementation of the program, while the Central Finance and Contracts Unit is the contracting authority of the program. The Association of the Yeniköy Greek Orthodox Church of Panagia conducted the Social Media and Minorities project along with two other contributors, the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy and Istanbul Bilgi University's Human Rights Law Research Center.