The second mobility of the “Young People Take Care of Nature: Green Skills” project, which started on January 27, 2025 in Strasbourg, France, has completed its second mobility. This event was realized within the scope of the Erasmus+ KA152 project supported by the Turkish National Agency and carried out by the Green Hope Association in cooperation with EMU Association from France, USAP Akademiker Platform from Germany and Bridge Association from North Macedonia.The First Step was Taken in GaziantepThe first mobility of the project was organized in Gaziantep in November 2024. Here, young people addressed global environmental issues and participated in workshops on topics such as environmental justice, clean energy, the costs of pollution and green advocacy. In addition, young people were encouraged to develop their green skills through various site visits and environmentally friendly practices such as planting saplings.An Intensive and Productive Program in StrasbourgThe second mobilization in Strasbourg started with practical activities aimed at putting the knowledge gained in Gaziantep into practice. This was followed by field visits on sustainability practices in the city.Participants within the program:✔ Inspected renewable energy projects and carbon neutral transportation systems in the city.Met with municipality officials for the protection of green spaces.Participated in interactive workshops on environmentally friendly individual living practices.Brainstormed on community-based environmental protection projects and developed solutions.Young People Look to the Future with HopeOne of the most remarkable parts of the event was the environmental awareness campaign. In order to raise social awareness on sustainable living, young people interviewed local people and prepared awareness messages. They also directly contributed to nature through hands-on activities such as tree planting and environmental cleaning.The main objective of the project is to enable young people to understand global environmental issues, develop sustainable solutions and become environmental pioneers in their communities. At the same time, through such mobilizations, young people have the opportunity to build international social networks and learn about the European Union's environmental policies and the concept of active citizenship.

On February 6, 2023, Yunus Keklikçi and his sister Zeynep Keklikçi, one of our foundation executives and volunteers who lost their lives in the earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş, were commemorated with prayers at their graves on the second anniversary of the earthquake.During the visit, the Holy Quran was recited and prayers were made for the deceased. Condolences were conveyed to the family relatives and patience was wished.

On February 6, 2023, two years have passed after the great earthquake. Today, we were in the earthquake zone again with the same sense of responsibility as on the first day. Within the scope of the commemoration programs, we visited İslahiye Earthquake Martyrdom and Osmangazi Sewing Workshop.At the earthquake martyrdom in İslahiye, we commemorated those we lost with prayers and shared our pain. After the visit to the martyrdom, we met with our earthquake victim trainees at Osmangazi Workshop, one of our sewing workshops that has been operating since March 2023. We presented various materials to our trainees, whom we have been trying to support financially and morally for two years, so that they can produce in the workshop. We prayed for their lost relatives. Our Foundation President Turgay Aldemir emphasized that “we will continue to stand by them as we did on the first day”.We wish God's mercy to all our earthquake martyrs who lost their lives and patience to those left behind.We continue to strive with the sensitivity of the first day to share the pain and raise hope.

Since the first day of the earthquake, Bülbülzade Foundation has been working in İslahiye and Nurdağı to meet the needs of the region. These activities, which we have carried out to meet the needs of all segments from children to young people, from adults to the elderly, and to heal the wounds, have set an important example of solidarity for our society.In this context, Nurdağı District Governor Mr. Nurullah Cemil Erciyas presented a Certificate of Appreciation to our foundation. District Governor Erciyas stated that the activities carried out are of great value for the district and emphasized that we can turn this process, which is described as the disaster of the century, into the construction of the century with joint efforts.As Bülbülzade Foundation, we thank our state, public officials and city administrators for their support.We will continue to work with all our strength to turn the disaster of the century into the unity of the century.

On February 6, 2023, two years have passed since the great earthquake we experienced, which is referred to as the “Disaster of the Century”. Today, with the sensitivity of the first day, we were again in the earthquake zone as always.We took part in the commemoration program organized by Nurdağı District Governorship with our stand as our foundation. While introducing our work, we offered refreshments to our guests.We would like to thank Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç, Gaziantep Metropolitan Mayor Fatma Şahin, Provincial Mufti Hüseyin Çelik and the delegation that visited our stand. We informed them about our study center, computer lab, sewing workshops and kindergarten projects in Nurdağı.We would like to express our gratitude to our young volunteers and everyone who supported us during this process.We will heal our wounds together, we will turn pain into hope with the unity of the century.

It has been exactly 2 years since the earthquake.Since the first day of the disaster of the century, we have been on the ground with all our supporters and stakeholders.We are there every day. We will continue to be there; we will heal together, not all at once.We remember our citizens who lost their lives with respect and mercy.We believe that we are stronger together!#6February2023

Bülbülzade Foundation continues to sign cooperation protocols with different institutions to support its national and international activities. In this context, a new protocol was signed with Gaziantep-based SENED Association.The protocol was designed to implement educational, cultural, artistic and social activities to be carried out in Turkey and Syria, especially in Azaz, Afrin, Al Bab and Jarablus Anatolian Cultural Centers. With this cooperation, it is aimed to develop and implement projects to meet the needs in the region.

729 days have passed since the “Disaster of the Century”, whose epicenter was Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023. In Nurdağı and İslahiye regions, where we have been working as Bülbülzade Foundation since the first day, we have established Child Life Centers in order to reduce the trauma caused by the earthquake, to support education, to provide an alternative place for children, to revive the hopes of the days spent in the earthquake zone and to overcome the difficulties together.In our Child Life Centers, where hundreds of students receive education in İslahiye and Nurdağı, children receive online and free one-to-one education in our kindergartens and study centers established to support their school education. We also provide psychological support and trainings to overcome the effects of the earthquake.We carry out various activities such as “Summer and Winter Schools” organized as two different programs in the centers, psychological support for children and mothers, and national and spiritual values education.As Bülbülzade Foundation, we continue to heal the wounds in the region by saying “We are there every day, not just one day” since the first moment of the earthquake. We would like to sincerely thank all our donors who did not leave us alone in this process, who gave hope with their support, and our volunteers who did not spare their efforts.

Turgay Aldemir, President of the Bülbülzade Foundation, and the accompanying delegation made several visits to the cities of Srebrenica, Doboj and Sarajevo to sign a cooperation protocol with IFS Emmaus operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina.Bülbülzade Foundation, which has previously collaborated with IFS Emmaus, which contributed to the development of the people of the region after the war in Bosnia between 1992-1995 and operates internationally, has strengthened this cooperation with an official protocol.In Srebrenica, the delegation visited the youth camping area, the student dormitory established to provide students with easier access to education, the Srebrenica martyrdom, the memorial center and the museum about the Srebrenica massacre. The delegation also visited the nursing home built to facilitate the lives of the mothers of martyrs from Srebrenica and met with the mothers of martyrs who lost their families in the Srebrenica Massacre on July 11, 1995.IFS Emmaus headquarters in Doboj was also visited. Here, the soup kitchen where hot meals are distributed, rehabilitation and therapy centers, dairy farms and greenhouses established to provide economic support to the local community were examined.During the meetings with Hamzalija Okanovic, President of IFS Emmaus, and the heads of administrative units, it was decided to carry out joint projects in the fields of humanitarian aid, civil society and social cohesion, especially in the fields of youth and culture. After the signing of the cooperation protocol, Turgay Aldemir and Hamzalija Okanovic emphasized the importance of the friendship between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina and drew attention to the necessity of general cooperation and the importance of mobility activities among young people.Finally, Turgay Aldemir, President of Bülbülzade Foundation, thanked the IFS Emmaus authorities for the hospitality and interest shown to the 21 participants of the Erasmus+ activity between January 18-28.