“Green Planet Greenfest” Welcomes 600 Children for Environmental Awareness

The "Green Planet GreenFest" event, designed to foster environmental awareness among younger generations, brought together approximately 600 children. Jointly organized by the Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone Turkey Sustainability Team, and Habitat Association, the event featured a short film competition themed “Protect the Planet,” alongside a variety of workshops and training sessions. The first prize in the competition was awarded to Melih Dağdemir for the film "My Last Slice."

The festival was part of the ongoing "Green Planet" project, initiated by the Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone Turkey Sustainability Team, and Habitat Association to cultivate environmentally-conscious, sustainability-aware generations. Around 600 children from neighboring schools and different cities participated in the event, held at the Istanbul Planning Agency Florya Campus. The festival featured numerous activities aimed at inspiring environmental stewardship, including workshops, educational sessions, and the short film competition centered on the theme of protecting our planet.

Hasan Süel, Chair of Vodafone Turkey Foundation, stated:

“Raising awareness about environmental issues among children from an early age, and equipping them with the right education at the right time, is of paramount importance. With this in mind, our 'Green Planet' project offers online training on climate change, recycling, sustainability, and disaster preparedness. We firmly believe that children who receive this training will grow into climate ambassadors within their communities, fostering a deep-rooted sense of responsibility for protecting our planet.

At the 'Green Planet GreenFest' event, part of our broader project, our goal was to strengthen environmental awareness among children. To this end, we organized a short film competition, workshops, and educational sessions to highlight both individual and social responsibilities towards the world we share. The result was a vibrant festival attended by nearly 600 children. We extend our sincere gratitude to all our partners, our esteemed jury members, and the participating children. We will continue to work towards a more sustainable future.”

Bora Caldu, Chief Executive Officer of Habitat Association , commented:

"As Habitat Association, sustainability remains at the core of all our endeavors. We fully recognize that protecting the planet is not only crucial for our future, but for the future of all living beings. It is imperative to convey to society the importance of coexisting harmoniously with other living organisms and the environment. Raising awareness on sustainability and encouraging organizations to take on a pioneering role in this regard is part of our global responsibility. Aligned with this mission, we continue our efforts towards a more sustainable world through the Green Planet project in partnership with Vodafone Foundation.

So far, we have reached nearly 20,000 children through our training programs within the scope of the project, and today, we gathered with great enthusiasm at the GreenFest event. GreenFest aims to be a meeting point for everyone committed to adopting nature-friendly lifestyles, raising awareness about the climate crisis, and developing more sustainable solutions. Here, participants come together to address climate change and sustainability by focusing on local community challenges, taking action for a greener future. Through GreenFest, we will continue to devote our energy to creating a better future for our world and promoting sustainability across all segments of society."

“ My Last Slice (Son Dilim)” Wins Short Film Competition

As part of the festival, a short film competition titled "Make Your Voice Heard with Your Short Film for a Green World!" was held, open to high school students aged 14-18. Five films, each with a runtime of 10 minutes, were evaluated by the jury. The first prize was awarded to Melih Dağdemir for "My Last Slice (Son Dilim)", while the second prize went to Arda Keskin for "Sulu Boya (Watercolour)", and the special jury award was given to Zeki Yılmaztaşçı for "Gezegenimizin Sesi (The Sound of Our Planet)". The first-place winner received a cash prize of 25,000 TL, the second-place winner received 15,000 TL, and the special jury award winner received a technology gift voucher worth 10,000 TL.

Workshops Draw Great Participation

As part of the festival, a variety of engaging workshops were held, including Seed Ball Making, Recycled Paper Making, Disassemble and Reassemble, Art from Waste, Upcycling Music, Organic Cloth with Wax, Wooden House Design with Solar Energy, and Hip Hop Dance. In addition to the workshops, training sessions and applications related to the Artificial Intelligence Stars and Green Planet projects were also available at the event. The workshops, which were open to students aged 7-18, received enthusiastic participation and generated significant interest.

Over 15,000 Children Reached Across 81 Provinces

As part of the "Green Planet" project, children aged 7-14 across Turkey have received online training on climate change, recycling, sustainability, and disaster preparedness. These sessions cover topics such as "What is the Environment?", "Sustainability and Climate Change", "Waste, Recycling, and Electronic Waste", and "Disaster Preparedness". Following these online trainings, participants can also access the "Artificial Intelligence Stars" program. Upon completing all trainings, children can explore the "So What Can I Do Now?" content shared on the online platform, which aims to deepen their awareness of sustainability and disaster-related issues.

To date, the project has reached over 15,000 children in 81 provinces. Furthermore, 101 children in 35 teams have participated in online idea marathons organized within the scope of the project, while workshops on topics such as waste management have engaged an additional 390 children. Notably, for every TL 1 invested in the project, TL 5.6 in value was generated.

For more detailed information about "Green Planet" training, please visit yesilgezegen.yapayzekayildizlari.org