We gathered with hundreds of volunteers from all across Türkiye!

This year's Field Coordination Meeting, themed "We Volunteer to Let Others Live to Live," took place in İstanbul between August 13-16. Approximately 430 people from across Türkiye attended the meeting, including our Provincial Representatives, District/Neighborhood Representatives and Deputy Representatives, Young TEMA Presidents, Graduate TEMA Provincial Coordinators, Headquarters staff, and members of the Board of Directors of the TEMA Foundation.

Throughout the meeting, we shared knowledge and experience through panels, presentations, and workshops.

The meeting began with a speech by Yeşne İren, granddaughter of the deceased Hayrettin Karaca, our Grandpa Earth. It continued with presentations by Ms. Deniz Ataç, chairperson of the board of directors, and Ms. Didem Bilgin, our General Manager. Dr. Hikmet Öztürk, Deputy General Manager and Dr. Ferhat Taze, Head of the Forestry and Rural Development Department, presented key data and analyses regarding the massive forest fires in Türkiye. Later in the day, a panel "Everything Starts with '1' - Local Advocacy Stories" was held with the participation of Ms. Rukiye Kibar, spouse of Reşit Kibar, who lost his life in an attack while protecting his nature, forest, and land, and Mr. Dursun Ali Koyuncu.

On the second day of our meeting, we met with our corporate and individual supporters. Our meeting continued with valuable social impact sharing from Agata Fortuna, Project and Education Coordinator of the Koç University Social Impact Forum. Later, author and nature lover Buket Uzuner shared her knowledge and memories on ecomythology, mythology, and biodiversity. At the end of the day, our volunteers developed new ideas in the field of advocacy in the "Think Together, Empower Together" workshop, organized as part of the advocacy communication program.

On the final day of our meeting, Prof. Dr. Yaşar Uysal, a faculty member at Dokuz Eylül University, delivered a valuable presentation titled "The Current Situation of Turkish Agriculture and Outlook for the Future." Prof. Dr. Murat Türkeş, a member of our Foundation's Scientific Board and an expert in Physical Geography and Geology & Climatology and Meteorology, shared valuable information with his presentation titled "Climate Change: Türkiye's Present and Future." The final presentation of the meeting, titled "Can Agroecology Be a Solution to Agriculture's Multiple Crises?", was delivered by Dr. Fatih Özden, a research assistant at Ege University.

Throughout the three-day program, our Provincial Representatives, District/Neighborhood Representatives and Deputy Representatives, Young TEMA Presidents, and Graduate TEMA Provincial Coordinators shared their experiences from field and successful projects with the participants through panels such as the "Heartfelt Gratitude Plaque Ceremony," "Regional Meetings," and "Hope-Raising Examples." Furthermore, the Volunteerism Awards, presented in memory of our Founding Honorary Presidents, the deceased Hayrettin Karaca and the deceased A. Nihat Gökyiğit, were presented once again this year.

The meeting concluded with a meaningful pose from the TEMA Foundation family, dedicated to nature. The image that immortalized this moment is not just a souvenir; it remains etched in our memories as one of the most special memories demonstrating the heartfelt devotion of volunteers who share the same path for nature.

We are raising hope!                                                                                 The TEMA Foundation