Culture Comes from Nature

European Mobility Week and the Car Free Day was celebrated in Istanbul on – of September as a collaboration of AFSGD (AFS Volunteers Association), TEMA Foundation and EMBARQ Turkey (Sustainable Transportation and Urban Development Association) under the Env.net project.

In the first event (Sep, 21), over 80 people attended a Sustainable Life Seminar at Studio X, Istanbul. Speakers from Yeşilist, EMBARQ and TEMA Foundation informed participants on effects of urban transportation on climate change and air quality, principles of ecological literacy and life changes that promote sustainability. Following the seminar, participants attended the People’s Climate March joining millions worldwide demanding immediate action by World Leaders on climate change.

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On September, more than 120 Young TEMA and AFS volunteers met up in the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul, a World Heritage site of UNESCO for the ‘Istanbul Culture Hunt’. While choosing the place, main point was leading the participants to an area without using any motor vehicle except for public transportation on the World Car Free Day where they could ‘hunt’ historical relics completely on foot. All-day-long-event started at 10 a.m. and ended at 18 p.m. with a speech on culture and history of Istanbul and prize-giving ceremony.

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Started in 2005 in Ankara and later on in 2008 in İstanbul, Culture Hunt has been an annual tradition of AFSGD. This year, with inclusion of TEMA Foundation and EMBARQ Turkey, the ‘hunt’ was determined to cover two events which aimed to draw attention to European Mobility Week (Sep, 16-22), World Car Free Day (Sep, 22) and Alternative Climate Summit (Sep, 21-22).

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Throughout the events, both participants and social media followers managed to get a grip of sustainable urban life, as well as improving an eye for the culture which surrounds them every day but tends to be neglected.

For further information on ‘Culture Hunt’:

https://www.facebook.com/KulturAvi

http://www.kulturavi.com/

https://twitter.com/KulturAvi (follow #kültüravı14)