Turquie

The visit started in the morning of 17 January 2023 and the first stop was the Centre for Disabled People of the municipality. S&G volunteers with the Legal Representative Mr. Gürkan Akçaer was warmly welcomed by the President Enver Demirel of the Centre and an number of the staff, who kindly showed the building and the infrastructure and explained the main activities and work developed there such as ;

• Equitable access to educational services and activities, including workshops and programs
• Income-generating opportunities and job and life skills training for disabilities people
• Support for inclusion training, awareness activities, and stigma reduction at the individual and community level
• Access to essentials such as nutritious food, accessible water sources, and other facilities
• Recognition of the basic human dignity and rights of persons with disabilities 

The volunteers, their coordinators and the President headed to the museum of Turkish History “Türk Tarih Müzesi” - the biggest art museum in Türkiye and the third biggest in Europe. Following a very interesting guided visit, the group met with Halil Yıldız, the Director of the Museum and also discussed some of the possible ways to establish a proficuous cooperation all together for a real approach; being volunteer and participating in active citizenship. 

Volunteer Cleaning Work by International Students  A total of 13 students from Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Ghana, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Djibouti and Syria, studying at Ondokuz Mayıs University, carried out cleaning work between the Omtel Hotel and Marina District on the Samsun/Atakum coast. The students, who came together for the Volunteering Activities course within the scope of YTB's 2023 International Student Academy, carried out cleaning activities on the beach for about two hours first step sarted from Atakum Omtel Beach Area they collected a lot of garbage. They also stated that the activity encourages intercultural fusion. International students evaluated the activity before and after their service and promised to create a similar activity to contribute to the improvement of environmental pollution.

For further details;https://international.omu.edu.tr/tr/haber/uluslararasi-ogrencilerden-gonullu-temizlik-calismasi/122

Eskişehir, October 28, 2023 – An event that left its mark on the 2nd International Listening, Dialogue, Solidarity (3D) Youth Festival, held in Kanlıkavak Park in cooperation with Odunpazarı Municipality and Eskişehir European Union Association. The "Volunteering Law in Türkiye" panel organized by the Young Thought Institute attracted great attention from the participants.

Young Thought Institute Chairman Muratcan Işıldak and Board Member Miraç Gül attended the panel as speakers. Representatives of the Young Thought Institute emphasized the importance of the Volunteerism Law for Türkiye and the potential of young people in the field of volunteering. They also offered important perspectives on the impact of similar laws around the world and how important it is for societies, for young people to take a more active role in civil society. The panel aimed to raise awareness about volunteering, as well as to draw attention to the process of establishing the Volunteerism Law in Türkiye. With such organisations, the Young Thought Institute continues to support the key role that young people can play in finding solutions to social problems and supporting participatory democracy. While the panel encouraged young people to make positive contributions to society through volunteering, it was also an important step in raising awareness for the development of the Volunteerism Law. These positive contributions of the Young Thought Institute and the society's determination to build a better future were greatly appreciated by the participants at the festival. It was observed that the panel was an important factor in raising awareness on volunteerism and participatory democracy.