The 3rd Vocational School of Health Services Days, organized by Üsküdar University Vocational School of Health Services, was held with the theme of “From Nature to Table: Green Transformation” at Üsküdar University Çarşı Campus Emirnebi Conference Hall. Academics, public representatives, and students came together at the event, where issues of sustainability, environmental awareness, healthy living, and food security were discussed.
The opening speeches of the program, organized with the support of the Chemists Association and the Medical and Aromatic Plants Alumni Association, were delivered by Asst. Prof. Ömer Faruk Karasakal, Director of the Vocational School of Health Services, Prof. Nazife Güngör, Rector of Üsküdar University, and Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, President of Üsküdar University and Head of the Executive Board.
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “It is difficult to find human plasma without antidepressants”
President of Üsküdar University and Head of the Executive Board Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that modern life alienates people from both nature and their true selves, emphasizing that reconnecting with nature is vital for individual and societal health.
Prof. Tarhan expressed that the theme of the event was very well-chosen, saying, “I actually felt the importance of this year's topic much more deeply with an event I experienced this week. I want to share a very recent experience. Human plasma was needed for laboratory studies used in our personalized treatment center. However, as a result of research, it was found that it was difficult to find human plasma without antidepressants. Antidepressant use has become very widespread. This situation is actually a striking indicator and result of how much we have distanced ourselves from nature and the effects of modern life on humans…”
“The secret to a long and healthy life is meaningful relationships”
In his speech, Prof. Tarhan also referred to Harvard University's 75-year study, which is considered one of the world's longest-running human research projects, stating that human relationships are at the heart of a healthy and long life.
Prof. Tarhan said, “Harvard's 75-year research examined many variables such as wealth, fame, and physical health. The result that emerged at the end of the research was very striking. The secret to a long and healthy life lies in being able to establish deep and meaningful relationships. Trustworthy, sincere, and healthy relationships protect individuals both psychologically and physically. Family ties and close social circles form the basis of these relationships.”
“The global system disrupted humanity's relationship with nature”
Prof. Tarhan stated that the modern world isolates people and weakens their ties with nature, adding that this detachment is at the root of many social and psychological problems experienced today.
“The global system not only disrupted relationships among people, but also disturbed individuals' relationship with themselves and with nature,” said Prof. Tarhan, continuing:
“People first became alienated from themselves, then from their environment. Nature began to be seen as a rival. With the industrial revolution, nature was perceived as an unlimited resource and exploited for years. Climate crises, environmental problems, and many health issues we experience today are based on this understanding.”
“United Nations draws attention to three major global dangers”
Prof. Tarhan stated that the most important risks facing humanity today are income inequality, climate change, and loneliness, adding that these three problems cannot be considered independently.
Prof. Tarhan stated that the fundamental elements sustaining humanity are values such as compassion, sincerity, trust, and respect for nature, defining these values in the literature as “prosocial values.”
“Compassion is a prosocial value…”
Prof. Tarhan said, “Compassion is a prosocial value. Sincerity is a prosocial value. The feeling of trust is a prosocial value. Respect for nature is also a prosocial value. These values are the foundation of social peace, a culture of coexistence, and healthy relationships. It is these values that will carry humanity into the future.”
“Respect for nature in our culture”
Prof. Tarhan stated that respect for nature and living beings holds an important place in Anatolian culture, saying, “In our culture, there is the understanding that even if you know the apocalypse is coming, plant the tree in your hand. In Anatolia, foundations were established for injured storks, animals were protected, and nature was regarded as a trust. Having such a culture, we should not behave harshly towards nature.”
“People living close to nature are healthier”
Referring to his observations in the field of psychiatry, Prof. Tarhan emphasized that contact with nature has positive effects on mental health.
Prof. Tarhan said, “One of the things we most frequently recommend in psychiatric treatments is connecting with nature. Touching the earth, spending time in nature, and connecting with the natural world positively affect people's psychological and physical health. People are healthier when they live in harmony with their biological nature.”
Emphasizing that Turkish society has a deep-rooted culture living in harmony with nature, Prof. Tarhan said, “Our culture is a nature-friendly culture. It is possible for us to achieve modernization by preserving this culture. Therefore, the topic discussed here today is extremely valuable. I now think it would be more accurate to use the phrase 'green transformation from nature to life' rather than just 'from nature to table'. Because the issue is not only about what we eat, but also how we live.”
“The ideal is to protect before getting sick”
Drawing attention to the importance of the preventive health approach, Prof. Tarhan said, “The ideal is primary prevention. That is, not to treat people after they get sick, but to protect them before they get sick. It is necessary to teach how a healthy person can live without falling ill. Today, 60-70% of diseases are related to lifestyle errors. Dietary errors, sleep disturbances, relationship problems, and deficiencies in stress management are among the main causes of many diseases.”
Prof. Tarhan stated that individuals need to review their lifestyle to protect both their physical and mental health, adding that skills such as forgiveness, empathy, and healthy communication also have a direct effect on health.
Prof. Tarhan stated that the Positive Psychology education provided at Üsküdar University not only conveys theoretical knowledge but also imparts life skills, saying, “Forgiveness is also a prosocial value. Values such as compassion, sincerity, and trust strengthen human relationships. These values also protect one's mental health. We do not only try to give our students professional knowledge. We also try to teach them to understand people, to establish proper relationships with people, and life skills.”
At the end of his speech, Prof. Tarhan thanked the academics, student clubs, and stakeholder institutions who contributed to the organization of the event, saying, “A future where we reconnect with nature, people, and life is our shared responsibility.”
Prof. Nazife Güngör: “We will train you and send you to the relevant sectors”
Rector of Üsküdar University Prof. Nazife Güngör drew attention to the importance of sector collaborations in education processes, saying, “One of the most important aspects of education today is to be in interaction with the sector. Because we will train you and send you to the relevant sectors.”
Addressing the students, Prof. Güngör advised them to communicate with the sector representatives attending the event, saying, “This is a great opportunity for you. Don't just listen to them, meet them after their talks. Establish sustainable relationships with these valuable individuals who will guide your future. Because you need them, and they will need well-trained, qualified human resources.”
“We became alienated from nature, and even began to betray it”
Emphasizing that the selection of this year's theme as “From Nature to Table: Green Transformation” is extremely meaningful, Prof. Güngör said, “With global capitalism, we first became alienated from ourselves, then from each other. That wasn't enough; we also became alienated from the nature we were born into, that nurtured us, fed us, embraced us. And that wasn't enough, we began to betray nature. We started destroying nature.”
Prof. Güngör stated that green transformation should not be considered merely an environmental issue, saying, “Nature is us. We are a part of nature. Therefore, we must return to and rediscover the nature that nurtures and embraces us. It's late, but it's never too late to turn back. We've been quite late, but let's not stay trapped any longer. Let's protect our nature, let's protect our humanity.”
At the end of her speech, Prof. Güngör thanked the academics, administrative staff, and students who contributed to the organization of the event, concluding her words with, “Let's protect the green, because green is beautiful. Let's work together for a more beautiful world.”
Asst. Prof. Ömer Faruk Karasakal: “With our 38 programs, we provide qualified human resources to the health sector”
Asst. Prof. Ömer Faruk Karasakal, Director of the Vocational School of Health Services, stated that this year's event was shaped around issues concerning the common future of humanity, such as climate change, sustainability, food security, and environmental responsibility.
Karasakal said, “We continue our educational activities with our 38 programs to train the human resources our country needs in the health sector. We adopt a model that combines strong theoretical infrastructure with practical training. In addition to our work in laboratories, we support vocational training processes by sending our students into the field. By maintaining strong sector collaborations, we strive to train our graduates as individuals ready for working life.”
“Not just a profession, but human and social development is also our priority”
Drawing attention to the great importance they attach to the human and social development of students and the significance of courses such as Positive Psychology, Professional Ethics, Communication Skills, and University Culture included in the curriculum, Karasakal said, “These courses contribute to our students becoming professionals who can communicate effectively in the field, have developed empathy skills, adhere to ethical values, and are people-oriented.”
Karasakal stated that the number of accepted projects within the scope of TÜBİTAK 2209-A and 2209-B programs has reached 13 this year, expressing their aim to spread a research culture throughout the vocational school.
Dr. Şerafettin Çakal: “Agriculture is humanity’s greatest invention”
In the first opening conference of the event, Dr. Şerafettin Çakal, Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM), met with participants with his presentation titled “Sustainable Transformation in Agriculture and Food.”
Dr. Şerafettin Çakal emphasized that the future of humanity depends on food, the future of food on agriculture, and the future of agriculture on science and R&D. Dr. Çakal stated that the most important factor determining the development levels of countries is the value given to science and research and development activities, and that societies investing in science and R&D develop faster.
Drawing attention to the transformative role of agriculture in human history, Dr. Çakal stated that with the discovery of agriculture, settled life began, villages and cities were established, and civilizations developed.
Dr. Çakal said, “We say 'agriculture is humanity's greatest invention.' But there are also those who say the opposite. But we agriculturists also say this: 'Yes, agriculture is humanity's greatest invention, no invention has surpassed it yet.'”
Transition from Green Revolution to smart agriculture
Dr. Çakal stated that the Green Revolution, which started in the 1950s with the widespread use of fertilizers, pesticides, and fossil fuels, led to a significant increase in agricultural production, but that this model also brought environmental problems.
Dr. Çakal stated that climate change, drought, and natural resource losses show that the current production approach is unsustainable, saying, “Now we are transitioning to the era of smart agriculture. So, what does the smart agriculture era entail? It includes biotechnology, nanotechnology, and information technologies. The winners of this era will be those who adapt to this age. As long as you cannot keep up with the times, your chances of competing and a sustainable future do not seem possible.”
“A country's independence depends on food production”
Dr. Çakal stated that population growth, climate change, wars, pandemics, and food waste pose significant risks worldwide, emphasizing that countries being able to produce their own food has become a strategic necessity. Çakal said, “There is drought, pandemics, war… If a grain corridor had not been established during the Ukraine-Russia War, humanity might have entered a crisis. So, the main issue here is this: For a country to be fully independent, it must produce its own food. The path to a fully independent and free country passes through here.”
One-third of the food produced globally is wasted
Dr. Çakal stated that preventing waste is at the core of sustainability, and that approximately 4.5 billion tons of food are produced annually worldwide, with about 1.5 billion tons of this going to waste before reaching human consumption. Dr. Çakal pointed out that hunger and obesity are experienced simultaneously, and that current food production, if managed correctly, is sufficient to feed the world's population.
Dr. Çakal stated that Turkey is located at the intersection of three of the world's eight gene centers, and that the country is extremely rich in plant and animal genetic resources, adding that TAGEM protects and develops these resources and carries out studies to produce domestic and national varieties suitable for future needs.
Emphasis on domestic and national seeds
Dr. Çakal stated that 1048 field crop and 1078 garden crop varieties have been developed by TAGEM to date, emphasizing that domestic and national seeds form the basis of agricultural independence and that the development of domestic varieties is critically important for food security and sustainable production.
The process from nature to table was evaluated
In the program, which was followed with great interest by the participants, the effects of sustainability on health, environment, and society in the process from nature to table were discussed, and the importance of raising awareness among young people in this field was emphasized.
In the first session held within the scope of the event, the process from nature to table was evaluated from scientific, technological, and entrepreneurial perspectives. In the session, Prof. Muhsin Konuk presented on “Medical Tar in the Mediterranean from the Middle Ages to Today,” Can Kayacılar on “Development and Technologies of High Value-Added Products from Plants,” Berk Özdemir on “The Journey of Trust from Nature to Table: Science, Sustainability, and Future,” and Dr. Ebrar İnal Kılıçarslan on “Use of Essential Oils in Foods.”
Workshops attracted great interest
The program, also broadcast live on ÜÜ TV and ÜÜ Official Youtube account, brought participants together with sector representatives in the second session held after the lunch break, through practical workshops and stand visits.
Workshops from graduate students…
Workshops titled “Vinegar Making Workshop” by Hayriye Cavcav, “Natural Product Promotion” by Numan Sönmez, and “Ecology Market Company's Organic Farming Journey” by Eray Kürşad Özyurt were held with the participation of graduate students from Üsküdar University's Medical and Aromatic Plants, Food Technology Programs.
Classical Turkish Music recital…
Furthermore, a classical Turkish Music recital was held within the program. The recital was well-received.
