'I Am Young Turkey' opening program held

The opening program of the 'I Am Young Turkey' social innovation project, supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in partnership with Üsküdar Üniversitesi, KASTOB, Antalya Governorship, Antalya Youth and Sports Provincial Directorate, White Cane Association, and İLKE-Der, was held. Participants gathered with great enthusiasm and excitement in the project, which aims to highlight the potential of young people for 'Young Turkey' in the 2071 vision.

The opening program of the 'My Values, My Tradition, and Science: I Am Young Turkey' social innovation project was held at Antalya Erdem Beyazıt Culture Center.

Project cycle management training will be provided by expert academics in their field

Project cycle management training will be provided by expert academics on project ideas that will increase Turkey's prosperity, starting with the slogan '80 young people sought to prepare the Republic of Turkey for its second century.' In the social innovation model project titled "My Values, My Tradition, and Science: I Am Young Turkey," Üsküdar Üniversitesi Project Development Director and Director of the Young Brains Academy Application and Research Center, Dr. Lecturer Nebiye Yaşar, took part as an academic consultant and project cycle consultant.

Ceremony began with a traditional storyteller (meddah) performance

The ceremony, organized by Süleyman Yıldız, Director of Antalya Youth and Sports Provincial Directorate's Muratpaşa Youth Center, and his team, began with a meddah performance. Following this, the promotional film of the project, prepared by Assoc. Dr. Mustafa Sami Mencet, a faculty member at Akdeniz University's Faculty of Communication, who served as an academic consultant and researcher in the project, was screened. The film, which emphasized that this homeland, rebuilt from its ashes with difficulties, will be carried into the future by our youth, was enthusiastically applauded by the audience. 

The opening speech of the ceremony was delivered by Yavuz Gürhan, Antalya Youth and Sports Provincial Director. Subsequently, KASTOB Chairman Nevzat Duyar, who took the stage, stated that KASTOB, the Black Sea Confederation of Non-Governmental Organizations, which brings together more than two thousand civil society organizations, would always stand by young people in such a meaningful project, concluding his speech with a poem titled 'I Wish'. 

Information was provided about the main outlines of the project

Project youth leader Ahsen Yılmaz provided information about the main outlines of the project, which will provide project cycle management training to young people with project ideas on important issues in Turkey, and expressed that they are awaiting applications from young people interested in the work. The Antalya Muratpaşa Youth Center orchestra, performing in local costumes with the motivation to combine tradition with modernity, presented a musical feast by performing our folk songs with a modern interpretation, with project youth leader Ahsen Yılmaz as the soloist. A mini-concert by the Antalya White Cane Association music group, one of the project's stakeholders, was applauded with a standing ovation in the hall. 

All activities within the scope of the project will be turned into a documentary

Süleyman Uysal, Provincial Survey Director of Social Projects at Antalya Governorship, stated that the strength of civil society is directly related to the well-being of society and that our state always supports such social innovation projects. Assoc. Dr. Mustafa Sami Mencet, a faculty member at Akdeniz University's Faculty of Communication, stated that our Republic was established with extraordinary sacrifices and that it is very important to convey both the difficulties experienced and our century-long achievements to our youth. He noted that all activities carried out within the scope of the project will be turned into a documentary, serving as an archive for future generations. 

Stated that youth plays a key role in the future of the country

Dr. Lecturer Nebiye Yaşar, Director of the Young Brains Academy Application and Research Center (GBA), began her speech by highlighting the importance that Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, attaches to social innovation model projects and young people. She emphasized the importance of projects carried out with young people in the social innovation model, stating that these projects aim to create innovative solutions to societal problems. Yaşar noted that this model brings together stakeholders and young people from different disciplines, enabling them to gain strength from various perspectives, and that social innovation projects generally prioritize sustainability and social impact, contributing to long-term and lasting changes. Quoting Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan's words that projects support young people in expressing themselves, developing leadership skills, and assuming their social responsibilities, she stated that youth plays a key role in the future of the country.

Within the scope of the project, young people who state their project ideas in the application form will receive project cycle management training at the Antalya Youth and Sports Provincial Directorate's camp after a preliminary selection by the jury, and their projects will be presented to committees consisting of public administrators and business people.