Strengthening national and international collaborations during the COP31 process, the Zero Waste Foundation signed a critical cooperation protocol with the Turkish Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation). Within the scope of the protocol, the parties will develop educational programs, events, campaigns, and projects at the national and international levels to expand zero waste and sustainable living awareness.
On the road to COP31, the Zero Waste Foundation, continuing its efforts under the vision and auspices of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Founder of the Zero Waste Movement, Chair of the United Nations Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste, and Honorary President of the Zero Waste Foundation, is strengthening collaborations to spread zero waste awareness to broad segments of society and to raise younger generations more consciously on the axis of environment and technology.
In this context, a cooperation protocol was signed between the Zero Waste Foundation and the Turkish Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation), aiming to strengthen sustainability, environmental awareness, and technology-oriented activities for children and youth. The protocol, which is of vital importance for reaching broad segments of society during the COP31 process, foresees the implementation of joint activities between the two institutions in a wide area ranging from education to technology, and from awareness campaigns to international projects.
Within the scope of the protocol signed at the Zero Waste Foundation on May 7, 2026, with the participation of Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, and Elvan Kuzucu Hıdır, Chair of the T3 Foundation, the parties will develop educational programs, events, campaigns, and projects.
"We Are Conducting Efforts on a Local and International Scale"
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 High-Level Climate Champion, stated that the T3 Foundation has carried out very important works in Türkiye, especially in terms of the dissemination of technology, and said, "In this context, we present our thanks to Selçuk Bayraktar, Founder of the T3 Foundation, and Elvan Kuzucu Hıdır, Chair of our Foundation. As the Zero Waste Foundation, we are conducting efforts on a local and international scale regarding the dissemination and realization on the ground of the Zero Waste Movement initiated by First Lady Emine Erdoğan in 2017. With this cooperation protocol, we are opening a new page regarding zero waste efforts primarily in technology, the expansion of zero waste-related activities in our workshops, and the work to be done in the eyes of the public."
"We Want to Create Platforms Where Decisions Are Made Through Dialogue and Consensus"
Emphasizing that the Zero Waste Foundation attaches importance to experience sharing, Ağırbaş said, "We will also work together with our youth in Türkiye at the Zero Waste Forum we will hold next month. As you know, the Zero Waste Forum, which more than 150 countries will attend, will host over 5,000 guests. As the Zero Waste Foundation, we care about collective wisdom in the world under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan. One of our most important mottos is collective wisdom. In other words, we want to create platforms where everyone meets around the same table and decisions are made through consultation, dialogue, and consensus. We believe that we can achieve success in this way."
"Our Greatest Companions Are Our Citizens"
Underlining that the Zero Waste Foundation is the Foundation of 86 million people in Türkiye and 8 billion people in the world, Ağırbaş articulated, "We will continue to maintain our efforts uninterruptedly for a more livable world, for a more prosperous world. I thank Elvan, Chair of the T3 Foundation, and her team. We extend our greatest gratitude to our nation, our citizens. Our greatest companions in this context, on this path, are our citizens. I invite everyone to support the work of the Zero Waste Foundation."
"We Are Taking Our Country to an Important Point in Line With a Common Purpose"
Elvan Kuzucu Hıdır, Chair of the T3 Foundation, stated that they have implemented many projects to bring everyone from 7 to 77 together with science and technology, to direct young people to this field, and to enable them to develop projects, saying, "Under the roof of our technology workshops, science centers, TEKNOFEST, the world's largest space festival, and our enterprise center, we bring many projects together with young people through science and technology. While carrying out these activities, as the T3 Foundation, we have always made it a principle to walk together with our stakeholders around our main purpose, and in this sense, by supporting each other in different fields in line with common goals with more than 130 stakeholders at TEKNOFEST, in our other projects, with our ministries, public institutions, and other non-governmental organizations, we have brought our country to an important point in this regard to date."
"Sustainability is One of the Most Important Elements"
Saying that the cooperation between the Zero Waste Foundation and the T3 Foundation will significantly contribute to the adoption of the Zero Waste Movement, initiated under the pioneering leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, by all segments of society and its integration into people's lives, Hıdır stated, "We have come together to sign this protocol to cooperate with our Zero Waste Foundation in all the activities we carry out as a Foundation. Of course, we cannot keep our youth, science, and technology out of these efforts. When we look at it today, sustainability appears to be one of the most important elements all over the world. That is, since we cannot separate technology from sustainability, we are aware that we can integrate these together in a sense, and that we need to work together. Especially in our science centers and workshops, we will be organizing trainings, joint workshops, and programs to increase the awareness of young people in these areas."
Stating that many very valuable technology competitions for the benefit of humanity in the fields of environment and energy are organized at TEKNOFEST, Hıdır continued as follows:
"We will be receiving the support of the Zero Waste Foundation within the framework of this cooperation so that they can step onto both the national and world stages and form important collaborations. First of all, I wish this cooperation to be beneficial for our country and our brotherly geographies. I also present my thanks to our President and his team under the guidance of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, who assumed the leadership of this movement."
Following the speeches, Ağırbaş and Hıdır, who signed the cooperation protocol, toured the applied training workshops for students at the Zero Waste Foundation and received information about the works.
Objectives of the Protocol and Works to be Carried Out
With this strong cooperation, it is aimed to integrate efforts specifically aimed at increasing the environmental awareness of children and youth with technology-based trainings. In this direction, it is planned to increase content related to zero waste awareness in science and technology centers and to strengthen environmental themes in festivals, workshops, and educational programs for young people.
The protocol also covers the mutual sharing of knowledge, experience, and institutional know-how between the two institutions. The parties will contribute to each other in areas such as scientific research, data sharing, provision of educational materials, and physical infrastructure support if needed. Mutual participation and support in educational and technological activities to be held domestically and abroad are also among the important topics of the cooperation.
The planning, implementation, and evaluation processes of the joint activities will be carried out with the coordination of the two Foundations. In this context, periodic meetings can be held, and joint working groups can be formed when necessary. The monitoring and evaluation processes of all works to be carried out will also be conducted jointly by the parties. With this cooperation, it is aimed to contribute to raising younger generations in Türkiye more consciously on the axis of environment and technology.
