A UN Forest will grow in Ankara

A United Nations memory forest will be established in Ankara, capital of Turkiye to mark the 77th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations.

At an event attended by representatives from the United Nations Country Team, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Presidency of Stategy and Budget the first symbolic saplings were planted at the Atatürk Forest Farm in Ankara.

A number of the young climate envoys of Türkiye along with one of the Sustainable Development Young Leaders selected by the UN Okan Dursun also attended the meaningful ceremony.

“My and previous generations declared war on nature. My generation did not understand how severe consequences it would have. In response we got climate change with the loss of biodiversity, with pollution. Nature is striking back now. Striking back with natural disasters that are making life very difficult for many people around the world and causing many victims” said Tom Delrue Head of Resident Coordinators Office in Tükiye delivering United Nations Resident Coordinator Alvaro Rodriguez’s message for the ceremony.

Delrue underscored the importance of having Türkiye’s young climate envoys at the ceremony and passed on to them the Resident Coordinator’s message saying: “Young climate envoys, your generation has an important task to make peace with nature. And what we are going to do today, must be a gesture of that new attitude to make peace with nature.”

“Today we are here also to contribute to Turkish Government’s “Breath for the Future” campaign launched by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2019. Since then, millions of trees have been planted in 81 provinces of Türkiye. It also coincides with the declaration of National Forestation Day, which is annually celebrated on November 11” continued the message.

Delrue reminded that as a G20 country Türkiye’s contribution to response to climate crisis is vital. “Planting saplings across Türkiye will improve biodiversity, protect the environment, and contribute to environmental awareness. This is also part of an effort to leave a healthier environment for future generations”, he said.

“On the 77th anniversary of the United Nations, thank you very much for allowing us, the United Nations Türkiye, to give a small contribution to your wonderful campaign to make Türkiye greener. As the United Nations in Türkiye, we are very honoured to be part of it”, Delrue concluded the Resident Coordinator’s message.

Ambassador Zeynep Kızıltan, Director General of Multilateral Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Orhan Solak, President of the Climate Change Presidency at the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Mutlu Turan Head of Forestrization at the  Directorate General of Forestry of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry delivered speeches during the ceremony underscroring UN and Türkiye’s joint efforts for tackling climate change, Türkiye’s efforts on responding to climate change and its forestrization works and also the importance of working the young climate envoys for combatting the climate crisis.

The ceremony ended after 30 pine tree saplings were planted by UN and ministry representatives along with the climate envoys.