The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launches a “Zero Waste Awareness Campaign” under the Project “Effective Urban Waste Management for Host Communities Phase II: Strengthening Social Cohesion through Participatory Waste Management” that aims to improve waste management practices, and promote social cohesion through developing a community-based, participatory waste management system in Kilis and Haliliye which are under intensive pressure of migration. Online training on “Zero Waste” was delivered to teachers, public and municipal employees through the training programmes that started on 28 September, with 4,223 persons participating in 49 sessions. Special online training sessions were delivered to 411 persons between 7 and 17 December to train them as trainers on “Zero Waste”.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Turkey CO implements the Project “Effective Urban Waste Management for Host Communities Phase II: Strengthening Social Cohesion through Participatory Waste Management” with the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation as the implementing partner. Under the Project, UNDP supports local governments including particularly municipalities in Hatay, Kilis, Şanlıurfa and Gaziantep in building zero waste systems, developing plans, strategies and policies on effective, efficient and sustainable waste management and disposal, and increasing public sensitivity to environment and waste. Funded by the United States Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (USPRM), the Project provides technical equipment, vehicles, modern waste collection centres for municipalities. It also aims to forge community support to achieve zero waste and sustainability goals through such activities as awareness-raising training on zero waste, recycling workshops, vocational training on recycling.

Among the most important components of the Project are, awareness-raising activities and Training of Trainers on “Zero Waste” in Şanlıurfa-Haliliye and Kilis for host communities and Syrians under temporary protection.

Many activities of publicity and training focusing on local awareness are carried out under the Project

UNDP Turkey carries out comprehensive local publicity and training activities in the context of awareness-raising activities and Training of Trainers on “Zero Waste” in cooperation with Municipalities of Şanlıurfa-Haliliye and Kilis.

The “Zero Waste Awareness Campaign” will start with the Launch Meeting on Thursday 24 December. With such slogans as “Let’s not dump, but recycle” and “Clean Haliliye/Kilis possible by Zero Waste”, specially designed informative billboards, banners and posters are posted for the campaign in Şanlıurfa-Haliliye ve Kilis. Further, cloth shopping bags and “Zero Waste” guidance brochures for citizens will be distributed to 12,500 households under the campaign. Digital screens at central locations in Şanlıurfa-Haliliye ve Kilis will run publicity videos on the project. Animated films describing “Zero Waste” for students in primary and secondary education will be shown to students through schools in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education. An educative video produced to inform the public will be broadcast in the local television channels.

Under the Project, online training on “Zero Waste” was delivered to teachers, public and municipal employees through the training programmes that started on 28 September, with 4,223 persons participating in 49 sessions. Special online training sessions were delivered between 7 and 17 December to 411 persons selected from the previous training to train them as trainers on “Zero Waste”.

Project partners hopeful for “Zero Waste Society”

Mr. Mehmet Canpolat, Şanlıurfa-Haliliye Mayor, expressed his happiness with the contribution of the Project to their district and added: “We implement the Zero Waste project in our district in close collaboration with our children and citizens to create a society with high awareness on environment.”

Mr. Servet Ramazan, Kilis Mayor, emphasised that the Project added value to Kilis and said: “Currently 40% of our garbage are recovered by recycling. We believe this rate will go up thanks to the Project.”

Mr. Claudio Tomasi, UNDP Turkey Resident Representative, highlighted the contribution of environmental sustainability to economic sustainability and said: “Responsibly reducing overall consumption, and production of waste, is crucial for a Zero Waste Society.”

For more information:

Dr. Faik Uyanık, Head of Communications for UNDP Turkey, faik.uyanik@undp.org

Ruşen İnceoğlu, Communications Officer, Syria Crisis Response and Resilience Portfolio at UNDP Turkey, rusen.inceoglu@undp.org