At Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU), a workshop titled “Young Water Meetings Workshop” was organized by the Center for Environmental Issues Application and Research (ÇEVSAM) in conjunction with the Environmental Community and the Department of Environmental Engineering.

Prior to the workshop, notable guests, including Prof. Dr. Cumali Kınacı, former Rector of Istanbul Technical University's Northern Cyprus Campuses; Satuk Buğra Fındık, Deputy General Manager of Water Management at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; expert Hülya Silkin from the General Directorate of Water Management; environmental engineer Bahadır Özçam; Prof. Dr. Feryal Akbal, Head of the Department of Environmental Engineering at OMU Engineering Faculty; and Prof. Dr. Nurdan Gamze Turan, Director of ÇEVSAM, visited Rector Prof. Dr. Yavuz Ünal in his office.

The workshop, held at the Atatürk Congress and Cultural Center, aimed to highlight water resources' vitality and focus on their efficient and sustainable management. The event was attended by OMU Rector Prof. Dr. Yavuz Ünal, former Rector of Istanbul Technical University's Northern Cyprus Campuses Prof. Dr. Cumali Kınacı, OMU Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Sevim Alışır, Deputy General Manager Satuk Buğra Fındık, Tevfik Akçay, Director of Samsun Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, and other notable figures from both the university and local government offices.

High School Students Also Participate in the Workshop

The event also saw participation from OMU Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School students, Atakum Anatolian High School, and Final Schools Anatolian High School.

Rector Yavuz Ünal: “Everyone is aware of how imminent the danger is and how devastating it can be”

Rector Yavuz Ünal emphasized the critical nature of water wastage and the need for heightened awareness, “Looking at where we are now, we have colleagues and professors who are seriously working on water-related issues, aware of how close and potentially destructive the danger is. We are at a threshold, and there is no turning back. The temperature differences between yesterday and today are significant. Unfortunately, we are living in such a world where conditions we caused ourselves are now something we must pay for. I can clearly state that OMU is very engaged and eager to do whatever is possible in this regard.”

“We Should Not See Nature as Property”

Prof. Dr. Yavuz Ünal highlighted the concept of waste as taught by our culture and discussed the risks of environmental damage caused by humanity, “We should not see nature as property. We all live on this land and will leave one day. There were civilizations before us, and there will be people after us. The issue here is the consumption of land and water. We must keep the concept of waste actively on the agenda. If the practice of leaving used plastic bottles or waste in living spaces becomes normalized, then managing the future becomes nearly impossible. The products we consume should not harm our living spaces. We are only discussing water here because there is no life without water. This is true for all beings in the universe. As long as there is unnecessary consumption, inevitable water wars are not far off, and the world is already sounding the alarm. Especially to my student friends, I say this: Your generation is in a very strategic position. You must be a demanding and mission-taking generation because there is no 'after you.' If we do not intervene today, you will face insurmountable problems.”

“Effort to Identify All Our Campuses”

Continuing his speech, Rector Ünal focused on the efforts being made at OMU in line with the mission of being a 'green university,' “One of the issues we are most diligent and sensitive about is our campuses. A campus is even more valuable than a classroom and a powerful educational field. Therefore, someone from outside the campus can read this university's level and direction of education. This year, the number of trees planted on various campuses of our University reached 11,000. If you look after the trees, the forest lives, and you live with the forest. We have released pheasants into nature many times. I must also mention that we are trying to identify all our campuses. We have a standardization effort regarding the physical environment, departments, department laboratories, libraries, and other areas. In this context, we strive to create significant awareness by cleaning the entire campus from top to bottom. The looming threat is a great danger to all beings. A risk surrounds us all, and humans are the cause and the solution to this problem. Therefore, there is a serious duty and responsibility on each individual.”

Nurdan Gamze Turan, Director of ÇEVSAM: “Unfortunately, these predictions show that we are a country that is a candidate to become water poor”

ÇEVSAM Director Nurdan Gamze Turan added, “Unfortunately, these forecasts show that our country is a candidate to become water-poor in the coming years. While water-rich countries have an annual per capita available water amount of over 10,000 cubic meters, it is around 1,350 cubic meters in our country. It is projected to decrease to 1,120 cubic meters by 2040 and to 1,069 cubic meters by 2050. Although the world is not currently experiencing a global water shortage, many regions face water scarcity, and the number of such regions continues to increase.”

Deputy General Manager Satuk Buğra Fındık: “If there is water, there is life”

Deputy General Manager Satuk Buğra Fındık commented, “Water is a source of life that cannot be replaced by any other substance. It is found in every product we see and used in production. As you know, three-quarters of the Earth and two-thirds of humans are water. If there is water, there is life. We can understand this from the fact that countries are searching for the presence of water on other planets to determine if there is life. Therefore, we must appreciate the water we have and protect these resources. Climate change has always existed and occurred naturally throughout history, but unfortunately, it has accelerated in the last century due to human activities.”

Following the opening speeches, former Rector Prof. Dr. Cumali Kınacı spoke on “Water Efficiency and Loss and Leakage Control,” while Hülya Silkin from the General Directorate of Water Management discussed “The Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources and Adaptation.”

Afterward, Rector Ünal presented sapling certificates to academics who presented at the workshop. In the afternoon session of the workshop, Prof. Dr. Eyüp Selim Köksal from OMU Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Structures and Irrigation Department discussed “Digital Applications in Water Management,” and Bahadır Özçam from the General Directorate of Water Management covered “Water Efficiency Approaches in Adapting to Changing Climate.”

Young minds discussed solutions at the Student Workshop

During the “Student Workshop,” young minds discussed solutions on topics such as “Planning Water-Sensitive Cities and Green Infrastructure,” “Rainwater Harvesting and Water Reclamation,” “Efficient Use of Water and Water Conservation,” and “Enhancing Water Awareness.” The results and suggestions from the student workshop were evaluated and discussed at the end.

The workshop concluded with a group photo.