Context
"Zeytince Association for Supporting Ecological Lives" is a non-profit, membership-based civil society organisation that was founded on 31 December 2013 in İzmir, Turkey, by a group of academics and research students. To date, the association has 35 members. Their aim is to promote sustainable living and lifestyles that are in harmony with the ecological principles and functioning of our planet. Faced with vast environmental problems and climate change, the association helps citizens to play an active role in adopting ecological lifestyles to solve these problems.
To this end, the Zeytince Association is offering awareness-raising workshops, civil engagement workshops and research across the İzmir peninsula. Through these activities, they aim to help raise awareness of sustainability and environmental issues among citizens so that they take on active roles in their individual and community lives.
The project
The Zeytince Association decided to set up an "Olive Academy" in 2015 to carry out studies and educational activities within the framework of the "Peninsula Sustainable Development Strategy 2014 - 2023" report prepared by IZKA (Izmir Development Agency), so it chose the town of Karaburun as the study area.
In the village of Karaburun Incecik, the former primary school building has been allocated to the association to fit out the Zeytin school, which began its activities in May 2017.
The Zeytin school aims to function as a centre for education and solidarity that seeks to protect natural, cultural and industrial resources, in particular olives and olive products, and to create jobs and income in the region based on these resources. In addition, it aims to create a place where all kinds of activities that are beneficial/respectful of people and nature, and of ecological concerns, are supported in areas such as science, art and sports.
It aims to:
- Create new jobs and sources of income for the region's inhabitants, particularly women and young people, by organising training activities and workshops in the fields of production, consumption and marketing of the region's products,
Increase the quality and quantity of added value produced in the region. - Increase the quality and quantity of added value produced in the region.
- Support the integration of the Izmir Peninsula into international ecological tourism and ecological networks by organising national and international workshops.
The Zeytin school will be included in The Gourmet Cities network Delice and Slow Food. In this way, it will be possible to continue the activities that began at local level at international level. In addition, the establishment of connections with international ecovillages, mutual visits, scholarships for students and researchers as part of opportunities, and the setting up of national and international volunteer programmes for various activities are also among the main projects.
Results
In 2017, the association succeeded in setting up the Olive School in the town of Karaburun.
Who is it for ?
Students, citizens and tourists visiting the Izmir region and olive and olive oil producers.
This initiative sheet was written by Yohan Taris, LF intern in February 2023.
Last modification : 29 Jun 2023.
Zeytince Association
"Zeytince Association for Supporting Ecological Lives" is an association founded in 2013 in Izmir, Turkey, which aims to promote more sustainable modes of production and consumption. The association focuses particularly on olive cultivation and seeks to raise awareness among local people within education and solidarity centres.