Organized by UN SDSN Türkiye, the event focusing on developments in sustainable development was held on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at Boğaziçi University’s Albert Long Hall. Under the theme "SDSN Initiatives in Light of Recent Developments," sustainability efforts in Türkiye and worldwide were discussed.

Event Program

Participants were welcomed in the morning with registration and refreshments, followed by opening speeches. The opening speech was delivered by Prof. Dr. Gürkan Kumbaoğlu, Vice Rector of Boğaziçi University and Director of UN SDSN Türkiye. Prof. Dr. Patrick Paul Walsh, UN SDSN Global Vice President and President of the SDG Academy, joined the event online.

Sustainability Developments in Türkiye

Key evaluations were made on Türkiye’s sustainability agenda. Bahar Güçlü delivered a presentation on climate change and development policies.

Global and Regional Perspectives

In the first session of the event, global and regional sustainability developments were discussed by the SDSN Global Secretariat and academics. Experts such as Guillaume Lafortune, Prof. Dr. Phoebe Koundouri, and Prof. Dr. Nicolaos P. Theodossiou shared their insights online.

Carbon Neutral Goals and Discussions

The second session in the afternoon featured a comprehensive presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Börte Köse Mutlu, Coordinator of Istanbul Technical University’s Sustainability Office, on ITU’s goal of reducing its carbon footprint and achieving carbon neutrality. Mutlu emphasized the importance of sustainability efforts and discussed potential challenges and solutions in achieving this goal with participants.

At the end of the event, closing remarks were made, and participants exchanged ideas. Organized by UN SDSN Türkiye, this gathering made significant contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Best Practices and Transformation in Education

During the afternoon sessions, successful sustainability projects by SDSN Türkiye member universities were introduced. In the "Transformation in Education" session, studies carried out under the SDSN Türkiye Teachers 2030 and SDSN Global Schools Programs were presented. Moderated by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Öztürk, discussions were held on transformations in education policies.