In my last blog post, I mentioned that I would dedicate my next post to the first Festtogether, held last year. For me, it all started when Ali Ercan and Mert Fırat called me and said, “We want to organize a festival where we can implement your waste prevention vision.” I said it was a great idea to implement the waste prevention vision we implemented at the Bozcaada Run and Cunda Triathlon at a music festival, and I said, “We’ll provide all the support we can.” Subsequently, TİDER’s board chair Hande, general manager Nil, and all relevant TİDER executives and professionals became part of the organization.
I’m sharing the videos from the Bozcaada Run and Cunda Triathlon as a reminder:
A WhatsApp group was created, and in addition to the main organizers like Needs Map, İdema, and DasDas, executives from various NGOs like Itır from Adım Adım and Faik from UNDP, as well as opinion leaders from the civil society world also participated. Other NGOs contributing to the festival were the TEMA Foundation, Çaba Association, TOG, Tohum Autism, and Sosyal Ben. We all discussed all the details of the event via WhatsApp.
World star Bob Geldof on stage
News about the event began to appear in various media outlets. I’d like to share an interview with Itır, Hande, and Mert published in Klass Magazine as an example here: http://www.klassmagazin.com/eglenirken-iz-birakmamak-mottosuyla-festtogetherdayiz
The event was initially scheduled for 14 July, but this date was later postponed to 14 September for the start and 28 September for the main event. On 14 September, Bob Geldof performed at DasDas for the first leg of the event. This very enjoyable event attracted over a thousand attendees. I’d like to share some footage from the Bob Geldof concert with you to give you an idea:
Following this, the main event was held at KüçükÇiftlikPark on Saturday, 28 September. You can find the program and all the details of this event on the official Festtogether 2019 website: http://www.festtogether.com/2019/index.html
The Festtogether team and all participating NGOs, along with volunteers from the Basic Needs Association, cleaned up Maçka Park the day before the festival. The festival began with a run organized by Adım Adım in Maçka Park and continued with yoga. TİDER managed the waste disposal process at the festival site. Needs Map collected books and musical instruments brought by guests to open music classrooms and libraries in village schools. Workshops by the Buğday Ecological Life Support Association, Toyi, Puduhepa and their Sisters were followed by panels. Concerts began at 4:00 PM.
Festival attendees had a wonderful time with concerts by Bob Geldof, Mor ve Ötesi, UNKLE, Kimbra, Sophie Hunger, Son Feci Bisiklet, and Athena. I’d like to take this opportunity to share a video summarizing this wonderful event with you:
I asked Itır for detailed information about the event. I’d like to share the information Itır shared about Festtogether with you:
We had a blast together!
- 8,500 visitors, including the event at DasDas, 9,850 spectators
- 16 NGOs participated
- Waste separation with 75 volunteers
- 2 panels, 8 speakers – 800 spectators
- 11 sponsoring companies
- Vegan Food Court at the festival site for the first time in Turkey
- 3 local and 2 international music groups
- 13 hours of continuous operation
- 300 people employed
How Did We Leave No Trace?
- 250 kg of paper, 250 kg of plastic, and 840 kg of glass waste were recycled.
- The amount of recycled waste per person was recorded as 260 grams.
What Did We Prevent?
- The environmental benefits of the activities within the scope of the event resulted in savings of 2,760 kWh of electricity, equivalent to the annual consumption of a family of four; 66.67 m3 of water, equivalent to the annual consumption of an individual; and 45 liters of fuel, enough to fill the tank of an average vehicle.
- The felling of 50 mature trees on an average acre of forest land was prevented.
As can be seen on the official website at http://www.festtogether.com/2019/index.html , the event, organized with the motto “Have Fun, Leave No Trace!”, is described as follows:
Centered on the concept of ‘sustainability,’ meaning ‘the long-term reproduction of a system to sustain itself,’ the festival promises entertainment and good music, encouraging everyone to take care of the world.
All major festivals around the world produce a total of 20,000 tons of waste each year. The figure per person is 2.8 kg. Festtogether’s most important objective is to raise ecological awareness using the unifying power of music.
Was it successful? Yes, I believe the goals were achieved. Festtogether has made significant contributions, particularly in raising awareness of the concept of sustainability among young people.
Last year’s Festtogether and this year’s Festtogether at Home festivals ensured that all participants had a wonderful time, raised their social awareness, and took action to benefit society.
I wholeheartedly congratulate everyone involved. We hope to see you at many more events like Festtogether and Festtogether at Home, which highlight social benefits and allow us to enjoy the moment.
Tag: ecology
