TUI JUNIOR ACADEMY TURKEY PROJECT RAISES ECO CHAMPIONS
Blue-sensitive generations are growing up in Turkey's leading cities in marine tourism
Within the scope of the "TUI Junior Academy Turkey" education and awareness raising project implemented by TURMEPA in cooperation with TUI Care Foundation, children and adults learn the importance of protecting our seas by having fun. The project, which will continue for 2 years in Muğla, Antalya, İzmir and Aydın, the leading cities of our country in marine tourism, aims to reach approximately 4 thousand Eco-Champions who will make a difference in their cities.
The education and awareness-raising project launched in January by DenizTemiz Derneği / TURMEPA in cooperation with TUI Care Foundation will continue for 2 years in 9 districts of Muğla, İzmir, Antalya and Aydın, the leading cities of marine tourism in the Aegean and Mediterranean. With the TUI Junior Academy Turkey project, middle school students between the ages of 12-14 will gain awareness on marine conservation and adaptation to climate change through online trainings, workshops, excursions and coastal cleanups and will be awarded the title of Ecoshampion.
Within the scope of the TUI Junior Academy Turkey project, the impact of which will be increased through online trainings as well as workshops, field trips and coastal cleaning activities, 1,846 students and 188 teachers from 67 schools from 5 districts have so far received training and have been awarded certificates. With the trainings given, it is aimed to increase the awareness of students by informing them about the importance of the seas, Sustainable Development Goals, sustainable tourism, global climate change, plastic pollution, zero waste, etc. In order to convey the importance of sustainable marine tourism and the development of coastal ecosystems, students are planned to visit important attraction points of cities such as Iztuzu Beach, Demre National Park, Izmir Bird Sanctuary, Dilek Peninsula. In the future, the project will also include the children of yacht captains, fishermen, tourist guides and marina employees to increase the project's achievements.
About TUI Junior Academy Turkey: The project, which is implemented by the DenizTemiz Derneği / TURMEPA, is carried out in coordination with the Ministry of National Education and the relevant National Education Directorates with the funding received from the TUI Care Foundation. The project, which will last for 2 years between 2022-2024, will be realized with the participation of secondary school students aged 12-14 and their teachers in training, workshops, excursions and coastal cleaning activities. The project aims to reach 3940 students and 480 teachers in 160 secondary schools in 2 years with special educational content prepared in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The students, who are aimed to prioritize the protection of biodiversity in the regions where they live by carrying sustainable marine tourism into the future, are entitled to receive Eco Champion certificate from TURMEPA and TUI Care Foundation.
