Since its founding, Sabancı Group has made it a top priority to preserve the values of the Republic. This year, the group celebrated the 99th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey with great enthusiasm by working tirelessly in the field. Sabancı Group, which expanded the scope of the Sabancı Republic Day Campaign launched last year by signing the most extensive social responsibility campaign in Turkey this year, will continue to be active in the field throughout 2023 with more than 15,000 volunteers taking part in 120 events held in 41 cities, involving the participation of 16 companies and institutions.
Sabancı Group Implements 32 Different Social Projects Across Turkey
Sabancı Group's subsidiaries are implementing 32 social projects under four main headings: "Preparing the youth for the future," "Women's participation in the workforce," "Permanent fight against the climate emergency," and "Supporting biodiversity." These projects not only support Turkey's social development but also cultivate vital awareness about volunteering in our country. Furthermore, on November 10, Sabancı Group will present all the activities it has carried out within the scope of the campaign to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, as it did last year, to keep his memory alive by working hard for the country he founded.
Cenk Alper: "The Republic Stands for Modernity, Equality, and Continuous Progress"
Speaking at the Republic Day Campaign event held in Çanakkale within the scope of the 99th-anniversary celebrations of the Republic, Sabancı Holding CEO Cenk Alper stated: "This year, we carried the campaign that we started in Adana, the founding place of our Group, to a different part of our country, Çanakkale. We are very proud to implement Turkey's largest social responsibility campaign on such a meaningful date in a symbolic place like Çanakkale, which introduced our nation's independence and struggle for existence into world literature and represents the victory of faith and dedication against impossibilities."
In his speech expressing that the Republic is not just a form of government, Cenk Alper stated: "The Republic actually represents a way of life. It embodies modernity, equality, continuous progress, and, most importantly, a strong, collective desire to love these lands and always protect them, to keep the principles and values of the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk alive forever, and to work tirelessly for this cause. When we started the Sabancı Republic Day Campaign last year, we wanted to show our love for our country and the Republic in a very different way. We tried to demonstrate unrequited love with the actions we take and the value we create. With a total of 7 thousand volunteers, we devoted 35 thousand hours to this campaign. For about 15 days, we planted saplings, collected garbage, separated waste, fertilized plants, painted schools, donated books, built barns and temporary residences, and prepared charity boxes. And we presented all these works to the father of our nation, Ataturk, on November 10.”
Working Year-Round with 15,000 Volunteers
Expressing that the Republic Day Campaign has seen a significant expansion this year, Cenk Alper said: "We are implementing Turkey's largest social responsibility campaign with more than 15 thousand Sabancı volunteers. In addition, we increased the number of provinces from 11 last year to 41 this year. Together with 120 activities within the scope of 32 different social projects that we realized with the participation of 16 companies, we once again highlighted that unrequited love is undoubtably adding tremendous value to these lands. Therefore, we offer a big campaign with projects and practices that continue throughout the year, such as preparing our youth for the future, women's participation in the workforce, ensuring a permanent fight in response to the climate emergency, and supporting biodiversity."
Mr. Alper noted that it is impossible to consider the Republic's values independently of the current global challenges. He said, "Today, humanity is engaged in a struggle for a new existence. At Sabancı Group, all of our sustainability commitments, all of our projects and practices, and all of our activities within the scope of the Republic Day Campaign are an indispensable part of our principle inherited from Hacı Sabancı of 'sharing what we have obtained from this land with its people.’ However, in this struggle for a new existence, which concerns the future of humanity, our dedication to protecting sustainable life is an excellent indicator of our determination.”
- Under the leadership of Sabancı Holding CEO Cenk Alper, hundreds of Sabancı Volunteers and local community members participated in the campaign's press conference in Çanakkale.
- In the Çanakkale Pazarlı Village honey forest, water tanks were constructed to provide the bees with the necessary water, and arbors were created to meet the needs of beekeepers.
- 2,500 beehive stands were placed in the forest for the beehives.
- Hive support was provided to bee producers in the region.
- In Çanakkale Gelibolu, nectar-bearing species were planted in the honey forest, which the Ministry of Forestry manages, to support beekeeping activities and honey production.
- With its diverse vegetation, the arrival of honey bees to the region is expected to increase biodiversity through pollination.
- As vegetation develops, the amount of deteriorated soil structure will decrease, and soil will be protected against erosion.
- Along with the honey forest, the goal is to support beekeeping activities and increase honey production to provide income for the local community.
- The goal is to carry out these works through sustainable forestry/nature-based solution activities.
- In conjunction with the honey forest, this effort aims to create a habitat for 200 million bees and to bring restorative returns to the ecosystem.
- A new fire extinguisher pool, many of which have already been constructed by the Sabancı Group across Turkey, is also being built in the region.