The awards ceremony for the Poster Competition was held by the Near East University Faculty of Communication in honor of World Water Day.
The award ceremony for the “World Water Day Poster Competition,” organized by the Near East University Faculty of Communication and the Communication Research Center for high school students, was held with a large turnout. The competition, which highlighted the vital importance of water, showcased the environmental awareness and creativity of young people. The event aimed to raise awareness about the protection of water resources and to promote sustainable environmental consciousness.
The ceremony, held at the Orange Hall of the Near East University Faculty of Communication, was attended by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt, Dean of the Faculty of Communication Prof. Dr. Fevzi Kasap, Director General of Secondary Education of the Ministry of National Education Yusuf İnanıroğlu, Deputy Director of the Vocational and Technical Education Department of the Ministry of National Education Deniz Orhunöz, and Telsim General Manager Sefer Tüz, along with academics, sponsor representatives, teachers, and students. The opening speeches of the event, which attracted great interest from the high school students and their families who participated in the competition, were delivered by Prof. Dr. Fevzi Kasap, Yusuf İnanıroğlu, and Sefer Tüz.
The awards of the competition, to which nearly 200 entries from 16 high schools were attended, were presented to the winning students, and certificates of appreciation were given to the jury members and sponsors who contributed to the competition. In the Classical category, Melek Naz Koyu from Famagusta Vocational High School won the first place, Su Büyükhüseyin from Levent College won the second place, and Maria Makhutina from Anafartalar High School won the third place. The Jury Special Award went to Delfin Emine Soykan from Levent College. In the Digital category, Ali Solgun from Atatürk Vocational High School won the first place, Eda Dayı from the same school won the second place, and Ayfer Aykılıç, also from Atatürk Vocational High School, won the third place, while the Jury Special Award was given to Yeva Koltunaval. The winners in both categories received various prizes: 7,000 TL for the first place, 5,000 TL for the second place, and 3,000 TL for the third place. The event concluded with the opening of the students’ poster exhibition. Saplings were also given to the participants in order to draw attention to environmental awareness.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt: “Our aim is to ensure that our students, while being equipped with knowledge, also become pioneers of social transformation.”
Emphasizing the great importance of the event in terms of developing social awareness among young people, Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt stated that the creative contributions of the students strengthened social awareness regarding the conservation and conscious use of water. Stating that universities have three main purposes, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt said, “Firstly, to produce science; secondly, to provide education; and thirdly, to serve society. However, as Near East University, we have adopted the principle of ‘transforming society’ instead of ‘serving society’.” Referring to Near East University’s pioneering role in education and social fields, Prof. Dr. Kurt said, “These achievements are also leading the way in social transformation. For example, our Near East Hospital and Günsel, the first domestically produced electric car in the TRNC, are among our important projects that improve the quality of life of society and make a difference in many areas from education to health.”
Referring to Near East University’s international achievements, Prof. Dr. Kurt said, “There are two main rankings in the Times Higher Education lists: one is the world university ranking, and the other is the impact ranking. Near East University has achieved the first success on the island by being among the top 500 universities in the world. The impact ranking measures the impact universities have on society, and Near East University ranks 42nd in the world in this list.” Concluding his speech with an inspiring message for the students, Prof. Dr. Kurt said, “Knowledge should flow and be shared like a river overflowing from a cup. Education is not just about getting a diploma, but about gaining the awareness to contribute to society. Our aim is to ensure that our students, while being equipped with knowledge, also become pioneers of social transformation.”
Prof. Dr. Fevzi Kasap: “Our young people are important guides with their ideas and creative solutions.”
Prof. Dr. Fevzi Kasap, Dean of the Faculty of Communication Fevzi Kasap said, “Today we are not here to celebrate World Water Day, but to make water more meaningful and to raise awareness in society.” Emphasizing the importance of role of the young people in this process, Prof. Dr. Fevzi Kasap added, “We are seeking different ways to pull the world out of the chaos it has fallen into, with the energy and contribution of young people. We aim to find the most effective methods to leave a better world for future generations.”
Expressing his gratitude to all the sponsors who have supported the event, which they have been carrying out for two years, and to the participating students, Prof. Dr. Fevzi Kasap said, “All the submitted works were exceptionally successful. We had a very difficult time in making a decision.” He noted that the young people’s diverse and comprehensive approach to the issues gave him hope, adding, “This sensitivity of our youth gives us great confidence for our future. Their ideas and creative solutions are important guides in increasing social awareness regarding the conservation and conscious use of water.” Prof. Dr. Fevzi Kasap concluded his speech by saying, “These kinds of events not only instill awareness of water resource conservation, they also enable our youth to develop their social responsibilities and take more conscious steps towards the future. We thank everyone who contributed to this journey.”
Yusuf İnanıroğlu: “The conscious use and conservation of water is of great importance to everyone.”
In his speech, Yusuf İnanıroğlu, Director of Secondary Education at the TRNC Ministry of National Education, said, “Water is the most fundamental source of life. Every living thing on Earth needs water.”, and emphasized that the TRNC is not rich in water resources.
Noting that the ponds, which had been empty for years, have filled up and begun to overflow again after a long period, İnanıroğlu expressed that this is a pleasing development for them. In his speech, İnanıroğlu also touched upon the afforestation efforts carried out under the coordination of the Presidency, saying, “Today, students from all schools contributed to afforestation efforts. These efforts are also very important in terms of greening our country and contributing to increased rainfall.” Emphasizing that the conscious use and conservation of water is of great importance for everyone, İnanıroğlu stated that they hope this awareness will spread to every point of society, starting from the younger generations.
Sefer Tüz: “We have also set ourselves the goal of participating in all pioneering efforts that can be made.”
Sefer Tüz, General Manager of TRNC Telsim, emphasized the importance his institution places on sustainability efforts in his speech at the ceremony. “As an organization, we will always be involved in such initiatives within the framework of sustainability policies in our country and the world.” said Sefer Tüz, adding, “Contributing to such awareness-raising projects is of great importance to us. I congratulate all the students.” Emphasizing the great importance of water resources for the world in general and for the TRNC in particular, Tüz said, “We have also set ourselves the goal of participating in all pioneering efforts that can be made in this regard.”
