An Ecology Council has been founded in the province of Urfa in northern Kurdistan. Representatives of environmental initiatives and civil society organizations officially announced the establishment of the body during an event held in the conference hall of the left-wing trade union confederation KESK in the central Haliliye district. Banners with ecological messages such as “Nature blooms in seven colors” and “Nature protects life” were displayed at the event. Alongside numerous activists, the co-spokespersons of the Urfa Environmental Association, Ferda Öncel and Serhat Altındağ, also attended the meeting.
Joint strategies, solidarity, and collective organization
Altındağ stated that the establishment of the Ecology Council emerged from a collective need. In addition to economic and social problems, the climate crisis in particular represents a growing challenge for the region, he said. “Rising temperatures, increasing drought, shrinking water reserves, and irregular rainfall are placing growing pressure on agriculture. The climate crisis is therefore not only an environmental issue but also concerns food security, economic justice, and the social future of the region,” Altındağ said. “Ecological problems can no longer be addressed by individual institutions or initiatives alone. Joint strategies, solidarity, and collective organization are needed.”
Founding declaration
Following Altındağ’s speech, activist Özlem Özdemir presented the founding declaration of the council. In the declaration, the movement emphasized that nature must not be viewed as a resource but as a living whole of which humans are also a part. The statement also pointed to numerous ecological problems in the province of Urfa. These include the massive consumption of groundwater, increasing drought, flawed irrigation and agricultural policies, as well as the use of chemicals and monocultures that damage soil and water resources. “Water is a foundation of life and must not become a commodity,” said the declaration, which particularly criticized state water policies described as centralized and profit-oriented. Instead, the initiatives call for local, participatory, and ecologically oriented management of water resources.
Linking ecology, democracy, and women’s liberation
The initiators also emphasized the cultural diversity of the region. Urfa has for centuries been a space where different languages, religions, and communities coexist. This diversity, they said, must be protected just like the natural foundations of life. The declaration also drew a close connection between the exploitation of nature and the oppression of women, arguing that both stem from the same dominant mindset. Therefore, it said, the equal participation of women in decision-making processes plays a central role within the new Ecology Council. According to the initiative, young people will also be actively involved in ecological projects, including through educational programs, local seed initiatives, and sustainable agriculture projects.
“An organization for the protection of life”
The initiators stated that the new Ecology Council will work for the protection of water, soil, and natural living resources. Access to clean water, clean air, healthy food, and housing is considered a fundamental right. The council sees itself as part of the ecology movement of Mesopotamia and follows its democratic, ecological, and feminist approach. The goal is to build a solidaristic and communal economic and social model that is oriented not toward profit but toward the protection of life. At the end of the event, participants discussed further proposals and perspectives for the work of the newly established Ecology Council.
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