Halkkent Ilkokulu

MOBILITY IN TURKEY- MERSIN

TOPIC OF THE MOBILITY- BIODIVERSITY

5th - 9th december 2022

First mobility of the project Ecological literacy for a sustainable future was held in Mersin, Tukey. 

Topic of first mobility was biodiversity. Partners from Romania, Ireland and Croatia visited Halkkent Ilkokulu school in Mersin.

We spend 5 days teaching and training mobility.

We visited a Turkish school Halken Ilkokulu where the hosts welcomed us with an appropriate program prepared by the students of the school. The hosts took us through the school and showed us the school premises. We also met all the school employees.

We visited the 3 c class where the students showed us  how they build  biodiversity loss reversal models.

The same day we had a presentation about all partners' educational systems. That was interesting to hear. 

In the afternoon our hosts took us sightseeing in Mersin old town. We visited the Mugdat mosque and Mersin archeological museum which is one of the oldest museums in Turkey.

The second day of our mobility we visited school in the morning where students prepared us for a pantomime activity. They showed the impact of man on life in the sea. The students emphasized that biodiversity is important and that we should protect nature. 

Students prepared for us a fashion show from recycled materials.They emphasized the importance of recycling. 

On the same day, we chose the logo of the project that the students made in their schools. It was agreed at the meeting before the mobility that each school would choose the 3 best logos and we chose between them. The students chose the logo of Croatia.

 Logo was made by a student in 7th grade. 

Partners discussed objectives and the rest of the meeting agenda.

In the afternoon we visited Tarsus town. 

Tarsus is known for its rich variety of flora and fauna. We visited the old museum Madrasa. This building is a rare example of the traditional architectural style of the Seljuks. We saw Cleopatra’s gate, the only surviving structure from the old Tarsus walls. It was built  during the Byzantine empire.

We visited Taskuyu cave which is a dripstone cave that was discovered by chance in Tarsus recently and brought to tourism. The length of the cave is 470 meters.

The third day was reserved for a visit to Cappadocia. We learned about the life of craftsmen in Cappadocia, visited the Goreme, and flew in a balloon. It was miraculous.

In the evening we had a Turkish night where we got to know Turkish customs and their folk dances.

On thursday we attended the Ecological literacy seminar led by The Turkish foundation for combating soil erosion “TEMA”

We learned about biodiversity in Turkey. They introduced us to genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. We also heard about the impact of climate on the ecosystem.

After the seminar we prepared an Ecological intelligence student’s guide and filled out an evaluation form about the results of the exchange.

In the afternoon we attended the certificate ceremony.

The last day of our mobility was reserved for visiting historical places around Maiden castle region. We visited Pozitifkoy- Silifke, a village made out of natural materials. POZİTİFKÖY, located in Mersin, Silifke’s Cadirli village is a center for nature- and environment-friendly living, learning, and wellness.

Called “Turkey’s center for feeling good”, POZİTİFKÖY is an ecological accommodation and education center built from eco-friendly construction materials such as goat hair for nomad tents. The primary purpose of POZİTİFKÖY is to contribute to personal, corporate, and societal development.

 There are also offerings of applied basic life skills seminars for children, teenagers, and adults of all ages.

We visited Asthma cave and Heaven and hell cave. We also visited Kanlidivane, an ancient city situated around a big sinkhole in Mersin

In the evening we had a farewell ceremony in the hotel where we discussed the following tasks and the details of the next mobility that will take place in Croatia.

ECOLOGICAL  STUDENT INTELLIGENCE GUIDE

Guide was prepared during our first mobility in Mersin.