Agenda: The Impact of the Climate Crisis on Everyday Life and Rights
The festival will not only address the environmental effects of the climate crisis but also open a discussion on how it impacts individuals’ daily lives. Throughout the event, topics such as migration waves triggered by the climate crisis, deepening economic inequalities, transformations in working life, and the loss of rights among vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, children, and the elderly will also be discussed.
Through panels, forums, idea workshops, and stand areas organized as part of the festival, participants will be able to make their work visible, develop new collaborations, and jointly discuss areas of common struggle.
The World Today, The Planet Tomorrow
In the festival’s opening session, global wars, security-driven policies, and deepening economic crises will be discussed in conjunction with the climate crisis. In this session titled “The State of the World, the Future of the Planet,” the opportunities and limits of civil society in the face of these multi-layered crises will be evaluated.
In the session moderated by Dr. Tezcan Eralp Abay, Prof. Dr. Nesrin Algan, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özge Özkoç, and Dr. Aslı Odman will discuss the opportunities and limitations of civil society in confronting these multi-layered crises.
Voices from the Field: Persistence, Hope, Resistance
On the first day of the festival, environmental struggles emerging from different regions of Turkey will also share their experiences. Alaattin Yılmazer from the Fatsa Nature and Environment Association, Süheyla Doğan from the Kazdağları Association for the Protection of Natural and Cultural Assets, as well as Akbelen Case lawyers Arif Ali Cangı, Oktay Demirkan, and Linda Nihan Lafcı will share their experiences in fighting against ecological destruction, local solidarity networks, and the opportunities for collective resistance.
The Global Climate Regime on the Road to COP31
One of the festival’s noteworthy sessions will be “Strengthening Civil Society Participation at COP31 through UNFCCC Constituencies.”
In this session, together with international figures involved in COP31 processes, global climate policies, the relationship of local struggles with the international climate regime, and advocacy for climate justice will be discussed.
The session speakers will include Yunus Arıkan from ICLEI/LGMA, Stephen Davison from Cambridge Zero, Rachitaa Gupta from the Demand Climate Justice network, Atif Jawed representing European Young Engineers, and Jana Merkelbach from Climate Action Network International.
Collective Production in Idea Workshops
In idea workshops and studios taking place throughout the festival, participants will not only share their experiences but also create new spaces for debate.
Various sessions during the festival will address many topics including climate justice, organizational well-being, strategic litigation, post-disaster solidarity, artificial intelligence, accessibility, children’s rights, community-supported agriculture, and rights-based advocacy.
For detailed information about the event program, which ranges from talks to collective production workshops, film screenings to creative activities, you can visit sivilsesler.org/tr/2026/festival.