THE 2009 PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES

Asuman Korkusuz-Ülgen and Françoise Summers

     Activities and events in 2009 included training and educational workshops, fairs and kermesses as well as visits by distinguished guests and groups hosted by the Kerkenes team and SAHDER. A major grant to SAHDER from the Small Grant Program (SGP) of the UNDP Global Environment Fund (GEF) with additional grants from AKG, the Anglo-Turkish Society, the Archeocommunity Foundation, MESA, Toreador and others provided the Eco-Center Project with sufficient funding to pursue its main objectives.

     Building on the successes of the previous SGP project to demonstrate and promote solar energy, a new project phase, 'Improvement of the Solar Powered Devices and Branding Infrastructure in Sorgun, Yozgat' was launched at the end of 2008. Güner and Korkut Mutaf developed new and improved designs for the solar cookers, ovens and driers. The EIE (General Directorate of Electrical Power Resources) assisted in Ankara, while the Yozgat Governorate, Sorgun District Governorate and Sorgun Municipality helped in many ways.

     At the Kerkenes Eco-Center, workshops and seminars were held in the Erdogan Akdag Center. Adem Bölükbasi and Gökhan Güngör of the Sorgun District Directorate of Agriculture talked about organic farming and efficient water management. Mehmet Ali Guzgun from the Sorgun Hospital and Ibrahim Erciyas from the Sorgun District Governorate talked on hygiene. Zeliha Tiryakioglu and Sibel Ünal of the Yozgat Provincial Directorate of Agriculture discussed food production. Huriye and Gülnur Uçar joined the Kerkenes team to follow up on production workshops and issues related to labelling, packaging and marketing. Tuba Dicle Kiliç from the Nature Society presented examples of local food production from other cities in Turkey and is now producing a manual on food processing. To widen potential markets, products were taken to the Sorgun Market where villagers trade their agricultural produce. At the Yozgat Sürmeli Festival a SAHDER stand was provided by Yozgat Chamber of Commerce. In Ankara, products were also promoted at several kermesses.

     METU architecture students in the 'Architecture In-situ' elective, taught by Soofia T. Elias-Ozkan and Françoise Summers, gained first hand experience on appropriate and alternative building materials in 'Hands on Building' sessions at the Kerkenes Eco-Center. Autumn talks by Asuman Korkusuz-Ülgen and Françoise Summers were given at METU and Bozok University, Yozgat.

     The Kerkenes Team and Sahmuratli Village Association were pleased to host numerous visitors, including participants in several EU funded projects as well as international parties of academics and students. Sahmuratli Village is becoming a showcase for environmentally friendly, energy sensitive, and self-sufficient development, promoting renewable energy for a low-carbon economy and a sustainable future.