EKOMENTA

  In September, we officially established the ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED ECOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY (EKOMENTA), and on October 6, we held our general assembly to formally begin our activities in line with the association’s objectives.

On December 5, 2024, the members of our board of directors, supervisory board, association members, and advisory board came together for an expanded general assembly meeting, with the participation of Dr. Tuğçe Tezer, Assistant Professor at Mimar Sinan University. During the meeting, we discussed EKOMENTA’s strategic plan and preparations for the symposium we will organize in 2025. Details about our upcoming symposium, which will focus on research, development, and implementation processes within the scope of ecological psychology, will be shared in the future.

We attended the 5th TELE'DRAMA® International Hybrid Congress for Groups and Individuals as an individual and group under the leadership of Dr. Feyruz Usluoğlu.

In the congress, more than 82 presenters from more than 30 countries workshops on various topics such as the use of psychodrama and different therapy methods and techniques together, creativity and common emotions in different cultures, climate, environmental poverty. 

We would like to sincerely thank Dr. Daniela Simmons, the creator of the Tele'Drama method and the International Institute, and the administrators of Anka Psychodrama Association for facilitating our participation in such a unique experience. 

**TELE’DRAMA is a method, an international institute and a community. The International Tele’Drama Institute (ITI) is offering action and expressive methods training, therapy, counseling, and other interventions using an online video conferencing approach.

As the Ecological Psychology Research, Development and Application Association (EKOMENTA), we had a productive meeting with Mersin City Council President, City Planner and founding member of our association, Alper GİRGEÇ, in order to develop joint projects related to the fields of activity of our association. Ecological sustainability and psychological health components were included in important exchanges. We thank them for sparing their valuable time.

We attended the "Mersin Civil Participation Strategy and Action Plan Launch" hosted by Mersin Metropolitan Municipality. At the event, we listened to the strategies and action plans prepared to strengthen civil society and increase participation and exchanged ideas.

As Ekomenta, we believe in the importance of cooperation with local governments in solving ecological and social problems and we attach importance to taking part in this project to emphasize the benefits of civil participation to our society. We will continue to contribute to volunteering and civic participation.

As the Ecology Psychology Research Development and Application Association (EKOMENTA), which was established on September 4, 2024, we determined our association bodies and units in our first General Assembly meeting; Then we held the founding event of our association. We sincerely thank all our guests who were with us and showed solidarity on this meaningful day.

At our event, Mersin Provincial Civil Society Relations Manager Aysun Cennet Kıldan, Mersin City Council President City Planner Alper Girgeç, Bitlis Association President Fırat Yalçın, Mersin St. Antuan Latin Catholic Church Chief Priest Roshan Cordeiro, Cilikya Nehir Association members and SözYüzü Literature Association members joined us. We would also like to thank Seyda Mavruk Özbiçer and Salih Özbiçer, owners of İdea Modern Company, who hosted the establishment of our association, and Mersin Metropolitan Municipality and Mersin Yenişehir Municipality, who contributed to our organization.

We believe that EKOMENTA will make significant contributions to the creation of a sustainable society and a better life for everyone, with its productive scientific studies focusing on the relationship between humans and the environment, and we hope that our association will be beneficial for all of us.

 As EKOMENTA, we participated in the Beyaz Kitap Consultation Workshop, organized under the leadership of our Association President Feyruz Usluoğlu and Vice President Begüm ESER TERLİKSİZ, to discuss policy and legal regulation proposals on strengthening civil society and volunteering. At the workshop, we came together with different NGOs and emphasized the importance of joint studies on ecology and psychology. We exchanged valuable ideas about our volunteer work and took important steps for our future projects. We would like to thank the Ministry, Mersin Provincial Directorate of Civil Society Relations and the Metropolitan Municipality for their support in this process. We are excited about our collaboration projects for the future!

Our aim is to carry out research, development and application activities based on ecological and psychological principles focusing on the relationship between humans and the environment in order to create a sustainable society and a better life for everyone. In this context, in addition to working to improve physical and psychological health, we aim to support the psychological well-being of individuals and societies in the face of challenges such as natural disasters, climate change, war and migration.