United Nations Development Programme and Turkish Basketball Federation to cooperate for Global Goals

The United Nations Development Programme and Turkish Basketball Federation join forces for the Global Goals agreed by world leaders to achieve by 2030.

Ankara, 17 February 2020 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) launched a new initiative of cooperation to raise awareness and encourage behaviour change on the Sustainable Development Goals, also known as Global Goals.

The instrument, representing the first-ever agreement on the Global Goals between UNDP with a sports federation in Turkey, was signed at a meeting on 17 February 2020 open to the press. Accompanied by the Turkish National Basketball Team in the meeting, Mr. Claudio Tomasi, UNDP Turkey Resident Representative, and Mr. Hidayet Türkoğlu, President of the Turkish Basketball Federation, provided information on the new initiative of cooperation for humanity and the planet.

The partnership aims, through publicity activities during the matches of Turkish National Basketball Team, to boost recognition of the Global Goals and mobilise all to achieve the Goals by 2030. UNDP and TBF will particularly underline the Goal 13 Climate Action.

Mr. Claudio Tomasi, UNDP Turkey Resident Representative, said: “As UNDP we see sports as a very important space to reach people to connect them with the world’s urgent problems and encourage them to take action. It is very valuable for us that Turkish Basketball Federation embraces Sustainable Development Goals and specifically Climate Action to actively participate to the Decade of Action. We believe that this step will serve as an example for others both in Turkey and the world.”

Mr. Hidayet Türkoğlu, President of the Turkish Basketball Federation, said: “As the Turkish Basketball Federation, we are responsible to our society, environment and common future. Such responsibility put us on a path intersecting with that of the United Nations, and allowing us to take it as a starting point for wielding the unifying force of basketball to make a better future for our posterior. We are happy and excited that we, as the Federation, claim ownership of Climate Action from among the Sustainable Development Goals and act in concert with UNDP. Firmly believing in the motto of “Do it yourself first”, we take our first action through the national matches. We increasingly feel the serious impact of climate change on our planet. Starting our journey with our national teams to take all action which can and should contribute to climate responsiveness including particularly through zero waste and recycling, we will be much happier to see our clubs, basketball fans and sponsors riding along. In this context, we will put our collaboration into practice, through men and women national basketball teams of our Federation, and hope to harvest the initial results of such cooperation in the Turkish-Dutch national match scheduled on 21 February at Ankara Sports Arena. I have full confidence that all basketball fans, at the Arena or viewing on TV, will give us full support in the action.”

Partners will take a series of tangible actions to set examples for “Climate Action” at Turkey-Netherlands national match on 21 February 2020, including:

•        Place sorted-waste bins for paper, plastics, glass and metals in the arena;

•        Serve in recycled paper cups the drinks purchased by the fans in the arena;

•        National players to use organic towels in the court, training and locker rooms;

•        Organic T-shirts giveaways to fans at breaks publicizing UNDP and Global Goals.

And also,

•        National players to appear at the pre-match ceremony wearing organic wristbands signifying Global Goals.

The Sustainable Development Goals, also known as Global Goals, were agreed in 2015 by 193 member states of the United Nations to achieve by 2030. A commitment to humanity and the planet, the 17 Global Goals also represent an urgent call to the entire world on the relevant themes.

With representation offices in more than 170 countries and regions, UNDP has been active in Turkey for more than half a century, and supports Turkey’s efforts to achieve the Global Goals by 2030.

With just 10 years to 2030, the United Nations launched the Decade of Action from 1 January 2020. The year 2020 ushers in a period of necessity to accelerate the efforts at unprecedented pace, move beyond the awareness phase, and engage in maximum action to deliver the Goals by 2030. The Decade of Action calls for accelerating sustainable solutions to all the world’s biggest challenges.

Goal 13 Climate Action requires all to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

For more information on the Global Goals, access: kureselamaclar.org/en.

For more information:

UNDP Turkey Communications Officer Faik Uyanık, faik.uyanik@undp.org

TBF Media and Communications Director Barış Kuyucu, baris.kuyucu@tbf.org.tr