Rethink, Create and Make a Difference

As part of the 2026 European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR), under the theme “Resources Are Not Unlimited!” and the motto “Rethink Your Choices, Take Care of Resources!”, Çanakkale Municipality will organize the “Rethink, Create and Make a Difference” event within the framework of the “Rethink, Remanufacture, Repurpose” approach, aiming to raise awareness among preschool children about waste prevention, reuse, and the conservation of natural resources.

The event aims to encourage children aged 3–6 to use their creativity to transform waste materials they encounter in their daily lives, which are suitable for reuse, into different products and artistic creations. Children will be encouraged to create their own original works by repurposing safe materials such as paper, cardboard, plastic packaging, and similar items generated at home or in educational settings. In this way, the aim is to enable children to experience firsthand how materials considered waste can be reused and to develop an awareness of the limited nature of resources from an early age.

The initiative is planned to begin with the participation of daycare centers operated by Çanakkale Municipality, while also involving private nurseries, kindergartens affiliated with private schools, and other preschool educational institutions throughout the city on a voluntary basis. Within this framework, participating educational institutions are expected to organize creative activities focused on reuse with children within their own facilities and contribute to the event through the works produced.

During the event, children are expected to carry out their activities under the guidance of their teachers, using methods appropriate to their age groups, and to gain practical knowledge of waste reduction and reuse. In this way, the initiative also aims to raise awareness not only among children but also among educators and families about reducing waste generated in daily life and finding new uses for existing materials.

As part of the European Week for Waste Reduction, the works created by the children are planned to be presented to the public through a joint exhibition. Through the exhibitions, the aim is to highlight the children’s creative processes, communicate the concept of reuse to different segments of society through creative examples, and draw attention to the fact that waste materials are not merely items to be disposed of but resources that can be repurposed.

The “Rethink, Create and Make a Difference” event aims to support the development of environmental responsibility among children from an early age, strengthen cooperation among educational institutions, and promote a culture of reuse throughout the city. The initiative is intended to expand through the participation of different preschool educational institutions and develop into a sustainable environmental education and awareness-raising practice.