A project to plant 100,000 olive saplings has started in Northern Cyprus

On December 21, 2025, the Cyprus Foundations Administration and its partners launched the project “Planting 100,000 Olive Saplings”; the first saplings were planted in Esentepe in Northern Cyprus.

The project is being implemented with the participation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, the General Directorate of Foundations of Turkey, the Diyanet Foundation of Turkey, Turkish Airlines, ÇEKÜD, the KIM Foundation, and the Cyprus Foundation. The planting ceremony began with a minute of silence and the performance of the Turkish national anthem.

In his speech, Professor Dr. Mustafa Tümer, Director General of the Cyprus Foundations Administration, thanked the organizers and stated that the event was dedicated to the memory of the martyrs; according to him, each planted sapling is a sign of respect for those who gave their lives for the people. Tümer also emphasized the symbolic significance of the olive tree in the Abrahamic religions as a symbol of peace, fertility, hope, and divine grace.

According to Arif Özsoy, 2nd Regional Director of the Istanbul Foundations Administration, participation in the project in Cyprus marked an important beginning of a broader initiative; he recalled the goal of increasing the number of fruit saplings in Turkey to one million by 2025 and described the Northern Cyprus project as a starting point in this direction.

Tümer also announced plans to establish an arboretum in the planting area in cooperation with the Çatalköy municipality. The project is expected to create a green legacy, raise environmental awareness, and leave permanent commemorative plantings associated with the memory of the martyrs.