A press conference was held on 4th October 2022 in Girne Municipality New Service Building regarding the festival, which will take place between 7 -11 October this year. Girne Mayor Nidai Güngördü stated that as a municipality, they organized the festival with the aim of protecting olive trees, increasing their population, passing them on to future generations, creating a social awareness on this issue and encouraging the production and consumption of olives, by-products and olive oil. He emphasized that it contributed to the creation of social awareness.
Expressing that 13 municipalities from Turkey and 1 Mayor from Europe will attend the festival, which will start with a parade on Friday, October 7th, Güngördü noted that the festival will host many cultural, artistic, sportive events, concerts and competitions this year. 60 stands are being set up in Zeytinlik village square. It was announced that, in addition to olives and their by-products, products specific to Turkish Cypriot culture, handicrafts and cuisine will be for sale.
Gungordu; As part the Festival, he stated, that the winners of the International Olive Cartoon Competition and Olive Humour Festival will be given their awards. The competition was organized for the 11th time this year in cooperation with the Cyprus Turkish Cartoonists Association and in which cartoonists from 45 countries participated. He reminded that the meeting of Poets and Writers, organized in cooperation with the Cyprus Turkish Writers Union in memory of the writer Ali Nesim from Zeytinlik, will also take place at the festival again.
Reporting that many local artists will take the stage in the olive grove village during the festival, Güngördü said that the events in the village square will finish on the evening of October 11 with the SOS Concert, and then the concert of the Kolpa Group will take place at the Girne Amphitheater on October 12.
From Green City to Green Island Olive Workshop Started Today
Güngördü stated that the festival, which will be celebrated with a full program, will take place with a different emphasis as the first saplings donated will be planted as part of the “From Green City to Green Island” Project signed with Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality this year.
Reminding that within the scope of the protocols signed between the Union of Turkish Municipalities and the Union of Cyprus Turkish Municipalities, the Municipality of Kyrenia signed an agreement with Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality in June on the development of olive cultivation. Güngördü said, “With the Green City to Green Island Project, they have started the project, which is on display at the Girne Municipality Art Gallery, on olive cultivation in the country. He stated that he believed that very important progress would be made in the workshop as well. Güngördü noted that their aim with the project is to increase the olive potential in the country with scientific approaches, to diversify it, to add more economic value to the olive tree, its fruit and products and to encourage its production. He reminded that it decreased to around 600,000 trees.
Commenting that with this project, the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources will contribute to the development of olive production and potential in the country, Güngördü said that they will work to grow olive trees suitable for the climate and conditions of the country, to obtain the most efficient product and to find the old virtues of olives in the country’s geography.
Noting that 50,000 olive saplings will be distributed as part of the project, olive groves will be established, women’s employment will be supported and olive cultivation training will be organized. Agricultural mechanization support will be provided by Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality. Güngördü stated that their goal is to contribute to the reaching of the olive population in the country to 1 million roots. He thanked the Mayor Fatma Şahin. At the end of her speech, Nidai Güngördü thanked the members of the council and the municipality employees who contributed to the organization of the 21st International Olive Festival of Girne Municipality and invited all the citizens to the festival.
Source (Turkish): Girne Municipality
