Held at the ÇOMÜ Anafartalar Campus, Faculty of Music and Performing Arts Hall, the program was attended by ÇOMÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Ramazan Cüneyt Erenoğlu, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Arda Aydın, Dean of the Faculty of Communication Prof. Dr. Onur Tatar, academics, and students.

Moderated by Assist. Prof. Dr. Dilvin İpek, the program addressed the COP31 process, climate change, sustainability, science diplomacy, volunteering, and the ÇOMÜ Green Transition Living Lab approach from various dimensions.

Rector Erenoğlu: "We Are Taking One of the First Steps of a Journey Extending from Campus to Climate Action"
Speaking at the opening of the program, ÇOMÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Ramazan Cüneyt Erenoğlu emphasized that the COP31 process is not merely an international climate agenda, but a process in which universities and particularly youth can assume important responsibilities.

Drawing attention to the significance of the gathering held at the Anafartalar Campus, Rector Erenoğlu stated:

"Today, we are not just holding an academic gathering; together, we are taking one of the first steps of a determined journey extending from campus to climate action—a strong will that will carry global responsibility from local to global. The pioneering role our university has undertaken in the COP31 Turkey process is a concrete indicator of our faith in and responsibility toward our future."
Youth as the Strongest Engine of Green Transition
Stating that climate change, green transition, and sustainability issues are not merely the agenda of scientific reports or international summits, Rector Erenoğlu expressed that these matters directly concern the future and living spaces of the youth.

Referring to the ÇOMÜ Green Transition Living Lab approach, Erenoğlu stated their goal to transform academic knowledge produced at the university into field applications and real-world solutions, and addressed the students:

"With our ÇOMÜ Green Transition Living Lab approach, our goal is to bring science together with the field and transform the academic knowledge we produce into real-world solutions. And the most dynamic, visionary, and powerful engine of this transformation is you."
From Volunteering to Climate Diplomacy
Pointing out that youth can take on active roles in many fields—ranging from climate diplomacy to art, and from scientific research to field applications—within the scope of the COP31 Volunteering Program, Rector Erenoğlu noted that volunteering carries a consciousness of adding value to society and the environment beyond merely participating in an event.

Expressing that the energy, innovative ideas, and environmental sensitivity of students are of great importance for the green transition, Erenoğlu invited young people to be active stakeholders in the process.

Thanking the academics, administrators, volunteer teams, and students who contributed to the preparation of the program, Erenoğlu concluded with the words: "I wholeheartedly believe that we will pioneer climate action and jointly put our signature on a sustainable future."

Faculty of Communication Dean Prof. Dr. Onur Tatar Addressed the Students
As part of the program, ÇOMÜ Faculty of Communication Dean Prof. Dr. Onur Tatar also addressed the participants. Tatar evaluated the significance of the university gathering and the participation of youth in climate and sustainability processes.

From Rio to Kyoto, Paris to COP31: The Global Climate Process
The historical evolution of global climate policies was also covered during the event. Beginning with the 1972 Stockholm United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which brought environmental issues to the center of the international agenda, the process extending to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, and the 2015 Paris Agreement was shared with the participants.

The signing of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the introduction of binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, and the strengthening of the shared will to limit global temperature rise with the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement were evaluated as major milestones of climate diplomacy.

Within the scope of COP31—the 31st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations, which is one of the important platforms of this historical process today—Turkey's role in climate diplomacy and the green transition process was also discussed.

Science, Art, and Climate Met in the Same Program
Throughout the program, science diplomacy, the reflections of climate change on art, the activities of the ÇOMÜ Green Transition Living Lab, and the role of youth in climate action were discussed. The event, which included active participation from students through questions and evaluations, continued with interactive discussions and panels.

Carried out under the framework of the "From Campus to Climate Action" approach, the gathering marked an important step in transforming scientific knowledge produced at the university into social benefit and encouraging the active participation of youth in the COP31 process.