Turkish first lady, UN chief sign goodwill document regarding 'Zero Waste' project

By Servet Gunerigok and Burak Bir

NEW YORK/ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye's first lady Emine Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday signed a goodwill document to extend Türkiye's Zero Waste project across the world.

Erdogan and Guterres had a meeting at UN headquarters which tackled environmental issues, including "Zero Waste," a project launched in 2017 by the first lady in Türkiye.

The project aims to contain waste under sustainable development principles and reduce pollution.

Following the meeting, Guterres said that waste is a vital problem for today and the project in this sense is very valuable and impressive.
The UN chief also called on UN countries to expand Türkiye's Zero Waste project globally as part of the environmentalist project, which is among the most important issues the UN is struggling with.

Referring to the goodwill text on the project, Guterres said he would sign this in front of the camera over the importance of the issue.

"The text we will sign with you today reveals our common intention in this sense. I hope that the number of signatures under this declaration, which we will sign the first two, will increase," underlined Erdogan, adding she wished that the project to be spread globally.

Before the signing ceremony, Erdogan presented the portrait of Guterres, created with waste textile materials by the artist Deniz Sagdic, to the secretary-general.

According to data released in July by the Turkish Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry, the project has stemmed 3.9 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions and saved the economy billions of dollars.