The Urla Olive and Art Festival, organized for the first time this year in collaboration with the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and Urla Municipality, became a meeting point for those who love olives. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay, who opened the festival, emphasized the importance of protecting and taking ownership of the values of Urla, Turkey's paradise, and said that they will provide all the support necessary for the festival to become more effective in the coming years. Activities such as olive oil tastings, panels, children's workshops, museum visits, and olive pressing were organized within the scope of the festival, which attracted great attention.
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay opened the First Urla Olive and Art Festival, hosted by Köstem Olive Oil Museum in cooperation with the Metropolitan Municipality and Urla Municipality. Urla Mayor Selçuk Balkan, Köstem Olive Oil Museum Founder Assoc. Prof. Dr. Levent Köstem, Akhisar Mayor Besim Dutlulu, Republican People's Party (CHP) Izmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Former Mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu, Urla Chamber of Agriculture President Muharrem Uslucan, representatives of political parties, chambers and civil society organizations, neighborhood headmen and citizens attended the opening.
“We are in the line of those who know the value of Izmir”
Speaking at the opening of the festival, Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay said, “This ancient culture we live on is very valuable. Unity, togetherness, and coming together in a common feeling are the most valuable for us. It is important to appreciate the values we have, to try to protect them, and to walk in a line. This line is the line of those who know the value of Izmir.” Mayor Tugay also thanked Aziz Kocaoğlu, who served as the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality between 2004-2019, and said, “Mr. Aziz Kocaoğlu is the person who protected Izmir and its values during his 15 years of service to our city, ensured the emergence of the Izmir Model, paved the way for all of us with his work, and provided us with the honor of walking on that path today. Thank you, Aziz Mayor.”
“I will contribute with all my strength to make this festival more effective”
Underlining that Urla is the paradise of the country with its nature, history, land, sea, olives and grapes, President Tugay conveyed that everyone living here should protect these values. Drawing attention to the importance of the festival that brings together the olive, which is the value of Urla, with art, President Tugay said, “It is the duty of all of us to make this festival more effective and successful in the coming years. I will continue to contribute with all my strength.”
“We work hard”
President Tugay, who also mentioned that Izmir was being targeted politically, said, “People who strive to protect the heaven on earth, Izmir, are being subjected to slander that they do not deserve. My request to the people of Izmir is; please never bow your heads in any way. Do not think that Izmir will get worse. We are here. We are working hard. We will represent Izmir properly in Turkey and in the world.”
“I would like to thank the Metropolitan Municipality for giving us strength”
Urla Mayor Selçuk Balkan also said that they brought together the wisdom-filled heritage of the past with the creative energy of the future in the festival we brought to life in cooperation with the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. Balkan said, “The olive tree is a life lesson that extends its roots to the soil and branches to the sky. Just like a father, it gives confidence to the lands it has taken root in. Like a father guiding his family, the olive tree guides us with its wisdom that extends from generation to generation. As a municipality, we are working with all our might to carry our agricultural lands, olive groves and the fertility of these lands to the future. We will use the authorities granted to us by the zoning laws to protect nature and support agricultural production. I would like to thank Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay and all our stakeholders for their constant support, as they did in this festival.”
“We are in a place that can be considered the homeland of olives”
The founder of the Köstem Olive Oil Museum, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Levent Köstem, who hosted the festival, gave examples from Urla's rich history. Stating that the olive geography should be protected, Köstem said, "We are in a place that can be considered the homeland of the olive. If we are holding this festival here today, the Klazomenai excavations have made great contributions. I hope these events will be useful in protecting the ancient valleys in Urla."
On the trail of the immortal tree
Chamber of Agriculture President Muharrem Uslucan said, “We have gathered here today to talk about holiness, abundance, prosperity, wisdom and olives. The olive tree is an immortal tree in mythology. Olives and olive oil are not only seen as a food product but also a healthy life and the product of the fertile lands of the Aegean.”
Panel, olive press and workshops
Following the opening speeches, Olive Oil Expert Ümmühan Tibet gave a tasting presentation. President Tugay attended the children's workshop organized as part of the festival and visited the museum and photo exhibition. The program continued with "The Importance of Increasing the Brand Value of Olives and Olive Oil in Urla", olive oil tasting, a talk on "A Functional Food: Olives and Olive Oil", olive pressing and soap making.
