Water Education
27.04.2026
Our "Water Education" session, conducted online with Prof. Dr. Aslı Bor Türkben—a prominent water expert and Turkish academic continuing her research in Norway—has been successfully completed.
Aiming to raise awareness about the protection, efficient use, and preservation of water resources for future generations, this training shared invaluable insights into sustainable water management.
We would like to thank all our participating members, our instructor Prof. Dr. Aslı Bor Türkben for her valuable contributions, and Prof. Dr. Fehmi Görkem Uçtuğ for facilitating this session.
10.04.2026
Evaluation of Our Association's Communication Capacity
As part of the PRAD 3510 “Special Topics in Public Relations” course offered by the Public Relations and Advertising Department of the Faculty of Communication at Yaşar University, with whom we collaborate, 8 students (in 4 separate groups) conducted studies on our association's communication campaign.
In the event organized within this scope, the students shared their situation analyses and strategic assessments prepared for USKD with us. Examining our association from an outside perspective, the students offered creative and developmental suggestions in addition to their comprehensive analyses.
Throughout the event, our USKD members served as judges; they listened carefully to the presentations, engaged in interactive discussions with the students, and contributed to the process with their questions.
Listening to the young people's perspectives and thinking together was an extremely productive and inspiring experience for us. We thank all the students for this valuable work and contributions, and our advisor, Prof. Dr. Huriye Toker, for her efforts.
Belgrade Visits
03.04.2026
Our association held important meetings during its visit to Belgrade.
In this context, we visited Ms. Yasemin Yüce, the Commercial Attaché of the Turkish Embassy in Belgrade, and provided comprehensive information about our association's activities and ongoing projects.
Furthermore, we met with Ms. Pınar Şentürk, the First Counselor at the Turkish Embassy in Belgrade. During these meetings, our association's national and international projects were shared, and potential future collaborations were discussed.
We thank them for their kind hospitality and valuable contributions.
25.03.2026
Monthly Member Dinner
Our March Monthly Member Meeting was held at the Ontur Hotel, focusing on sustainable values.
Our guest speaker was Ms. Elif Bozkurt, producer of Laetus Beauty Natural Personal Care Products. Laetus Beauty is a brand that develops additive-free, natural, and high-quality products using ingredients derived from medicinal and aromatic plants, and stands out with its health and environmentally conscious production approach.
Ms. Elif Bozkurt made valuable contributions by sharing her knowledge and experience in this field with us at our event.
Additionally, the birthdays of our members born in February and March were celebrated, and a cake cutting ceremony was held.
We thank all our members who participated and our esteemed guest.
Zero Waste Training
12.03.2026
A "Zero Waste" training was successfully conducted at our association office.
The training was given by Ms. Ergül Güngör, and important information was shared regarding the dissemination of sustainable living habits, the reduction of waste generation in daily life and institutions, the efficient use of resources, and the implementation of the zero waste approach. A productive evaluation process was conducted with the participants to strengthen environmental responsibility awareness, disseminate sustainable living practices, and discuss zero waste policies that can be implemented in institutions.
We thank Ms. Ergül Güngör for this valuable training, which contributed to increasing environmental awareness in line with sustainable development goals, and we would like to inform you that we will continue to strengthen social awareness with similar initiatives.
14.01.2026
Monthly Member Dinner
We successfully held our USKD January Monthly Member Meeting at the Alliance Small Club with the participation of our esteemed guests.
The evening, moderated by our Board Member Ms. Özlem Özmen Ekinci, began with an opening speech by our Board President Ms. Ayla Alkan, followed by Dr. Sezin Baysal Berkup's presentation titled "The Great Transformation in Energy: Where Are We? Where Are We Going?", which provided inspiring and insightful content for all participants.
During the meeting, badges were presented to our newest members, Burcu Küçükerciyes and Dr. Sezin Baysal Berkup.
We thank all our members and esteemed guests for their participation and hope to meet again in many more gatherings where we will continue to produce and strengthen together.
USKD Office Opening
19.12.2025
We have celebrated the opening of our association's office with great enthusiasm and pride, with the participation of distinguished protocol members, our Mayor of Konak Municipality, Ms. Nilüfer Çınarlı Mutlu, valuable NGO leaders, our project participants, and members of the press.
We sincerely thank all our members who were with us on this meaningful day and who provided support and participation.
We wholeheartedly believe that the work we carry out in unity and solidarity will contribute to a stronger and brighter future...
22 - 23 November 2025
USKD 2nd Development Workshop
We've completed two full days with our theme of Sustain, Transform, Empower!
We'd like to thank all our guests who empowered us with their inspiring speeches:
Dr. Cengiz Üzün – Personal and Corporate Communication Strategies Specialist
He reminded us of the transformative power of communication with his profound perspectives.
Prof. Dr. Huriye Toker – USKD Advisory Board Member & YÜKAM Director
She illuminated our path towards sustainable development with her academic knowledge and vision.
Büşra Ün – USKD Honorary Member & National Athlete
She shed light on the theme of empowerment with her determination, success, and inspiring story.
Fatih Şahin – Our Project Consultant
She shared her insights that added value to our Strategic Plan.
Attorney Destina Berfin Sever – Gender Equality Specialist
She highlighted important points regarding equality and awareness.
We thank all our participants and members who made this valuable day possible.
On the second day of the USKD Development Workshop, we held a "Vision Workshop & Drama" workshop with our esteemed instructor, Necdet Erdeniz. Our participants and I experienced both an intellectual and creative process.
We sustain together, transform together, and grow stronger together.
Monthly Membership Dinner
23.10.2025
Our USKD Monthly Membership Dinner was held with the participation of Ms. Filiz Ceritoğlu Sengel, Mayor of Selçuk Efes, who inspires us all with her vision, work, and strong leadership.
Ms. Sengel shared valuable information about the Efes Field Living Village Project, an exemplary model for sustainable agricultural practices and local development.
This visionary approach, which supports the power of women in production, environmental protection, and the local economy, strongly aligns with our association's sustainability goals.
We thank the President for her valuable contributions and extend our gratitude to our members for their participation.
We also extend our sincere gratitude to our Board Chair, Ms. Ayla Alkan, who guided the evening with her opening speech and conveyed USKD's vision and projects; and to our Network and Organizing Committee, who contributed to the organization and meticulously planned every detail.
Let's look forward to many more inspiring, sustainability- and solidarity-themed gatherings together.
24.09.2025
USKD Foundation Anniversary
As the INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (USKD) family, we are proud to have completed a year filled with our flagship project, approved by the Ministry of Interior, the high-quality events we organized, the important visits we made, and the national and international collaborations we established.
We celebrated our anniversary with the participation of our valued members and an inspiring presentation by our esteemed guest, Serial Entrepreneur Mr. Alphan Manas.
We extend our sincere gratitude to our Chairwoman, Ayla Alkan, for her leadership, who empowered us on this journey; to our Board members, who worked with equal dedication; and to the USKD family for their unwavering support.
We also extend our gratitude to our Networking and Organizing Committee, who meticulously organized this special evening; to all our participants, whose presence empowered us; and to everyone who contributed.
Project Closing Meeting and Award Ceremony
18.06.2025
As the INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, we held the closing ceremony and awards ceremony for our first project, approved by the Ministry of the Interior, with great enthusiasm and pride.
We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who illuminated our path with their efforts, contributions, and vision in this meaningful project, which aims to carry Izmir's cultural heritage into the future with the opportunities of the digital age.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our Chairwoman of the Board, Ayla Alkan, and all our Board Members, who worked tirelessly throughout this process; to Huriye Serter, who supported us with her inspiring vision and leadership; to our Project Commission Chair, Şenay Karasu, and the Commission Members; to our Digitalization Commission Chair, Başak An, and the Commission Members; to our Networking and Organization Commission Chair, Nesli Öztürk, and the Commission Members; to our member, Neslihan Karaali Bedük, who made valuable contributions as a trainer in the project; and to all our members who contributed.
We all felt the excitement of the participants, were strengthened, and inspired.
We hope to meet again in future projects.
16.05.2025 - 17.05.2025
Adana Visit
We were warmly and sincerely welcomed by Çukurova SİFED President Mr. Berman Mantı, Adana İŞKAD President Ms. Süheyla Gergin and valuable İŞKAD members. In order to strengthen women's solidarity and expand our sphere of influence with joint projects; a Sister Association Protocol was signed between our Association and Adana Business Women's Association.
We hope that this meaningful cooperation will lead to joint works that will further advance women's leadership and entrepreneurship.
As part of our program, we visited Çukurova University Faculty of Agriculture Dean Prof. Dr. Nazan Koluman, Adana Chamber of Industry President Mr. Zeki Kıvanç and Seyhan Municipality Mayor Ms. Oya Tekin in their offices and valuable views were exchanged.
Monthly Membership Dinner
14.05.2025
Our Monthly Membership Meeting, which we held as the INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (USKD), was completed with great interest within the scope of “European Union Day” with the participation of the Consul General of Greece in Izmir, Mr. Alexandros Konstas, and European Union experts.
The sincere sharing on Europe’s sustainability vision, cooperation opportunities and regional development issues was inspiring and guiding for our members.
We would like to thank all our guests and members for their participation and contributions.
08.05.2025
Project Panel
Within the scope of our “Young Women Protecting Their Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Development” project, carried out under the leadership of our association, we successfully held our “Keeping Cultural Heritage Alive for Sustainable Development” panel, which we prepared with great excitement and meticulousness.
This panel, which is an important step towards protecting, keeping alive and passing on cultural heritage to future generations, was prepared with the devoted work of our relevant committees for weeks and was extremely productive for our participants. The role of cultural heritage in sustainable development, the active contribution of young women in this process and the importance of preserving local values and carrying them to the future were discussed in depth in the panel.
This inspiring meeting, where expert speakers shared their knowledge and experiences, provided us all with new perspectives.
08.03.2025
Visiting Anıtkabir
As part of March 8 International Working Women's Day, we visited Ankara Anıtkabir with our advisors Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Business Administration Civil Society Organizations Relations Coordinator Lecturer Meltem Kolday, Ankara Social Sciences University Faculty of Communication Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Doğrucan and EU Project Expert Fatih Şahin.
We were very happy to be in the presence of our Ancestor Atatürk! A wreath was laid at the mausoleum with an official ceremony and our Chairman of the Board Ayla Alkan expressed her feelings of gratitude to our Ancestor Atatürk by writing in the memory book…
Monthly Membership Dinner
13.02.2025
Monthly membership dinner was held with the participation of our valuable guests Author Prof. Dr. Zeynep Oktuğ Tırnova and Gözlü Newspaper Concessionaire Zeynep Gürel. Prof. Dr. Zeynep Oktuğ Tırnova introduced the book ''Güç'' (Power) published this year to the participants.
08.01.2025
Launch Event of Our Project "Young Women Protecting Their Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Development"
The Launch Event of our "Young Women Protecting Their Cultural Heritage in Sustainable Development" project, approved by the General Directorate of Civil Society Relations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was held on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, in the foyer area of the Painting and Sculpture Museum within the Izmir Culture and Art Factory.
24.11.2024 - 26.11.2024
Visit to Azerbaijan
We carried out a cooperation and solidarity visit hosted by AQSIA Association in Azerbaijan.
01.11.2024
Change, Transformation, Social Leadership Workshop
The workshop created an inspiring environment to develop our members' social leadership skills and support them in taking steps for a sustainable future.
25.09.2024
Introduction Event
We held our introductory meeting at Swissotel Büyük Efes İzmir with great enthusiasm, with the participation of our valued members and valuable guests!
04.09.2024
1. Ordinary
General Assembly
USKD, Turkey's first business women's association founded in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, successfully held its first Ordinary General Assembly Meeting.
