Zero Waste Festival 2026

The Zero Waste Festival is an international environmental and sustainability event organized in collaboration between the Zero Waste Foundation and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, Chair of the United Nations High-Level Panel on Zero Waste and Honorary President of the Zero Waste Foundation. Held from June 4 to 7, 2026 at Istanbul Atatürk Airport, the festival, themed “Efficiency in Energy, Transformation for the Future,” forms one of the central components of Istanbul Zero Waste Week (June 1–7, 2026), alongside the Zero Waste Forum 2026.

Organized under the coordination of the Zero Waste Foundation and the patronage of the Istanbul Governorate, Istanbul Zero Waste Week will take place from June 1 to 7, 2026. This year’s inaugural event has generated widespread interest across Istanbul’s 39 districts, with over 1,500 project applications submitted by representatives of public institutions, local governments, universities, civil society organizations, and the private sector.

Launched in Türkiye in 2017 under the leadership of Emine Erdoğan, the Zero Waste Movement has evolved into a globally recognized environmental model. The United Nations’ declaration of March 30 as International Zero Waste Day and the establishment of the High-Level Panel on Zero Waste stand as key indicators of Türkiye’s pioneering role in this field.

Among the long-term goals of the Zero Waste Foundation is to establish Istanbul as the global hub for zero waste initiatives. In this context, it has been noted that the first concrete step was taken with the decision to locate the United Nations Human Settlements Programme’s global center for zero waste activities in Istanbul.

^{The Zero Waste Festival began at Atatürk Airport} (Anadolu Ajansı)

The Zero Waste Festival has opened its doors to visitors at Atatürk Airport with a comprehensive program spanning energy efficiency, circular economy, technology, and art. The festival will welcome attendees until June 7.

The festival offers a wide range of content, from renewable energy technologies and artificial intelligence applications to recycling workshops and sustainable mobility solutions. Through circular economy practices, waste management systems, and carbon and water footprint measurement areas, participants can analyze their own environmental impacts. Special immersive experiences created using virtual reality technology allow interactive observation of ecosystem changes and the effects of the climate crisis.

The Zero Waste Museum area features presentations that challenge conventional production and consumption habits, while art exhibitions, leveraging the transformative power of art, highlight the limits of natural resources and invite visitors to embrace a more sustainable way of life.

Organized under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, Chair of the United Nations High-Level Panel on Zero Waste and Honorary President of the Zero Waste Foundation, and in collaboration between the Zero Waste Foundation and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the Zero Waste Festival aims to promote a culture of sustainable living, raise environmental awareness, and connect zero waste practices with all segments of society. Admission to the festival grounds is completely free and registration is not mandatory. The event is structured around six main themes: Awareness and Education, Energy and Technology, Culture and Art, Collective Intelligence, Global Cooperation, and Thematic Applications.

The festival features diverse activities tailored to all age groups, from children and youth to families and technology enthusiasts. Workshops for children and young people focus on creating toys and art pieces from recycled materials, alongside environmental games, competitions, and interactive educational programs.

^{Zero Waste Festival 2026} (Anadolu Ajansı)

The children’s theater production “Waste Atlas” conveys the concept of zero waste through an engaging story, allowing young participants to enjoy the performance while learning about environmental protection.

The “Zero Waste Kitchen” at the festival serves as an integrated educational and experiential space that brings theory and practice together to raise awareness about food waste. Specialized training sessions are offered for both adults and children.

Sand art master Veysel Çelikdemir delivers an unforgettable experience for attendees with his performance that harmonizes light, music, and sand. Fungistanbul, a group that performs using instruments made from recycled materials, provides enjoyable moments for families and children.

The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura will also perform at the festival using instruments crafted entirely from recycled waste materials. Other performers on stage include Rafet El Roman, Sinan Akçıl, Emre Aydın, Poizi, Sefo, Buray, and Ceza.

The Zero Waste Museum, developed through collaboration between the Zero Waste Foundation and the Ministry of Energy, re-examines humanity’s relationship with production, consumption, and nature through the transformative power of art. This exhibition frames waste not as an endpoint but as a new beginning, shaped around the principles of sustainability, advanced recycling, and energy efficiency.

Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation, announced that over 200,000 visitors attended on the festival’s first day and expressed confidence that the event would continue with great enthusiasm.

Visitor feedback has also been documented. Esra Turgut, who attended a seed-planting activity with her son, described the events as wonderful, noting that her family participated in music, painting, and seed-planting activities, and emphasized that the festival was highly educational for children. Visitor Gamze Demir highlighted that the festival strengthened her child’s awareness of sustainability, recounting how her child said to her, “Mom, is it really like this? Should we do it at home too?”

^{Zero Waste Foundation President Samed Ağırbaş} (Anadolu Ajansı)

Ağırbaş stated, “Through the Zero Waste Forum and the Zero Waste Festival, we are hosting over one million of our citizens and guests from 183 countries. Our continuous efforts, carried out hand in hand with our people, aim to build a more livable and prosperous world.”

Defining his primary goal as expanding the zero waste mindset and fostering a more conscious society, Ağırbaş emphasized that the greatest motivation for aligning all international objectives with Istanbul’s spirit is to establish Istanbul as the “capital of zero waste.”

^{Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar}(Anadolu Ajansı)

Minister Bayraktar noted that the festival is being held under the slogan “Efficiency in Energy, Transformation for the Future,” and stated that the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources aims to bring the principles of energy efficiency and zero waste to all sectors of society—from homes and workplaces to industry, transportation, agriculture, and the entire economy.

Bayraktar drew attention to a historic first at the festival: all electricity used during the event will be sourced entirely from renewable energy sources, verified through Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) documentation, making it the world’s first REC-certified festival.

Bayraktar views energy efficiency and zero waste as two fundamental pillars of a single philosophy, both centered on preventing waste, ensuring the proper use of resources, and achieving sustainable development. He also referenced Türkiye’s hosting of COP31, expressing his firm belief that the Zero Waste Movement will gain even stronger global recognition during this process, and specifically invited young people, children, and women to attend the festival.

^{Governor of Istanbul Davut Gül} (Anadolu Ajansı)

Governor Davut Gül remarked that he could not recall any civil society organization previously organizing an event of such scale. He described the foundation’s growth as resembling a snowball turning into an avalanche, steadily expanding its impact. He emphasized that the Istanbul Governorate is deeply honored to host such a civil society initiative and noted that the foundation’s mission is to involve all 86 million citizens of Türkiye in eliminating waste.