Emine Erdoğan, wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, attended the promotional meeting regarding the implementation of the "Zero Waste" project, initiated under her patronage, under the theme "Zero Waste - Zero Waste" by the Directorate of Religious Affairs.

The meeting, held at the Conference Hall of the Directorate of Religious Affairs with the presence of President Ali Erbaş, featured a speech by Emine Erdoğan. 

Expressing her pleasure at being part of this meaningful initiative launched under the slogan "Zero Waste, Zero Waste," Emine Erdoğan congratulated the Directorate of Religious Affairs for its efforts in this regard.

"LIVING WITH HUMILITY WITHOUT WASTING IS A REQUIREMENT OF BEING MUSLIM"

Emine Erdoğan emphasized that the relationship between humans and the environment is primarily a moral issue, stating that in Islam, protecting the environment, respecting the rights of animals, and living humbly without waste is not an option but a requirement of being a Muslim.

She noted, "Unfortunately, like all of humanity, Muslims are also facing a significant challenge regarding nature. Above all, is man a part of nature or its master? I see a confusion of minds on this issue. Sadly, we have confused being the best of creation with dominating nature."

Drawing attention to newspaper headlines regarding animal cruelty and the consequences of the depletion of water resources, she said, "In the universe, where every particle created praises its Creator, a high level of environmental ethics requires great civility. Giving water to a tree respects its rights. Not throwing toxic waste into water is observing the rights of water. Using energy resources correctly respects the rights of future generations."

"WASTING 1 KILOGRAM OF BREAD ALSO MEANS WASTING 1.6 LITERS OF WATER"

Emine Erdoğan stressed that the issue of waste should be seen beyond personal consumption and added: "When our electricity, water, and gas bills decrease at the end of the month, we are not necessarily avoiding waste. Wasting 1 kilogram of bread means wasting the 1.6 liters of water used to make it. Wasting one cotton t-shirt also means wasting the 2,700 liters of water spent on its production. We are responsible not only for our faucet, our light bulb, and our table but also for carrying the responsibility of being stewards on earth. If we can explain to our children the diseases that an African child suffers from due to a lack of clean water, we will convey that a slice of bread means much more than just flour."

She noted that the Directorate of Religious Affairs has a crucial role in establishing this awareness, stating that mosques are not only places of worship but also educational institutions where the soul and mind are prepared for worship. Emine Erdoğan explained, "We cannot only look for the causes of environmental pollution or waste in chemicals, militarization, or reckless resource usage. These are merely symptoms of a disease. The causes that create these conditions and bring the environment to the brink of destruction should be sought in the mindset. If we do not manage to transition to the refined Muslim mind that will reconnect us with our essence, we will only suppress the symptoms of the disease."

"WE MUST FILTER THE LIFESTYLE MODERNITY OFFERS THROUGH OUR BELIEFS AND VALUES"

Emine Erdoğan expressed that when looking at the commands and prohibitions of Islam, the largest environmentalist school and the most ardent defenders of animal rights should arise from among Muslims. However, she noted that the environmental ethics of Islam have not yet been sufficiently pronounced on international platforms, saying, "I hope that the next step of this beautiful project will be to promote the environmental identity of Islam on international platforms."

She added, "We must filter the lifestyle culture offered by modern life through our own beliefs and values. If we do not get our act together now, we will have no answer for the exhausted and depleted world we leave to our children. The verse says, 'The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk the earth with dignity and humility.' Therefore, the measure of our dignity and humility is closely related to how little carbon footprint we leave in this walk on earth."

Concluding her speech with hopes that the "Zero Waste, Zero Waste" initiative will instill a new awareness in society and yield fruitful results, Emine Erdoğan was presented with a painting by Ali Erbaş, the President of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, as a memento of the day.