Emine Erdoğan sent a video message for the "UN Habitat 2nd Assembly Meeting," which will continue in Nairobi, Kenya, until June 9. She expressed gratitude to the First Lady of Kenya, Rachel Rutto, and the entire UN Habitat family for the invitation to this year's Ordinary Assembly, which is the second of its kind.

Emphasizing the importance of such a meeting during a time when a significant portion of the world's population is forced to live in settlements that have lost their connection to nature, Emine Erdoğan highlighted that urban waste has reached dimensions that nature can no longer manage and has increasingly turned into a global threat.

She continued, stating:

"Unfortunately, we are talking about a danger that affects all living beings alongside the 8 billion people in our 'Common Home, Our World.' While all living beings on Earth leave traces of their existence and species behind, we humans are leaving behind the traces of our civilization. On one hand, we will have magnificent architectural structures and works of art left behind by us. But on the other hand, we are poised to leave behind mountains of garbage and even a seventh continent of waste in the ocean for future generations. Most of the waste we leave to nature consists of reusable, still-functional products. It is up to us to determine the imprint we will leave on the Earth.

With small changes in human daily life, we can provide healing to the world against the disease of climate change through a nature-friendly, waste-free lifestyle. The significant success achieved by the Zero Waste movement we initiated in Turkey in a short period has demonstrated the importance of individual efforts in addressing environmental issues to the entire world. As a result of these achievements, March 30 has been declared as Zero Waste Day with the valuable support of UN-Habitat under Turkey's leadership. A Consultative Board has been established within the United Nations to guide the Zero Waste Movement in all member countries."

Emine Erdoğan noted that significant steps have been taken to rid nature of waste that it cannot manage, but the journey is long in an age where consumption has become an end in itself. She believes that the real transformative change will occur when society moves away from the "use-and-dispose culture" and adopts a lifestyle that produces almost no waste.

She stated that the global spread of the Zero Waste movement indicates that the days when this lifestyle is embraced are not far off. She continued:

"We owe our success primarily to our people and, of course, to our women who have embraced the project. I believe that the achievements at both national and global levels have been realized through the effective participation of women in all processes. As a woman, I am honored to champion the Zero Waste movement and chair the Zero Waste Advisory Board.

I also take great pleasure in walking this path with another woman who has set a role model for the world through environmental leadership, my dear friend Maimunah. In Turkish, we have a beloved proverb: 'The home is built by the female bird.' Our ancestors emphasize the transformative power, resilience, determination, and ability to multiply beauty inherent in women with this saying.

Like everything else, our cities are becoming more livable and sustainable spaces thanks to women's skills in shaping the environment and communities. I sincerely believe that solutions that will illuminate humanity will be realized under the leadership of pioneering women and all environmentally friendly volunteers gathered for this meeting. These gatherings that shape a sustainable future, where we are once again friends with nature and live in harmony with all living beings, give us hope."

Emine Erdoğan wished for the outcomes of the UN Habitat 2nd Ordinary Assembly to bring goodness to humanity, stating, "With the hope of reaching a cleaner and healthier world every day."