The "Black Sea Culture and Arts Festival", organized with the participation of 100 women's cooperatives from 17 provinces, has begun in Trabzon.

Trabzon"Organized with the participation of 100 women's cooperatives from 17 provinces,Black Sea CultureAndArtFestival" has begun.Trabzon Governorship, Metropolitan Municipality, Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Eastern Black Sea Municipalities Union,Eastern Black Sea ProjectRegional Development Administration (DOKAP) andBlack Sea RegionSpeaking at the opening of the "Black Sea Culture and Arts Festival," organized at the Trabzon Fair Center in cooperation with the Women's Initiative Production and Business Cooperatives Union, Deputy Governor Hacı Osman Hökelekli said that cooperatives are not only an economic model but also a culture of solidarity.

United NationsRecalling that Turkey declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, Hökelekli emphasized that local cooperatives are not only production structures but also pioneers of social development and economic justice.Mayor of Trabzon Metropolitan MunicipalityAhmet Metin GençShe stated that women's participation in production processes directly contributes to the household, city, and national economy, saying, "As local administrators, encouraging production is not a favor for us; it's a duty. With this awareness, we support women's cooperatives in terms of both production and sales. We offer a market guarantee to every woman who produces, and even if they are not affiliated with a cooperative, we support women who produce at home with a purchase guarantee for their products."PresidentRecep Tayyip ErdoğanGenç stated that they are acting in line with the vision of production, employment, investment and export, and added:The wonderful work put forth by our women's cooperatives is a great asset not only for economic but also for social development. Supporting this collective effort is one of the most important responsibilities of local governments. Today, we will all visit our stands and witness the productive power of our women firsthand. I wholeheartedly thank all our stakeholders who contributed to this organization, our dedicated women, and our valued participants. I hope our Black Sea Culture and Arts Festival will be a blessing.