Climathon İzmir – Food, Climate and Communities

A collaborative learning experience spanning from education to art, food to communities.

The climate crisis is not confined to a single area.

It is a multi-layered issue that simultaneously affects education, art, food, creativity, and everyday life.

Therefore, in Izmir, we view Climathon not as a single event, but as a learning and action process that progresses with different target audiences and through different themes .

Today in Izmir;

• with school-aged children ,

• with young people studying food, chemistry, art and design at universities ,

• with communities working in the food and agriculture sector

Four different Climathons have been organized, centered around the themes of education, art, food, and creativity.

The common goal of these Climathons is not to offer participants ready-made solutions to the climate crisis, but to equip them with a methodology to develop solutions within their own contexts .

In this article, we take a closer look at the Climathon event in the context of food within this process .

From Field to Table, From Table to the Future | Climathon İzmir – Food, Climate and Communities

Last December, Climathon İzmir – Food, Climate and Communities began in a tangerine orchard at Meli's Farm in Selçuk. By walking on the soil, standing side-by-side with the producers, and picking tangerines from the trees…

Because we believe that the way to truly understand the relationship between food systems and the climate crisis is to see the production process firsthand .

Originn's Role:Methodology,Facilitation and Collective Learning

Originn has viewed the Climathon event as a methodology implemented globally since 2018. However, in recent years, our primary intention has been to transform the Climathon event from being solely an Originn-organized event into an "enabler" approach where communities can collaboratively develop solutions for their own issues .

The Enable the Enablers | Climate Action project was designed precisely for this purpose.

Through this approach, food communities;

• identified problems rooted in their own contexts,

• worked together with producers, students, academics, and local governments,

• and began developing solutions around their own local challenges.

This Climathon was brought to life by food communities in Izmir , as part of the Erasmus+-supported Enable the Enablers | Climate Action project, in partnership with Originn Creative Hub, Veronica , and FEW/4.

Originn Creative Hub , in this process, did not act as an organizer; rather, it played a role in conveying the Climathon methodology, creating space for communities to take action around their own issues, and facilitating the process .

Learning in the Field: The Harvest Was Just the Beginning

The first step of the Climathon event was the mandarin harvest at Meli's Farm in Selçuk.

Participants didn't just harvest; they discussed scale, observation, variety, the soil's need for rest, and how ancient knowledge is being lost, together with the producers.

One of the sentences that stuck in our minds throughout the day was this :

“I had heard of food communities, but I really understood how important they are through this event.” — Sinem

Voices from the Field: From the Participants' Perspective

Conversations during the harvest led to further questions as the day progressed.

The relationship between the asphalt poured along the riverbank and the trees that haven't bloomed for years was discussed. The fact that animals are allowed to roam freely, despite reducing the risk of fire, was also addressed. At one point, the issue shifted from simply a matter of production to a matter of scale .

Was it still possible to wait, observe, and follow the rhythm of nature on a small scale? Why did observation decrease and intervention increase as the area grew larger?

As the conversation progressed, another issue became apparent: the bond between young people and farmers was weakening, and with it, the transfer of knowledge was disappearing.

On the one hand, the soil's own cycle was being discussed. The way ironwood trees return nitrogen from the air to the soil, the idea that sometimes grasses are left unpruned to protect the soil, and the possibility that not every "problem" requires immediate intervention…

Perhaps the most frequently repeated word was: observation.

Every place had different soil, water, climate, and time of year. It was considered that the "it will be the same everywhere" approach would harm both the producer and the land.

And in the end, the issue came back to food. But this time not as a product; but as a relationship, a form of trust and solidarity established between producer and consumer.

Around the Same Table: A Space for Collective Learning

The afternoon meeting at Originn brought together students, producers, academics, sustainability teams from the municipality, and food communities.

The table set up that day was less of a competition arena and more of a space for collective thinking, listening, and the juxtaposition of diverse experiences.

Sometimes the conversation revolved around production, sometimes consumption habits. At times local knowledge, at other times questions from young people, changed the direction of the discussion.

Looking back from today, perhaps its most valuable aspect was this: people looking at the same issue from different perspectives truly listening to each other.

What Did We Talk About? What Did We Learn?

Some headlines reappeared repeatedly throughout the day.

In agriculture, not only yield but also scale matters… It is still possible to wait, observe, and follow the rhythm of nature on a small scale… Diversity strengthens not only production but also resilience…

It was considered that ancient knowledge is rapidly lost if not passed on, and that food is not merely a product; it is a form of trust, relationship, and solidarity.

These discussions yielded something greater than the solutions proposed at the end of the day: a shared understanding of how we can rethink food systems.

Then the remaining questions.

Despite the passage of time, some questions from that day still remain with us.

• Can we truly transform our relationship with food?

• Is it possible to bridge the gap between producers and consumers again?

• How can local knowledge and ancient practices respond to today's crises?

  
  

Perhaps the greatest strength of the Climathon event was this: instead of providing ready-made answers, it left us with questions to ponder together. Because when communities take action, the possibility of finding solutions grows.

The journey continues.

Climathon İzmir – Food, Climate and Communities was just one part of a series of ongoing Climathon events in İzmir covering various fields.

Even today, diverse communities, ranging from education and art to food and creativity, continue to come together around their own issues.

Originn, throughout this process, continues to create space, share methodologies, and support a culture of collaborative learning.

By staying grounded, thinking together and growing stronger together… 🌱

EECA 2025 Enablers

Oya Ayman, Esin Pamuk, Nazey Erdilek

About Originn Creative Hub

Originn is a creative hub in Izmir that brings together coworking, private offices, meeting rooms, and event spaces under one roof. For over 10 years, it has created spaces for collaboration, learning, and co-creation for communities, creative teams, and independent producers.