8,000 children cap off summer with Nature Camp

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's (İBB) Nature Camp has concluded its sixth iteration, marking a successful eight-week summer program that connected over 8,000 children with nature and sports. Held at the Eyüpsultan Municipality Çiftalan Youth Camp, the initiative provided a vibrant getaway for children aged 9-13, offering a blend of physical and mental development activities.

Organized in coordination by the İBB Youth and Sports Services Department and İBB Spor Istanbul, the camp was entirely free of charge. Each day, 215 children participated, receiving three meals daily. The curriculum was packed with diverse activities, including cycling, archery, orienteering, climbing, wilderness survival training, drama workshops, and athletics. Twenty-four expert instructors led the sessions, supported by pedagogues focused on enhancing the children's social and psychological growth and fostering teamwork.

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Spor kültürünü tabana yaymanın ve aktif bir şehir yaşamı sağlamanın yolu, çocuklarımıza erken yaşta hareket bilincini aşılamaktan geçiyor. Her yıl yaz tatilinde düzenlediğimiz Doğa Kampı ile İstanbul’un çocuklarına sadece spor yaptırmıyor; teknolojiden uzakta takım ruhunu, sorumluluk almayı, paylaşmayı ve doğayla uyum içinde yaşamayı da öğretiyoruz. Bu yıl da sekiz hafta boyunca uzman eğitmenlerimiz ve pedagoglarımız eşliğinde 8 binden fazla çocuğumuzu Doğa Kampı’nda misafir etmekten büyük bir mutluluk duyduk. Çocuklarımızın eğlenceli zamanlar geçirmesinin dışında fiziksel, zihinsel ve pedagojik gelişimlerini de destekleyen bu tür projelerimizi çeşitlendirerek hayata geçirmeye devam edeceğiz

The İBB Nature Camp emphasized an experience away from digital screens and technology, aiming to instill a sense of responsibility, team spirit, love, respect, sharing, cooperation, and environmental consciousness from an early age. Free shuttle services from eight different transfer points across Istanbul ensured safe and comfortable access for the young participants.

Prof. Dr. Bilge Donuk, General Manager of İBB Spor Istanbul, highlighted the camp's importance in promoting an active lifestyle. "The way to spread sports culture to the grassroots and ensure an active urban life is to instill a sense of movement in our children at an early age," Donuk stated. "With the Nature Camp, held every summer vacation, we don't just let Istanbul's children play sports; we also teach them teamwork, taking responsibility, sharing, and living in harmony with nature, away from technology. We were very happy to host over 8,000 children this year." İBB Sportif Assessment Manager İlker Öztürk added that the camp saw significant interest, with children learning about nature and sports through various activities like wilderness survival, orienteering, archery, climbing, and athletics.

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Doğada yaşamdan oryantiringe, okçuluktan tırmanışa, atletizmden bisiklete kadar birçok farklı aktiviteyle çocuklarımız hem doğayı tanıdığını hem de sporla iç içe bir deneyim yaşadığını