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In 1961 a bilateral agreement was made between Turkey and Germany
for Turkish citizens to migrate to Germany as workers.
This agreement gave many people hope.
Germany became a place that tore their families apart for some and a home for others.
Those who migrated tried to adjust
to Germany and those who returned to Turkey tried to re-adjust.
But everyone had the other option in their minds.
And all were discriminated against, both in Germany and in Turkey.
Now when you walk the streets of Berlin,
you see traces of Turkey in the districts where Turkish communities live.
Even though they are located in the central parts of Berlin,
they still live similar lives compared to back in Bayburt, Elazığ,
Istanbul or any other city in Turkey. They live in a small world they created for themselves.
The presence of Turkish community in Berlin is quite noticeable.
You can see satellite dishes all programmed to watch the Turkish
TV channels on top of apartment buildings,
women hanging laundry from their balconies, or even signs in Turkish.
This diversity could actually be perceived as something positive.
However, it negatively affects the integration of Turkish people to Germany in the long run.
Germany took many steps in favor of migrants' integration
but there are still issues to deal with.
Just like in Turkey, environmental issues are not among the
main concerns of Turks in Germany.
Gülcan Nitsch feels that Turks in Germany have been neglected
on this issue and wants to do something about this.
Gülcan Nitsch is an environmentalist who was born
and educated in Germany.
Her family origin goes back to Bolu -a city from the Black Sea region of Turkey,
but she introduces herself as a Berliner.
And she also introduces herself as an environmentalist,
even though she studied biology in university.
Since her childhood, she has been closely involved with environmental issues.
When she realized that the Turkish community in Berlin
does not pay much attention to such issues,
she decided to dedicate herself to changing that.
In order to be more involved in environmental issues and work
within an organized structure, Gülcan Nitsch first joined
Germany's biggest environmental organization, BUND.
Thereafter, she formed the "Green Belt Group" within BUND,
with the goal of being able to reach the Turkish community in Germany.
- The Green Belt's objective is to raise environmental awareness
among the Turkish community in Germany
by preparing and distributing pamphlets and by talking one by one
with members of the community. Last year
we started to publish a Turkish journal on environmental issues.
We offer seminars to the members of the Turkish community.
We offered environmental training for people
with low education levels and they trained the others around them.
One of our biggest achievements besides forming the Green Belt
was to organize an "Environment Day".
This year will be our 4th. We actually were only planning to organize
the Environment Day once;
we never thought that it would become an annual tradition.
What has changed so far?
For instance, many organizations are now using energy-saving light bulbs.
Many women started using environment- friendly cleaning products.
Moreover, many women started recycling. They are now more aware
about environmental issues. They also share their knowledge with others.
I can say that one of our greatest achievements is that
whenever I visit an organization, I tell them:
"There are 20 people here.
If each one of you tells another 5, 10, 20 people and so on,
this will create a snowball effect and turn into quite a success story."
Gülcan Nitsch did not listen to all voices around her, and decided
to devote herself to the environment. She felt more responsible
than others about global warming and how the earth is losing its balance.
She did not just sit there and think of what she could do for the Turkish community in Germany.
Instead, she went out on the streets and visited people door to door.
Through Green Belt, she made a big difference in the lives
of the Turkish community in Germany, as well as for the world we live in.