During her official visit to Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, on Feb. 13, first lady Emine Erdoğan took part in the event titled “Advancing the Circular Economy: A Pakistan-Türkiye Partnership for Sustainability.”
The program, hosted by Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and chief minister of Punjab, began with a recitation of the Quran, followed by the national anthems of both Türkiye and Pakistan.
In her speech, Emine Erdoğan emphasized that, as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan always says, they were not in a foreign country but in their own home, highlighting the strong brotherly bonds between Türkiye and Pakistan. She pointed out, “When we think of Pakistan, we recall loyalty and friendship through tough times,” noting the sacrifices made by both nations whose hearts beat for each other.
Expressing her pleasure in participating in the event, themed “Transformational Economy and Zero Waste,” Emine Erdoğan stated, “I hope the friendship between our two countries will inspire the world, often filled with conflict.” She reminded the audience that the “bill for the severe damage done to the ecological balance is very heavy,” as production and consumption systems have relentlessly damaged nature. She highlighted the consequences: “Deforestation, desertification, erratic rainfall, droughts and natural disasters are just some of the prices we’ve paid.”
She described climate change as a pressing issue and called for a “holistic approach” to address it, emphasizing the importance of the circular economy: “We must create policies that restore ecological balance in every field. At the top of our to-do list is implementing the circular economy as soon as possible.”
She explained that circular economies “consume fewer resources and aim to recover a significant portion of them,” adding that this approach introduces sustainable development, recycling, waste management, zero waste and renewable energy.
Emine Erdoğan praised Türkiye’s Zero Waste Movement, calling it an inspiring model for sustainable development and a circular economy. She also recalled that Türkiye, with 105 countries co-presenting, declared March 30 as “International Zero Waste Day” at the 77th United Nations General Assembly.
“The Zero Waste Foundation continues to be the umbrella for global initiatives,” Emine Erdoğan noted, sharing how the foundation exchanges practices and experiences with other nations. She expressed hope that these efforts would contribute to a better future and mentioned that climate change has profound impacts on societies’ security and livelihoods.
Referring to U.N. data, she highlighted the rising number of climate refugees, from 61% in 2010 to 84% in 2020, stressing that anyone could become a climate refugee. “Some countries are paying the price for others’ mistakes,” she added, particularly in the case of Pakistan, which contributes less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions but faces devastating effects like extreme floods and temperatures.
Emine Erdoğan recalled witnessing the catastrophic 2010 floods in Pakistan, stating that: “The death toll is more than just a statistic. It represents lives destroyed.” She urged stronger climate justice advocacy, emphasizing that these issues must be voiced loudly.
She also pointed out that disadvantaged groups such as women, the elderly, disabled individuals and children are most vulnerable to climate change, stating that, “This is not just an environmental issue, but a human rights issue.” She called for everyone to work toward a world where no one is left behind.
The first lady condemned plastic pollution, saying, “Microplastics are even found in newborns’ placentas.” She shared alarming statistics, noting that the world produces 400 million tons of plastic waste annually and that 1 million plastic bottles are purchased every minute.
She also acknowledged Türkiye’s success in reducing plastic bag usage by 75% since introducing a fee on Jan. 1, 2019, and mentioned that similar initiatives are underway in Pakistan. Emine Erdoğan praised the role of female leadership in addressing environmental challenges, stating that Pakistani women will play a pivotal role in the country’s environmental efforts.
Later, Emine Erdoğan visited the Pak-Türk Maarif International Schools Islamabad Campus. Upon her arrival, she was welcomed by Zainab Suleman Sharif, the daughter-in-law of Pakistan’s prime minister, Mahmut Mustafa Özdil, president of the Turkish Maarif Foundation, and students.
The first lady engaged in conversations with the students she closely interacted with. She toured the exhibition featuring handmade products created by students as part of the Zero Waste Project and gathered information about these works from the students.
Emine Erdoğan also listened to a Turkish music performance by the choir of Pakistani students attending the school and watched their dance performances. The program also included a presentation on the importance of girls’ education in Pakistan and the contributions of the Turkish Maarif Foundation in this regard. Videos containing messages from successful female students continuing their university education in Türkiye were also shown.
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