Turkish unions highlight Gaza's humanitarian, environmental devastation at COP31
Exhibition centers on a resilient olive tree symbolizing Palestinians' attachment to their homeland and keys representing displaced families' enduring hope of return Turkish labor unions highlighted the humanitarian and environmental devastation in Gaza at COP31 with an exhibition. The Hope of Return: Al-Awda – The Story of the Olive Tree opened in Türkiye's Mediterranean city of Antalya, which is hosting the UN climate summit. The Turkish Confederation of Civil Servant Unions (Memur-Sen) and the International Labour Confederation (ILC) organized the exhibition.
The exhibition also features a selection of photographs taken by Anadolu Agency photojournalists working in Gaza, alongside works by Palestinian painters and graphic artists. The exhibition will remain open to visitors at the COP31 Green Zone Congress Center foyer from Nov. 9 to 20. Through interactive installations, visitors journey from Gaza's once-vibrant streets to the devastation wrought by the war, accompanied by personal testimonies recorded amid the rubble.
The exhibition displays everyday objects brought from Palestine as silent witnesses to lives interrupted by the conflict. At its center stands a damaged yet resilient olive tree, symbolizing the Palestinian people's enduring attachment to their homeland. Rooted in the past and reaching toward the future, the tree represents peace, solidarity and the promise of life despite widespread destruction. A map of Palestine made from keys representing homes in Gaza also highlights the plight of displaced Palestinian families.
Many Palestinian families forced to leave in 1948 took their house keys with them, believing they would eventually return, and passed them down through generations. The keys have since become powerful symbols of the Palestinian right of return. The exhibition also features a selection of photographs taken by Anadolu Agency photojournalists working in Gaza, alongside works by Palestinian painters and graphic artists. Animated visuals comparing Gaza before and after the destruction further illustrate the consequences of the conflict.
Gaza's environmental devastation The exhibition also highlights the scale of environmental destruction in Gaza. It presents figures on explosive munitions, carbon emissions, damaged infrastructure, agricultural losses, and cultural heritage. According to the figures, the explosive force of munitions dropped on Gaza is equivalent to approximately 13 times the force of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The exhibition also states that carbon emissions generated during the first 60 days of the conflict exceeded the annual emissions of 20 countries.
Agricultural destruction is another central focus, with the displayed figures indicating that the number of olive trees in Gaza has fallen from approximately 2 million before the attacks to just 150,000. The exhibition further reports that approximately 81% of structures in Gaza have been damaged, leaving more than 61 million tons of rubble. Meanwhile, 97% of agricultural land is reportedly unusable, and 45 of Gaza's 54 water facilities are said to be no longer operational.
The destruction extends to Gaza's historical and cultural heritage, with 208 of 325 historical and cultural sites reported to have been destroyed. Through these figures, the organizers seek to demonstrate that the attacks have affected not only buildings and infrastructure but also Gaza's soil, water resources, air quality and historical heritage. At the exhibition's exit, an interactive installation allows visitors to submit digital messages of hope and solidarity for Gaza and humanity.
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