EGET LAVENDER HARVEST FESTIVAL CELEBRATED ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY. THE JOURNEY FROM NATURE TO EDUCATION CONTINUES

Muğla Newspaper / July 21, 2026

To read the news: https://www.muglagazetesi.com.tr

The Lavender Harvest Festival, traditionally organized by the Education Geriatrics Ecological Agriculture Tourism Foundation (EGET Foundation), was held for the 10th time this year at the Armutçuk Organic Farming Enterprise in Ula district of Muğla.

The festival, held under the slogan "From nature to you, from you to education," once again highlighted the goal of environmentally friendly production and support for education.

The festival, held on July 17-18, attracted numerous nature lovers of all ages. Participants harvested lavender grown using organic methods and came together for scientific, cultural, and social events over the two days.

This year's guest of honor was Professor Dr. Fahri Işık, an archaeologist and academician who is a recipient of the Turkish Presidential Culture and Arts Grand Prize. On the first day of the festival, Prof. Dr. Işık... Işık met with participants through a seminar and talk titled "The Carians of Luwian Nobility Who Were Not Greek at All."

The festival also included traditional street and neighborhood games activities by classroom teacher Aylin Bal, a yoga workshop by yoga instructor Ahu Başer, first aid training by Dr. Lale Oğur, and a karaoke event.

On the second day, while the lavender harvest continued, Erdinç Özal gave a photography training using a mobile phone. Dietitian Ayşegül Öztürk informed participants about healthy living, agricultural engineer Süleyman Kurnaz about bee ecology and natural beeswax production, and beauty expert Gözde Aktaş Kurnaz about natural skincare. Homemade food and EGET products were also offered to visitors throughout the festival.

"We Provided Scholarship Support to 290 Young People"

Following the festival, EGET Foundation Board Chairman Özlem Uzman emphasized that lavender production is not only an agricultural activity but also an important social project that provides resources for education. Uzman stated that through their work at the Armutçuk Agricultural Enterprise, they demonstrated that lavender could be grown in the region's climate, and that they created the Efilyun brand by processing ecological agricultural products in addition to lavender oil and hydrosol production. She noted that the products quickly attracted interest from various provinces in Türkiye and abroad.

Uzun stated that the income generated is transferred as scholarships to young people at risk of dropping out of education, and that they have provided scholarship support to 290 students to date.

Expressing that the main purpose of their production activities is to create a sustainable scholarship source, Uzman said that they aim to be an example for producers in Muğla and other regions of Türkiye with the production model they have developed.

Stating that the festival is an important gathering celebrating the transformation of labor into a product, Özlem Uzman thanked all participants, trainers, volunteers, and stakeholders who contributed to the event. She also added that the EGET Traditional Lavender Harvest Festival has become one of the important organizations that add value to the social and cultural life of Muğla.