The "SOSYALFEST 2026 Project Idea Writing Training" was organized by the Social Contribution Coordinatorship. The event, which took place on March 12, 2026, at the Ahi Evran Congress and Culture Center’s July 15 National Will Hall, was attended by the Social Contribution Coordinator, Lecturer Bayram Koyuncu, and Karabük University faculty member and SOSYALFEST Coordinator, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Vargün, along with academic and administrative staff and students.
The opening speech of the program was delivered by the Social Contribution Coordinator, Lecturer Bayram Koyuncu, who stated that success is achieved not only through knowledge but also through having a conscience. Emphasizing the great importance of raising young people as individuals who are sensitive to social issues, strive to create solutions, and do not hesitate to take responsibility, Koyuncu continued: "At this point, efforts that strengthen social responsibility awareness are of great value. Organizations like SOSYALFEST, which aim to popularize this mindset in our country, contribute to our youth becoming individuals who do not just watch, but think, produce, and become part of the solution. Your interest and active participation in such endeavors further strengthen our hopes for the future."
Following the opening speech, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Vargün, a faculty member at Karabük University and the SOSYALFEST Coordinator, took the floor to provide detailed information about SOSYALFEST. Vargün noted that SOSYALFEST is an organization aimed at generating solutions for social sciences and societal issues, similar to TEKNOFEST in the field of technology. Reminding the audience that the festival, first held in 2024, could not be organized in 2025 due to forest fires, he announced that the 2026 event will take place on May 10–11 at Istanbul University’s Beyazıt Campus.
Continuing his speech, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Vargün announced that projects found successful within the scope of the festival would be supported with a total prize pool of 6 million TL, and noted that the competition consists of four main themes—Turkey's Century, the Turkic World, Theology, and Health—and 30 subcategories. Reminding participants that they can apply with more than one project, Vargün stated that high school, associate, undergraduate, and graduate students, as well as independent participants from different fields, could join through the appropriate categories. Also mentioning that groups participating as a team can consist of a maximum of 10 people, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Vargün presented a sample social model and provided practical information to the participants regarding the use of the SOSYALFEST application system, registration processes, and ethical rules.
At the end of the program, a certificate of appreciation was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Vargün, Karabük University faculty member and SOSYALFEST Coordinator, for his contributions. The program concluded with a group souvenir photo.
