The Istanbul Medeniyet University Sustainability Student Club participated in the NightRun race held at the Grand Bazaar on Sunday, December 21, 2025, and took part in an important event aimed at raising awareness about health, well-being, and cultural heritage within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. Four members of the club, along with their academic advisor, Research Assistant Ayça ÇELİKBİLEK, participated in the race. The entire team successfully completed the race with good results and earned medals.
The club’s participation in sports activities, aimed at highlighting the positive effects of physical activity on individual and public health in line with the Sustainable Development Goals’ good health and quality of life target, and encouraging others to participate, presents a strong example of a social responsibility project in terms of promoting active lifestyle habits, reducing stress, and supporting healthy individuals in urban life.
The fact that the Grand Bazaar, where the event took place, is located in Istanbul’s historic peninsula and is an important part of the cultural heritage sites protected under the UNESCO World Heritage List was particularly significant in terms of promoting cultural heritage. Held in the Grand Bazaar, which has been at the center of Istanbul’s economic, social, and cultural life for centuries, NightRun demonstrated that cultural heritage sites should not only be preserved but also used in a sustainable way as living and experiential spaces. Starting from Çemberlitaş, the run passed through important points of the World Heritage site and ended inside the Grand Bazaar. Throughout the run, our team experienced how cultural heritage is integrated into daily life by moving through the historic city fabric.
The participation of the IMU Sustainability Club in the race is significant in that it demonstrates that sustainable development goals can be supported not only through policies and projects, but also through individual participation and community-based activities. This event, which combines the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits with cultural heritage awareness, stands out as an exemplary activity that brings the university’s sustainability approach to urban life.
