Turkey's Youth Ministry rolls out free camps, accommodation and sports programs

The Turkish Youth and Sports Ministry has expanded its free‑service offerings for young people. Under the "Seyahatsever" project, 18‑30‑year‑olds can stay up to five nights at designated GSB dormitories in all 81 provinces between 6 July and 21 August, with over 518,000 participants benefiting since 2022. Parallel to this, the ministry’s free GSB youth camp sent a group of 32 young people from Aydın to Antalya for a week of cultural and outdoor activities.

Local municipalities have also launched summer initiatives aimed at children. Kayseri’s Talas district runs daily workshops for 3‑6‑year‑olds at the Mehmet Karamercan Library, while Bursa’s Kestel district offers a range of free and fee‑based sports classes—including basketball, gymnastics, taekwondo and swimming—through its Yaz Spor Okulları program. In Northern Cyprus, the Çatalköy‑Esentepe Municipality conducts drama and basketball workshops for children as part of its summer at‑eliers. All programmes aim to combine recreation with skill development for youth across the region.