An exhibition titled “Hope of Return: The Story of the Al-Awda Olive Tree” has opened at the ongoing COP31 international climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye,
An exhibition titled “Hope of Return: The Story of the Al-Awda Olive Tree” has opened at the ongoing COP31 international climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, highlighting the humanitarian and environmental devastation in Gaza. The exhibition has been jointly organized by the Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions of Türkiye and the International Labour Confederation (ILC). It will remain open to visitors from November 9 to 20 in the hall of the COP31 Green Zone Congress Centre. The exhibition features 63 photographs taken by Anadolu Agency photojournalists in Gaza.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Memur-Sen Chairman and ILC President Ali Yalçın said the exhibition offers a glimpse into a nation's love for its homeland and the hope it has kept alive despite all the hardships. Referring to the olive tree as the central focus of the exhibition, Yalçın said, “We will look at this tree not only with our eyes but also with our hearts. This is because, in Palestine, an olive tree is not merely a tree; it symbolises a family's past, a father's hard work, a mother's labour and a child's future.”
Through interactive installations, visitors are taken on a journey from Gaza's once-vibrant streets to the devastation caused by what the exhibition describes as Israel's genocidal war. The displays also include personal reflections and testimonies recorded amid piles of rubble. Everyday objects brought from Palestine have been presented as silent witnesses to lives interrupted by the war. At the center of the exhibition stands a wounded yet firmly rooted olive tree, symbolising the Palestinian people's enduring attachment to their homeland. With its roots in the past and branches reaching towards the future, the tree represents hope for peace, solidarity and 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 forcibly expelled from their homes in 1948 took their house keys with them, believing they would eventually return. They passed these keys down through generations. Since then, the keys have become a powerful symbol of the Palestinians' right of return. The exhibition also features selected photographs by Anadolu Agency photojournalists who worked in Gaza, alongside artworks by Palestinian painters and graphic artists. Images comparing Gaza before and after the destruction further illustrate the consequences of the war.
The exhibition also draws attention to the scale of environmental destruction in Gaza, presenting data on explosive munitions, carbon emissions, damaged infrastructure, agricultural losses and cultural heritage. According to the figures displayed, the explosive power of the munitions dropped on Gaza is approximately 13 times greater than that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The exhibition also states that carbon emissions generated during the first 60 days of the war exceeded the annual emissions of 20 countries. Agricultural devastation is another major theme of the exhibition. The figures presented indicate that Gaza had approximately two million olive trees before the attacks, but their number has now fallen to just 150,000.
The exhibition report further states that approximately 81 per cent of Gaza's buildings have been damaged, generating more than 61 million tonnes of rubble. Meanwhile, 97 per cent of agricultural land has become unusable, and 45 of Gaza's 54 water facilities are no longer operational. The destruction has also extended to Gaza's historical and cultural heritage, with 208 of the territory's 325 historical and cultural sites reportedly damaged or destroyed. Through these figures, the organizers seek to demonstrate that the attacks have not only affected buildings and infrastructure but have also inflicted severe damage on Gaza's soil, water resources, air quality and historical heritage. At the exit of the exhibition, a screen allows visitors to leave digital messages of hope and solidarity for Gaza and humanity.
