The endangered loggerhead turtle is the mascot for the 77th International Astronautical Congress in the southern province of Antalya from Oct. 5 to 9.
The Turkish Space Agency and defense cluster SAHA Istanbul co-host the event, organized by the International Astronautical Federation and coordinated by the Industry and Technology Ministry, at Belek’s NEST Congress Center. It brings Türkiye’s space diplomacy and National Space Program vision to the world.
Under the theme “The World Needs More Space” and slogan “From the Turquoise to the Stars,” it represents patience, hope, resolve, resilience and exploration. Living at sea outside nesting season, breathing air yet staying underwater and crossing thousands of kilometers of turquoise Mediterranean waters to its birth shore, the migration mirrors humanity’s journey into the unknown. Its strong shell and return home urge protecting our livable planet for future generations.
Türkiye hosts critical Mediterranean nesting areas, including Antalya’s Belek and Kundu; Adana’s Yumurtalık; Mersin’s Anamur; and the Aegean province of Muğla’s Köyceğiz and Dalyan. Belek represents one of the region’s primary nesting grounds. The mascot shares this heritage, urging sustainability, eco-awareness and biodiversity conservation.
