As part of the EUPeace Çukurova University “Living Peace Lab”, the Peace4All Hackathon, held between 17–19 October 2025 and hosted by the Çukurova Development Agency, encouraged Çukurova University students to develop innovative solutions to urban and social challenges within the framework of peace, justice, inclusivity and sustainability.
The three-day camp-format event offered a creative environment in which students worked intensively in teams. Participants had the opportunity to collaborate with peers from different disciplines, produce ideas focused on solidarity and peace, and gain hands-on experience in project development processes.
The event began with a series of “Inspirational Talks” delivered by four experts from civil society, private sector, and academia. These talks addressed key thematic areas in the region — such as values, sustainability, digital security, and water scarcity — and provided perspectives to guide students throughout their solution-building journey.
© EUPeace Çukurova Communication TeamFirst mentor team
Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students from Çukurova University participated in the hackathon and were grouped into 8 teams to develop projects around their selected themes. The teams were supported by mentors with expertise in fields such as social entrepreneurship, sustainable development, communication, energy management, gender equality and digital transformation. A network of 41 mentors from civil society, public institutions, industry and the technology ecosystem in Adana contributed to ensuring that the projects aligned with both local needs and realistic implementation goals.
On the final day, teams presented their projects to a jury of seven experts, representing regional development agencies, the university, and the entrepreneurship ecosystem. During evaluation, emphasis was placed on each project’s social impact potential, level of innovation, and feasibility for sustainable implementation.
The Peace4All Hackathon was successfully completed as a collaborative, interactive, and production-oriented experience aimed at generating value for the city and the region through the innovative solutions of young people.
First Place: Agrito – “Sustainable Soilless Agriculture Field”
Following the jury evaluation, the Agrito team won first place with their project titled “Sustainable Soilless Agriculture Field.” The team redesigned soilless agriculture in Çukurova by developing entirely sustainable solutions.
The “4Topia” project — an interactive learning application that gamifies real-life scenarios to teach the values of inclusivity, justice, and empathy — received second place.
The PeaceX team took third place with their project titled “If Weapons Are Produced for War, Content Should Be Produced for Peace,” redefining the way the world communicates through a novel application.
Various incentives were provided to the winning teams by sponsoring organizations.
© EUPeace Çukurova Communication TeamAgrito – The winning team
© EUPeace Çukurova Communication Team4Topia – The team that won second place
© EUPeace Çukurova Communication TeamPeaceX- The team that won third place
Participating teams and project focus areas:
| Team Name | Team Members | Focus Area |
| 1. Agrito (1st Place) | Ali Rıza Karamehmetoğlu, Berke Toprak, Feride Baran, Gülbeyaz Peko, Petek Uruçlu | They redesigned soilless agriculture in Çukurova by developing fully sustainable solutions. |
| 2. 4Topia (2nd Place) | Arafat İbrahim, Hind Abubakr Ali, Nurul Aziza Taqiyya Haqqi, Rahmatullah Aweazidanov | Designed an interactive learning app that gamifies real-life situations to teach children values of inclusivity, fairness, and empathy. |
| 3. PeaceX (3rd Place) | Ayşe Kirik, Gülay Memiş, Maynul İslam, Muniib Abubaker Alfaky Mohamed Shuaib, Yahya Khursheed Ansari | Developed an innovative communication application that redefines how the world interacts. |
| 4. Ecotextile | Ali Ayhan, Doğa Kadıoğlu, Duru Kadıoğlu, Muhammed Ali Kırtay, Yaren Keleş | Aimed to produce eco-friendly textile products and promote circular economy within the fashion sector. |
| 5. Solwater | Hakan Güleç, Tuana Yükseloğlu | The aim was not only production — but generating hope for women, strength for rural communities, and breath for nature. |
| 6. For Us | Ömer Faruk Akdaş, Sinem Ozan | Developed a community-based solution promoting social inclusion and cooperation. |
| 7. StarCycle | Aslınur Bulut, Gizem Taşkıran, Meral Korkmaz, Nisa Oktay, Şanseli Özorhan | The BottleBack project focuses on designing an eco-friendly vending machine that facilitates water access for Çukurova University students and promotes recycling awareness. |
| 8. Another World is Possible | Can Doğu Tansuğ, Deniz Yüksel, Halit Güney Akın, Mert Akyıldız, Meryem Mazman Kartal, Nihan Gökçe | Developed holistic approaches for environmental justice and equitable development by generating employment as an alternative to social aid. |
Sponsors provided financial and technical support
Public institutions, civil society organizations, and private sector entities that represent leading actors in sustainable, digital, and social transformation in the region played a key role in implementing the hackathon, supporting university collaboration, and contributing to EUPeace’s “Societal Outreach” objectives.
As of late October 2025, the Peace4All project will continue through workshops and mentoring support provided to the participating 8 teams, enabling them to further develop their solutions. The project will conclude with a Progress Presentation in March 2026, during which teams will present their final project versions to relevant investors and potential partners.
Designed as the EUPeace Çukurova University Living Lab initiative, Peace4All aims to create lasting impact by bringing the productive energy of youth together with local stakeholders — placing peace, justice, inclusivity, and sustainability at the center of community development.
