VIE+W | The beauty of Sofia

This week, I will tell you more about the architecture in Sofia and my trip in the city. When I came to the city center, I was very impressed to see the historical buildings around. When I came to the city center, I was very impressed to see the historical buildings around. Not only the historical buildings, but also the parks and religious buildings in the center impressed me a lot. That's why I wanted to write about these and share it with you. When I came to the center of Sofia, the first building I visited was the symbol of Sofia - the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The building was built in memory of the Slavs who died in the Ottoman-Russian war, with neo-Byzantine architecture. At the top of the cathedral is a dome that shines like the sun. This dome impresses those who saw the cathedral. It also affected me a lot.

Also many religions have lived in Sofia before. Some of these religions are: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is possible to find places of worship such as mosques, churches and synagogues belonging to these religions in the city center. The fact that these worship services were built in the city shows the importance of Sofia both in terms of religion and human life. Because in the places where they live, first of all, people build the structure in which they will worship.

It is possible to see many art and culture buildings in Sofia. The most visually beautiful of these structures is the Ivan Vazov National Theatre. Because the external structure of the theater is visually very magnificent. In addition, the National Museum of Natural History and the National Palace of Culture are located in the center of Sofia and are actively working. There are many parks in the city. That's why people go to the parks frequently and spend time in the parks. The reason why there are so many parks shows the harmony of people with the environment. That's why I was happy not to see any garbage on the streets while walking in Sofia.

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Murat Bilmez, volunteer@ICDET

LIFE+ | The Relation of Vegetarianism to the Environment

Hello I am Murat. I have been a vegetarian for 9 months. So, this week I wanna write about the relationship between vegetarianism and the environment. First of all, my process of becoming a vegetarian developed independently of the environment. In other words, I became a vegetarian because of the thought that animals are living creatures, that they suffer, and that they have the right to live. Since this is a different topic, I will write about it in my next article. Livestock as a whole is estimated to be responsible for around 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

About 80% of the world's agricultural land is used for livestock. More agriculture and more water are required for livestock. For this reason, the methane emission of animals is increasing year by year. The vegetarian diet also preserves water. Studies have shown that non-vegetarians consume 2 times more water than vegetarians. Also to produce 1 pound of feedlot beef requires about 2,400 gallons (1 galloon= 3.78 Liter) of water and 7 pounds of grain. Excessive livestock farming also causes soil erosion. Because cattle trample the soil and cause erosion due to overgrazing.

As a result, quitting or cutting back on meat is one of the most beneficial things we can do for this planet. Because, researches have shown that excessive animal husbandry causes greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion and deforestation. Water is also consumed a lot in animal husbandry because it takes approximately 10 liters of water to produce one kilogram of beef.

When we make this calculation for other animals in the world, we understand how much water is spent in the livestock sector. In addition, scientific research has shown that it is not necessary to eat meat for a healthy life. Because a person can easily meet all his needs from plants. From this point of view, it can be said that eating meat is only for pleasure and habit.

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Murat Bilmez, volunteer@ICDET

EXPLORE+ | Volunteering Experience from Aykut's POV

Erasmus changes your relationship with travelling.

This one probably happens to most of us. If you didn’t have an urge to travel often before your Erasmus, you will once it’s over. The key to success is to choose a volunteering opportunity that matches your skills, interests and availability. Once this is clear, you can start your search for a quality volunteering opportunity.

Volunteering can be an unforgettable and rewarding experience, but with so many opportunities available it’s important to be careful with your choice. The quality of your experience will determine how you will benefit from this great human adventure. Watch the video to learn more about Aykut's experience as a volunteer in ICDET. Stay tuned for more from us! :)