Antalya Divers Clean Sea After Hıdırellez Wishes Festival
After Hıdırellez, Divers in Antalya Clean the Sea from Hundreds of “Wishes”
After the traditional Hıdırellez celebrations, divers in Antalya carried out a cleanup operation in the sea, removing plastic bags, ribbons, paper, and various objects left behind as part of wish rituals.
During Hıdırellez, residents of Antalya traditionally throw written wishes into the sea inside red bags and plastic packets. While the ritual is deeply rooted in local culture, it has also led to environmental pollution in coastal waters.
What Divers Found Underwater
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Among the items collected during the cleanup were symbolic “wishes” representing people’s hopes and dreams:
- House
- Car
- Phone
- Marriage
- Children and grandchildren
- “Unlimited money”
In addition to written wishes, divers also recovered coins, stones, plastic bags, and other materials used to sink the packets.
Statements from Divers
Diver Hüseyin Fırat noted that many people place 1 Turkish lira coins inside the bags, and some even add stones to prevent them from floating back to shore.
He also reported that in some cases, a single bag contained seven to eight different written wishes, increasing the amount of waste left in the sea after the celebration.
Cleanup Locations
The underwater cleaning operations were carried out in several popular areas of Antalya, including Konyaaltı, Varyant, and Atatürk Park.
Environmental Concerns
Environmental experts warn that plastic bags, ribbons, and paper used during celebrations contribute significantly to marine pollution and can remain on the seabed for long periods of time.
Authorities and environmental groups continue to encourage more eco-friendly ways of celebrating traditions in order to protect marine ecosystems and reduce long-term pollution in coastal areas.
