Under the motto “We Work for the Dignity of Labour and the Future of Our Planet,” Memur-Sen and ILC will contribute a labour perspective to global climate discussions through their panels and events in the Blue and Green Zones. The programme will address the green and digital transitions, just transition, climate diplomacy, social dialogue and the social impacts of climate change.

Bringing Gaza’s Memory to COP31

The immersive exhibition “Hope of Return: Al-Awda – The Story of the Olive Tree,” organised by Memur-Sen and the International Labour Confederation (ILC), will introduce visitors in the COP31 Green Zone to the Palestinian people’s deep attachment to their land and history, as well as their hopes for the future.

Through the roots of the olive tree, which symbolise a people’s collective memory, and keys that represent the longing to return to their homes and land, the exhibition will convey a powerful message to the international community: there can be no sustainable future without peace and no lasting transformation without justice. It seeks to ensure that Gaza is remembered not only for destruction and suffering, but also for its roots, culture, resilience and determination to rebuild life.

Presenting the renewed growth of olive trees in Gaza as a symbol of the revival of Palestinian freedom and hope, and of humanity’s shared conscience, the exhibition will welcome visitors from 9 to 20 November 2026 at the Congress Centre Foyer (entrance to the Gaza Hall) in the COP31 Green Zone.

The “Hope of Return: Al-Awda” exhibition will also be accessible online for those unable to attend in person, as well as for COP31 participants.

Alongside the exhibition, Memur-Sen and ILC will explore the impacts of the green and digital transitions on the world of work, the protection of workers’ rights and hard-won gains during the just transition, the social consequences of climate change, the role of trade unions in decision-making processes, and different dimensions of climate diplomacy.

President Ali Yalçın to Call for a Just Transition

Memur-Sen President Ali Yalçın will address participants at the Climate Diplomacy Academy, to be held at the Climate and Environment Pavilion in the COP31 Green Zone on Monday, 9 November.

In his remarks, Yalçın will set out the labour movement’s vision for a just transition and emphasise that protecting workers’ rights, employment opportunities and social security must be a fundamental priority in the transition towards an environmentally sustainable economy.

Yalçın to Bring the Impacts of the Green and Digital Transitions on the World of Work to the International Agenda

On Thursday, 12 November, at 10:00, Ali Yalçın will participate in the panel “Just Transition in the Green and Digital Transitions: Trade Union Priorities and Expectations,” to be held at the ILO Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone with national and international trade union leaders.

Moderated by ILO Türkiye Director Yasser Hassan, the panel will bring together leading representatives of the international labour movement and stakeholders from Türkiye’s world of work. Yalçın will highlight the implications of the green and digital transitions for workers, the critical role of public services and public employees in ensuring a just transition, and trade union priorities and expectations concerning the protection of workers’ rights and gains.

Öksüz to Highlight the Role of Trade Unions in Transition Processes

The panel “Workers at the Heart of a Just Transition,” organised by Memur-Sen in the COP31 Green Zone on Wednesday, 18 November, will bring together representatives of public institutions and trade unions from Türkiye, South Africa and Senegal. Memur-Sen Vice President and ILC Secretary-General Hamza Öksüz will take part in the discussion.

Alongside Hamza Öksüz, the speakers will include Ali Aybey, Director General for Foreign Relations and the European Union at Türkiye’s Ministry of Labour and Social Security; Waheed Hoosen, Vice President of the Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA); and Babacar Sylla, Climate and Just Transition Coordinator at the National Confederation of Senegalese Workers (CNTS). The panel will be moderated by Lylia Tennah, International Relations Specialist at Memur-Sen.

The discussion will examine the implications of a just transition for the world of work, the protection of workers’ rights throughout transition processes, trade union participation in decision-making mechanisms, and stronger international labour solidarity. It will also consider the importance of capacity-building programmes and worker-centred policies to enhance the effective participation of labour representatives in just transition processes.

Sıdıka Aydın to Address Climate Change and the Responsibilities of Civil Society

Sıdıka Aydın, Chair of the Memur-Sen Women’s Commission, will participate as a panellist in “Civil Society Organisations in the Context of the Social Impacts of Climate Change,” to be held in the COP31 Blue Zone on Saturday, 14 November, at 12:00.

In her presentation, “Social Dialogue and Shared Responsibility: The Role of Trade Unions in Shaping Climate Policies,” Aydın will discuss the responsibilities of the trade union movement in tackling climate change, the importance of workers’ representation in climate policymaking, and the need to strengthen social dialogue for a sustainable future.