Introduction

Samet Meriçli is a sustainability professional, cultural entrepreneur, and pioneer focused on creating social impact through art, based in Türkiye. With nearly 15 years of experience in sustainability, climate action, social impact, and corporate transformation within the energy and industrial sectors, Meriçli has come to understand that sustainability is not limited to technical solutions alone, but represents a holistic development approach shaped by culture, values, and human stories.

This perspective, combined with his lifelong involvement in traditional folk dance, evolved into an original model that makes the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) visible through the language of art. Founded in 2017, PupaDans set out with the vision of becoming Türkiye’s first dance collective to place the SDGs at the core of its artistic practice, and has since grown into an innovative social initiative operating at the intersection of culture, art, and sustainable development.

The Idea

PupaDans approaches traditional Anatolian folk dances not merely as aesthetic stage performances, but as living narratives connected to multiple Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

While reinterpreting cultural heritage through a contemporary stage language, the collective places strong emphasis on women’s social roles, nature-aligned lifestyles, and intergenerational cultural transmission. The concept of “Pupa”—a sailing term describing a vessel moving forward with the wind at its back—symbolizes, for PupaDans, a collective orientation toward sustainable development.

Through stage performances, workshops, and awareness-raising activities, the SDGs are transformed from abstract global targets into emotionally, culturally, and experientially accessible concepts for audiences and participants.

Journey and Challenges

Establishing an SDG-focused artistic collective required moving beyond conventional cultural production models. The integration of sustainable development concepts into dance and performing arts was initially perceived as a novel and unconventional approach by both artistic circles and support mechanisms.

At the same time, ensuring the long-term sustainability of a volunteer-based structure demanded careful planning in terms of space, funding, and human resources. Drawing on his professional background, Meriçli integrated strategic goal-setting, stakeholder partnerships, and impact-oriented project design into the operational model of PupaDans.

Achievements and Impact

Over its eight-year journey, PupaDans has delivered more than 20 stage performances, reaching over 50,000 people. The ANAˇDOLU Series (2023–2025) placed the SDGs at the heart of its narrative, bringing to the stage the historical role of Anatolian women, their relationship with nature, and sustainable life cycles.

These activities have led to measurable increases in self-confidence, expressive capacity, environmental awareness, and social responsibility, particularly among women and young people. In addition, PupaDans has organized trainings on sustainability, earthquake preparedness, and first aid, and renovated a public school sports hall to create a safe, inclusive, and shared community space.

Beyond its own productions, PupaDans has taken on a pioneering role in disseminating its sustainability-focused approach by delivering trainings and seminars as a good practice model for dance clubs and cultural platforms across Türkiye. This includes knowledge-sharing initiatives with national institutions such as the State Folk Dance Ensemble of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Message to Youth

“The Sustainable Development Goals are not just targets written in reports; they represent a shared vision for the future that must be reflected in our daily lives, on stage, and in the streets. Art is one of the most powerful ways to make this vision visible.”

— Samet Meriçli

Future Vision

Looking ahead, PupaDans aims to deepen its SDG focus by establishing new collectives in different cities, expanding ‘Sustainability through Art’ education programs, and engaging young people across Europe through digital platforms. The long-term vision is to transform this SDG-centered, art-based eco-entrepreneurship model into an internationally shareable and replicable good practice example.