Hala Nefes Alıyorsak Umut Var | Roni Deniz Utkan | TEDxAselsan MTAL Youth

Quick Overview

The speaker, Roni Deniz Utkan, discusses the profound, ongoing impact of volunteering and social responsibility projects, particularly one in Hatay after the 2023 earthquake, emphasizing that the journey of making a difference never truly ends, even when the initial tasks are complete, and encourages embracing the continuous nature of personal growth and impact.

Key Points: The speaker initiated his social responsibility efforts by writing a book at age 11, which he later felt was incomplete and lacked depth. He participated in a 2023 project in Hatay following the earthquake, where he and 45 other volunteers worked in a village. The speaker felt an immediate connection and sense of purpose through helping the earthquake victims, realizing his life had a clear direction. He recounts an anecdote where he asked his aunt, who was waiting in the bus, to bring in the children, showing immediate action over waiting for perfection. The speaker learned that the journey of social impact is continuous, comparing it to a story that never truly finishes, but rather opens new chapters. He concludes by expressing gratitude to the audience, acknowledging that their presence brings light, and encourages them to maintain their own paths of impact.

Context: The presentation is part of a TEDxYouth event organized by TEDxAselsanMTAL in 2025. The speaker, Roni Deniz Utkan, shares a personal reflection on his journey into social responsibility, contrasting his early, less impactful writing endeavors with a transformative experience volunteering in Hatay after the 2023 earthquake, where he learned the non-linear and continuous nature of making a positive impact.

Detailed Analysis

Roni Deniz Utkan begins by sharing his initial feelings of excitement and nervousness about speaking. He reflects on his early attempts at writing, specifically a book written at age 11 about 'Bensiye' (which he admits lacked true narrative depth) and how this early work felt incomplete. He then transitions to his experience volunteering in Hatay after the 2023 earthquake, where he worked alongside 45 other volunteers to support children affected by the disaster. This experience provided him with a profound sense of purpose and direction. He recounts an instance where he told his aunt, who was waiting in the bus, that they needed to stop waiting for the perfect moment (like the bus arriving) and get the children out immediately, underscoring the importance of immediate action. He stresses that the impact of social responsibility is not a finite project but an ongoing process, comparing it to a story that never truly ends but continuously evolves. He emphasizes that he and the other volunteers, despite their youth and initial lack of expertise in disaster response, felt a strong connection to the work. He concludes by thanking the audience, stating that their presence provides light, and wishes them continued success in their own journeys of impact.