AXA Turkey continues to trace our cultural heritage underwater. AXA Turkey’s support for the projects of the Mediterranean Archaeology Association was also recognized in the international arena.
AXA Turkey took an important step towards protecting Turkey’s cultural heritage with its support for underwater archaeology projects carried out in cooperation with the Mediterranean Archaeology Association. Under the leadership of the Association’s President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Öniz, shipwrecks, ancient port structures and historical ruins in the depths of the Mediterranean are being unearthed with scientific methods.
This meaningful project was shared with the international community at the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 (UN Ocean Conference 2025) hosted by AXA Group in Nice, France. AXA Turkey was represented at the event by Yavuz Ölken, CEO; Onur Koçkar, Head of Legal, Compliance and Corporate Responsibility; and Assoc. Prof. Hakan Öniz, who provided scientific leadership to the project.
“Insurance protects not only risks but also values”
Speaking at the conference, AXA Turkey CEO Yavuz Ölken explained their support for the project as follows:
“Insurance requires securing not only risks but also the common values of society. Our support for this project is a way of protecting our cultural heritage and passing it on to future generations. We will also continue our efforts to raise awareness on biodiversity and climate change.”
“We cannot protect the future without understanding the past”
Onur Koçkar, Head of Legal, Compliance and Corporate Responsibility at AXA Turkey, said:
“We see this project not just as a sponsorship, but as an expression of our connection with the past. The history beneath the seas is the silent witness of our identity. The fact that Turkey is surrounded by seas gives us the responsibility to protect this heritage.”
“Turkey has reached world standards in underwater archaeology”
The scientific leader of the project, Assoc. Prof. Hakan Öniz, pointed out the difficulties of underwater archaeology and said:
“Working underwater is a process that requires high expertise. As a result of years of labor and scientific work, Turkey has gone beyond world standards in this field. Private sector support is an important part of this success. AXA Turkey’s contribution is not just a sponsorship; it is part of a shared vision for the future.”
Scientific protection for values
Remains discovered underwater stand out as important structures that carry the past to the present and keep cultural memory alive. By securing these values through scientific studies, AXA Turkey protects not only risks but also social memory.
This contribution is in line with AXA Group’s global commitments to combat climate change, protect nature and cultural heritage, and support sustainable tourism. With this project, which contributes to the protection of important cultural heritage sites such as the Kumluca and Finike shipwrecks off the coast of Antalya, AXA Turkey supports scientific research while keeping the historical memory of the region alive.
🎥 Click to watch the video about the project:
https://youtu.be/LY2JiKhAtoI
