The Turkish logo for the anti-cyberbullying project reads: “Don’t be a cyberbully! #beaware”

What is Cyberbullying?

The term cyberbullying can encompass a range of unpleasant actions that take place online, from gossip and exclusion to harassment and threats. Cyberbullying is carried out deliberately by individuals or groups and can cause serious psychological – and even physical – harm.

The collaboration between Samsung and BTK aims to heighten awareness of cyberbullying amongst the public and spearhead education initiatives for children, parents and teachers.

Raising Awareness

In the first stage of the project, a compelling film was created to show the effects of cyberbullying on young people and launch the message: “Don’t be a cyberbully!” A social media campaign followed, which encouraged large numbers of people to share the message, alongside the hashtag “#beaware”.

Cyberbullying leaflet for children (left), Cyberbullying leaflet for parents

Participants also replaced their profile pictures with a black square on their on social media accounts to draw further attention to the issue of cyberbullying. In addition, the project published two leaflets about cyberbullying, written by Dr. Emel Akca, a professor from Kocaeli University. One leaflet was designed for children, another for their parents.

Fighting Bullying Online

As part of Samsung’s Global Volunteer Festival, employees from Samsung Electronics Turkey were involved in face-to-face training sessions with over 200 local children and their parents this year, helping them to understand the effects of online behavior and social media use on young minds. Now in its second year, the initiative has thus far involved over 200 employees, and has reached more than 9,000 students and teachers.

Samsung volunteers hope to give children and parents the tools to prevent cyberbullying with face-to-face training

For the children, the training introduced the concept of cyberbullying and helped them to discuss the impact that cyberbullying has on their lives. Other key topics, such as time management and navigating the internet safely, were also explained. Samsung volunteers also took the time to sit down with the children in their own lives to explain practical methods for preventing and dealing with cyberbullying. With strong emphasis on empathy and ethical behavior online, it is hoped that children themselves will become key ambassadors for the anti-cyberbullying message.

Samsung volunteer Bilgin Baykam talks to a child about cyberbullying at home

During the parents’ seminar, the volunteers addressed important concerns, such as supervising internet access and usage, as well as introducing techniques that could help parents and families cope with cyberbullying. Parents were also encouraged to examine their own internet usage to help them guide their children in being more conscientious online.

This year, over 12,000 Samsung volunteers in more than 30 countries across the world have been involved in Samsung’s Global Volunteer Festival. The Volunteer Festival works with local community members and non-profit organizations to support a variety of projects in different regions.

Efe’s idea, which he calls ‘Motokask-Motoheadguard,’ promotes road safety by placing a sensor in motorcyclists’ helmets that communicates with a control mechanism attached to their vehicle. When a rider puts on their helmet, a wireless signal is sent to this mechanism, which then allows the engine to start. If the rider attempts to ride without their helmet, the engine does not run.

The competition that provided a platform for Efe to showcase his innovation, Samsung Future Inventors, was a collaboration between Samsung Electronics Turkey and the Creative Children’s Association, under the umbrella of Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow initiative.

Nurturing Solutions for Tomorrow’s Problems

Just as its name implies, Solve for Tomorrow was established to encourage bright young minds around the world to come up with fresh solutions to pressing problems. With contests in countries around the globe, the initiative challenges students like Efe to dream up innovative ways to improve the world around them. The competitions’ ultimate goals are to enrich communities in need with meaningful innovations, and to nurture these students’ growth, confidence and ingenuity.

In 2016, a total of 18 open competitions were hosted in as many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, China and Turkey.

The competitions award the most exceptional innovations. For coming up with a clever way to prevent road accidents, Efe earned his contest’s top prize. After receiving his award, Efe described how participating in the competition had inspired him to keep pursuing scientific projects and inventing new ways to help others.

See how Solve for Tomorrow competitions around the globe are helping students like Efe realize their creative ideas and make a difference in their community.

Building a Bridge to Make Dreams Come True

This past March, Samsung China organized a Solve for Tomorrow competition with the goal of making it easier for students in a mountainous region of Zunyi to get to school safely.

The contest challenged participants to design a model of a functional load-bearing bridge that could be used to construct a real one. After a winning design was selected, volunteers worked together to build the structure, which they dubbed the ‘Dream-Weaving Bridge’.

Along with lending a hand in the bridge’s construction, Samsung China staff donated science books and other educational resources to the rural school. Upon finishing the project, volunteers and contest participants walked away with a well-earned sense of accomplishment, as their efforts had made it easier for students to study science and pursue their educational dreams.

As Solve for Tomorrow participant Lü Xiaobo expressed afterward, “After helping to build the Dream-Weaving Bridge, and having seen the children’s smiles, I now see my life’s purpose more clearly, and will work hard to promote the study of science in the future.”

Promoting STEAM in the USA

In April, high school students from across America gathered in Washington, D.C. for the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest – a competition that challenged students in grades 6 through 12 to come up with STEAM-based (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) solutions to real-world problems.

The students in attendance at the National Union Building represented the contest’s 10 finalist schools. Groups took to the stage before a panel of judges to pitch their unique projects, which spanned from a vending machine that supplies free hygiene products to the homeless, to a robotic car seat that detects when a child is left in a hot vehicle and alerts their parents.

The contest’s three winning schools hailed from Arizona, Nebraska and New York. Their respective award-winning projects included a low-cost wildlife detection system to alert drivers of animals crossing the road, a drone-powered spraying system to target weeds and reduce the use of chemicals on crops, and an app that allows restaurants to donate food that might otherwise have gone to waste to provide after-school meals for students in need.

By promoting the study of sciences and helping the next generation make a difference in their community, Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow program wholly embodies its guiding philosophy of inspiring the world and creating the future.

Each year the Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race draws scores of swimmers from across the world for a truly memorable and unifying competition.

One day, a man was walking by some elephants when he found himself forced to stop. He was confused by the fact that each of the huge creatures was being held only by a small rope tied to its front leg. No chains and no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at any time, break free of their ties. But, for some reason, they did not.

The man asked their trainer, who was standing nearby, why the animals just stood where they were, making no attempt to get away. The trainer said, “Well, when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them. And at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe that they cannot break away. They believe that the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

The man was amazed. These animals could, at any time, break free of their bonds. But because they believed they could not, they were stuck right where they were.

Some of us have, like those elephants, gone through our lives hanging onto a belief that we could not do something — limiting ourselves. Thankfully, however, some of us have not!

The competitors of the Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race occupy the latter category. This year, for the 28^th time, the race welcomed swimmers from around the world for a captivating and challenging experience of a lifetime. Each year, entrants take on the unique, continent-spanning course, starting in Kanlıca, on the Asian side of Istanbul, and finishing in Kurucesme, on the European side. Appropriately, after taking part in the continent-crossing race, competitors feel united, having shared a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

This year, for the 28th edition of the race — in Samsung’s 12th year of sponsorship — the Bosphorus hosted 1,541 athletes from 49 countries.

#SamsungYuzmeYarisi

The 360-degree communication campaign to drive attention to the race and create awareness among millennials started with a film — “Atın Beni Denizlere”, starring Ata Demirer — and encompassed a variety of communication channels, including TV, OOH, digital platforms, print and social media.

Prior to the event, there was an Instagram contest, titled “Samsung Swimming Race Bosphorus Memories”. Those who hashtagged their posts with “#BogazAnilari” and “#SamsungYuzmeYarisi” in the days leading up to the race had a chance to win one of the Samsung portable battery chargers given away each day, as well as a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, which was awarded as a grand prize at the end of the contest.

Throw Me into the Sea!

A promotional film was also prepared to capture the spirit of excitement leading up to this year’s race. Starring Ata Demirer, it depicts a humorous and surprising scenario. Acting as a boat captain bringing contestants to the race, Mr. Demirer performs a parody of the song “Atın Beni Denizlere” (“Throw Me into the Sea”), adapted for the event to motivate swimmers. He gets caught up in the excitement, however, and quickly finds himself plunged into the Bosphorus, where he proceeds to delight viewers with original moves and salute the swimmers passing by.

Ata Demirer — famous Turkish stand-up comedian and filmmaker, and the star of the race’s promotional film.

A Unique and Unifying Experience

Samsung Electronics Turkey (SETK) and the Turkish Olympic Committee held a joint press conference before the race, where SETK President Mr. DH Kim highlighted Samsung’s belief that sports, as a universal language, has the power to unite people across the world and promote tolerance and respect.

“As a global leader in the IT industry, we believe that sports play an important role in crossing borders and continents, uniting people of different cultures, and promoting peace and tolerance. We have supported the Turkish Olympic Committee (TMOK) for 12 years — a commitment in line with our goal to increase participation in sports and strengthen the Olympic spirit.

“As a world leader in pioneering the most advanced technologies for many years now, we draw our power for innovation from the dynamism of youth, supporting it in every aspect of our lives. In this regard, sports constitute one of our focal points. We are proud to host the Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race, which has become a symbol for removing borders — ‘uniting’ Asia and Europe. Samsung is very happy to give swimmers and spectators a unique experience, and the memory of a lifetime.

“This international race, which invites not only professional athletes but also attendees from all corners of the world, also plays a significant role in the promotion of Turkey. Each swimmer returns to his or her country as an Istanbul ambassador, and this is very important to us. It gives us great pleasure to share the enthusiasm of this unique race with sports lovers.”

Samsung Experience Zones

The Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race is also a great opportunity to meet customers and present them with interesting experiences in the race area. This year, for the first time, CE products were displayed in the Samsung Premium Lounge, where Chef Serkan Bozkurt’s culinary presentation also attracted great attention. In the Product Experience Zone, visitors were given a chance to experience, one-on-one, IM products such as Gear VR, Gear 360 and the Galaxy S7 Edge.

Chef Serkan Bozkurt whips up delectable delights in the Samsung Premium Lounge while guests immerse themselves in a virtual world with Gear VR.

At the Samsung Premium Lounge, guests get a closer look at the brand’s latest CE innovations and President Mr. DH Kim expounds on sport and unity’s links to the brand.

The race welcomed thousands of competitors and guests in the spirit of unity and good health, even leading group warm-up sessions to help them limber up.

Intrepid swimmers embark on the cross-continental journey.