Municipal Unions Consultation Meeting, organized by Union of Municipalities of Turkey, was held on 29 March 2021 with the hosting of Konya Metropolitan Municipality.
The meeting, which was held at Selçuklu Congress Center, was participated by President of Turkish Healthy Cities Association and also Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Alinur Aktaş, President of Union of Eastern Black Sea Municipalities and also Mayor of Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality Murat Zorluoğlu, President of Marmara Municipalities Union and also Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Tahir Büyükakın, President of Union of Eastern Anatolia Municipalities and also Mayor of Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality Mehmet Sekmen, TBB Council Member and Mayor of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality Memduh Büyükkılıç, President of Union of Energy Cities and also Mayor of Denizli Metropolitan Municipality Osman Zolan, President of the Union of Cities Organizing Oil Wrestling and Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Yücel Yılmaz, President of Union of Historical Cities and Mayor of Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality Hayrettin Güngör, TBB Council 1st Deputy Chairman and Mayor of Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality Zeynel Abidin Beyazgül, President of Mediterranean Municipalities Union and Mayor of Kepez Hakan Tütüncü, President of Union of Bursa Municipalities and Mayor of Osmangazi Mustafa Dündar, President of Union of Pasin Plain Municipalities and Mayor of Köprüköy Osman Belli, TBB Secretary General Birol Ekici and TBB Deputy Secretary General Ahmet Kazan.
Noting that the Seljuk capital Konya is one of the most important cities of the municipal movement that started in 1989, President of Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB) and Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality Uğur Ibrahim Altay said, “Our consultations with the Unions in the coordination of the Union of Municipalities of Turkey will be successful, because we can be much more successful by transferring knowledge and experience to each other.”
Mayor Altay, who continued his speech by explaining that they have many national and international union presidencies as Konya Metropolitan Municipality, said: “I am currently the President of TDBB. TDBB is an international union with 1,170 municipalities from 30 countries. TDBB conducts many projects; especially sharing experiences with municipalities in our addressing geography and sister city relations. However, I am the co-chair of UCLG. We both represent our country and strive to be the voice of especially oppressed nations in our addressing geography.”
The President of Union of Municipalities of Turkey and Mayor of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Fatma Sahin stated that after pandemics, a new world has been established and the exchange of experience is very important. Stating that Konya is a city that has become a leading actor in local development, Şahin said: “When you come to the city, you find peace. You see a livable city of civilization. We appreciate Mayor Altay’s both national and international success.”
