Pendik Municipality hosted students from sister cities in Palestine, Kosovo, Hungary, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Turkey at its Youth Camp between July 1–5, 2025. The Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB) supported the program by facilitating international participation.
As part of the Pendik Municipality Sister Cities Student Exchange Program, 40 students from Palestine, Hungary, Kosovo, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia were welcomed at the Pendik Youth Camp. During the week-long program, students from different cities examined youth-oriented investments in Pendik. They visited the Center for Barrier-Free Living, the Sülüntepe Martyr Burhan Öner Sports Complex, the Kaynarca New Generation Life Center, and Hungarian Park.
In addition to local visits, excursions such as the Historical Peninsula Tour (Hagia Sophia Mosque, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapı Palace), Bosphorus Cruise, and Tuzla Theme Park were organized to help the students enjoy their time and get to know Istanbul better.
As part of the program, Cultural Nights were held for each participating city on designated days, allowing students to showcase their cultures, cities, foods, and traditional games.
Pendik Mayor Ahmet Cin met with the students at the Sister Cities Student Exchange Youth Camp. Emphasizing the importance of the student exchange program, Mayor Cin said: “We are very pleased to host you here. Activities like this are extremely important for world peace above all. That’s why we place great value on such efforts.”
Mayor Cin also touched on the situation in Palestine and Gaza: “In our recent history, the tragic experiences in Bosnia were deeply saddening, and now the difficult situation of our Palestinian brothers greatly saddens us. The genocide in Gaza, in particular, is a tragic affront to humanity. We hope, for the sake of human dignity, that this genocide in Palestine and Gaza comes to an end as soon as possible”.
About the Pendik Youth Camp
Pendik Municipality’s Youth Camp is a non-profit project designed to introduce young people to nature through experimental, hands-on, and sports activities. It encourages visitors to explore, try new things, and be creative. Located on a 24,650 m² complex, the camp includes three accommodation areas (each for 32 people), activity zones for sports like archery, beach volleyball, and football, a 1,700-meter nature walking trail, and rest areas. It serves as a hub for Pendik’s youth and international youth programs.
