2. City and Diplomacy Workshop held in Antalya

Antalya Metropolitan Municipality hosted the ‘2nd City and Diplomacy Workshop’ with the participation of 11 Metropolitan Municipalities. The workshop, attended by the President’s Advisors of Metropolitan Municipalities, Heads of Foreign Relations Departments, and Branch Managers, evaluated the role of municipalities in international relations and cooperation opportunities.

Focused on the themes of city diplomacy and internationalization, the 2nd City and Diplomacy Workshop aimed to share experiences and best practice examples, create a roadmap for the future, and exchange ideas on collaborations. The workshop, hosted by Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, took place with the participation of Deputy Secretary General Mustafa Gürbüz, President’s Advisors Osman Ayık and Ayşegül Şahin Pencik, Head of Foreign Relations Department of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Zeynep Tuğçe Çiftçibaşı Güç, and representatives from 11 Metropolitan Municipalities. During the two-day sessions of the workshop, difficulties encountered, solutions, and current situation analyses in the international activities of each metropolitan municipality were shared.

Experiences and examples were shared
Mustafa Gürbüz, Deputy Secretary General of Metropolitan Municipality, who delivered the opening speech on behalf of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Muhittin Böcek, emphasized the increasing role of cities in international relations. Gürbüz stated, ‘The aim of this workshop is to share our experiences and best practice examples on the themes of city diplomacy and opening up to the international arena, to create a roadmap for the future, and to facilitate idea exchange among collaborations.’ Gürbüz also pointed out that such events strengthen cooperation among municipalities, stating that the workshop is an important opportunity for cities to become more visible in the international arena and develop joint projects.

Antalya’s experiences were shared
Osman Ayık, President’s Advisor of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, shared the international experiences of the Metropolitan Municipality with the participants. Ayık emphasized the increasing importance of international relations due to Antalya being a tourism city and stated that Antalya Metropolitan Municipality is highly experienced in this regard. Ayık expressed their happiness in sharing these experiences during the workshop, highlighted the role of cities in developing tourism policies, and emphasized the necessity of establishing a special union for tourism cities.

Metropolitan municipalities presented their projects
In continuation of the workshop hosted by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality last year, the workshop focused on the main agenda item, the ‘Internationalization Action Plan,’ where the Foreign Relations Departments of 11 metropolitan municipalities presented their recommendations. The 11 Metropolitan Municipalities participating presented their international projects and strategies, sharing their experiences and successes with other participants. The workshop, held in three sessions, aimed to ensure that cities act more effectively and collaboratively on the international stage, addressing important information and strategies.

Exchange of ideas took place
The workshop, conducted interactively, progressed on the agenda items of ‘City Diplomacy and Internationalization in Municipalities.’ Representatives of metropolitan municipalities participating shared their experiences and best practice examples, exchanged ideas on creating a roadmap for the future and collaborations. In addition, participants had one-on-one, online, and video conference meetings with representatives of international networks that municipalities are members of, allowing participants to gain more information about these networks.

Encouraging information and experience sharing
The workshop aims to enhance the global representation capability of metropolitan municipalities, strengthen cooperation between cities, and contribute to them becoming more effective actors in the international arena. Such events encourage information and experience sharing among municipalities, while also providing opportunities for partnerships in international projects. Thus, as cities gain international recognition and influence, the capacity of local governments to address global issues is also strengthened.