A “Sustainable Urban Development Network” was formed at the training organised by the Local Monitoring, Research and Implementation Association (Yereliz) with the participation of 20 municipalities from various parts of Turkey.

A first of its kind in Turkey and involving communications, sharing and collaboration among the municipalities which signed the Sustainable Urban Development Protocol, the network was formed upon a joint call by the participants.

The Sustainable Urban Development Network includes Şanlıurfa Ceylanpınar Municipality, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, Bursa Gürsu Municipality, Istanbul Küçükçekmece Municipality, Eskişehir Tepebaşı Municipality, Zonguldak Çaycuma Municipality, Istanbul Sultanbeyli Municipality, Kars Municipality, Rize Fındıklı Municipality, Muğla Fethiye Municipality, Mardin Metropolitan Municipality, Izmir Çiğli Municipality, Izmir Konak Municipality, Denizli Acıpayam Municipality, Siirt Municipality, Giresun Espiye Municipality, Istanbul Avcılar Municipality, Van Metropolitan Municipality, Bursa Nilüfer Municipality and Istanbul Maltepe Municipality.

Izmir Metropolitan Municipality assumed the first-term secretariat of the Network; and networked municipalities declared that they would further their collaboration.

Training for Municipalities on Strategic Plans and Sustainable Development Goals

At the “Training for Municipalities on Strategic Plans and Sustainable Development Goals” held at a time when municipalities were making their strategic plans, it was emphasised that the municipal agenda for 2020-2024 must converge on the global agenda.

Participants at the two-day training hosted by Kadıköy Municipality worked on the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and presented good practices.

The presentations included “What are Sustainable Development Goals? Why Is Their Localisation Important?” by Mr. Faik Uyanık, Communications Officer, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Turkey; “Nilüfer Municipality’s Strategic Planning Process” by Ms. Aslıhan Çöpoğlu, Head of Strategic Management and Planning Office; “Kadıköy Municipality: ‘Tell me Kadıköy’ and Integrated Report” by Mr. Can Akbal, Strategy Development Director; “Maltepe Municipality’s Sustainable Development Goals Research Report” by Mr. Bahadır Keşan, Director of Strategy Development; and “Strategic Planning for Sustainable Cities” by Mr. Barış Doğru of EkoIQ magazine.

Mr. Ruhisu Can Al, Advisor to Izmir Metropolitan Mayor, presented “Sustainable Development Journey” emphasising the contribution of the sustainability perspective to the institutionalisation and development of cities.

It was underlined that local governments should connect with the agendas of global scale, and formulate policy papers on such matters as climate crisis, poverty, inequalities, and strengthening institutional resources and structures.