Healthy Cities Association Gathered in Kadirli

Hosted by Kadirli Municipality, the conference titled “The City and Immigration” and the 23rd

stateted session of Healthy Cities Association were held on 13 – 14 -15 November 2015.

Mr. Recep Altepe – president of Turkish Healthy Cities Association and Metropolitan Municipality

Mayor of Bursa, Mr. Mücahit Durmuşoğlu – the Deputy of Osmaniye, Mr. Muhittin Pamuk – the

District Governor of Kadirli, Mr. Ömer Tarhan – the Mayor of Kadirli, the mayors of associate

municipalities, the councilors, the directors of related agencies and institutes, the coordinators of

Turkish Healthy Cities Association, the specialists and the press members attended the

conference conducted at Devlet Bahçeli Cultural Centre of Kadirli Municipality.

At his keynote speech, the Mayor, Dr. Ömer Tarhan stated that it is important to deploy resources

in order to carry significant projects into effect, and he expressed his gratitude to the mayors and

representatives of important cities of Turkey for their attendance.

Stating that they struggle to leave a legacy of a better and further more habitable city to the next

generations, Mr. Tarhan added “We witness that Turkish Healthy Cities Association, flourishing,

leads a way of healthy life for more and more cities and citizens each and every day. In recent

years, the issues of city and immigration became prominent. And this makes local authorities to

provide advanced services. Local administrations become pioneers of significant studies in

economic and some other fields. We are really contented that such a beautiful and fruitful

meeting is being held in Kadirli. We would like to thank all our guests for attending.”

Also Mr. Muhittin Pamuk, the District Governor of Kadirli referring to the significance of creating

an environment that provides people a healthy living for the sake of a healthy future at his

speech, noted that would be possible by efforts of municipalities and local administrators.

President of Turkish Healthy Cities Association and Metropolitan Municipality Mayor of Bursa, Mr.

Recep Altepe mentioned that the studies of local authorities on city and immigration issues, which

are two of the important matters of Turkey will be discussed within the scope of the meeting. Mr.

Altepe continued: “A city needs powerful local administrations for urban growth and development.

We must closely follow up emerging technologies, applications and methods that we confront

every day, now that to keep up with modern times is the base priority of a contemporary and

quality service. Turkey is growing and developing. As an association, we grew into a well-known

establishment both nationally and internationally for the studies realized by our ever-increasing

know-how and never declining energy level. We achieved many studies to date, in order to make

Turkish Healthy Cities Association gain a corporate identity.”

President of Turkish Healthy Cities Association and Metropolitan Municipality Mayor of Bursa, Mr.

Recep Altepe stated that the rural-urban migrating population increases each and every day by

reasons of finding an employment in higly growing cities because of industrialization and bringing

up the children under better living conditions concerns. Mayor Altepe said that along with the

long-term migration of this kind, recently local authorities also confront an important problem as

the refugees from Syria arrives at Turkey, running from the civil war, and stated “The distress in

the settlements and municipalities nearby Syrian border, in short the Syrian refugees issue

eventually became a common issue among all municipalities. We will have a chance to hear the

remarkable experiences, and to take measures by this meeting, here in Kadirli.”

Following the keynote speeches, the associates agreed the annual budget of 2016 and the

productivity programme of 2016 at the 23rd stated session. As the membership of Samsun

Metropolitan Municipality, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, Beşiktaş Municipality of İstanbul,

Karesi Municipality of Balıkesir and İnegöl Municipality of Bursa were approved, the number of

associates increased to 60. Then the Mayor of Beşiktaş Municipality, Mr. Murat HAZİNEDAR took

the floor and expressed his content to be affiliated to the Healthy Cities Association. The Mayor of

Karesi Municipality, Mr. Yücel Yılmaz noted they were affiliated on the purpose of creating a

qualified and comfortable city, and stated they will strive to build a healthy city, and fight poverty

in cities, create habitable and healthy cities under the roof of the Association.

After the stated session took place, the awards of Best Application of Healthy Cities 2015 were

granted. President of Turkish Healthy Cities Association and Metropolitan Municipality Mayor of

Bursa, Mr. Recep Altepe bestowed the prizes of the winner projects selected among 43 projects

of 13 municipalities. Muğla Metropolitan Municipality for “Blue Sea, Clean Shores” in the field of

Healthy Environment, Kadirli Municipality for “City Museum” in the field of Social Responsibility,

Bilecik Municipality for “Karasu Habitat for Youth and Sports” in the field of Healthy City, and

Pendik Municipality for “Pendik Active Living Center” in the field of Healthy Life were deemed

worthy of award. Also the “Pugedon” (a solar device enables Street animals to feed and drink

water) project of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, the Natural-Aerated Lagoon Project of

Çankaya Municipality called Çansera Park, “Şirintepe Pediatric Oral and Dental Health Clinics”

Project of Tepebaşı Municipality, and “Count Us In” Project of Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality

were deemed worthy of jury’s special award.

Following the award ceremony, it was passed on to the session titled “The Effects of Migration

and Migration Policies” chaired by Prof. Dr. Cengiz TÜRE, Head of the Department Of Ecology of

Anadolu University and Member of Advisory Committee of Healthy Cities Association (HCA).

Prof.Dr. Ünal ALTINBAŞ, Retired Academic Member of Ege University Department of Soil

Science and Plant Nutrition and Member of Advisory Committee of HCA, made his presentation

on “Negative Impacts of Migration on Urban Land” to the participants. After Mr. Altınbaş, Mr.

Murad DAOUDOV, Faculty Member of Marmara University Faculty of Social Sciences took the

floor and spoke of “Rotation of Discourse-Action in Migration Policy and Municipalities”. The

presentation titled “Immigrant Oriented Local Policies in Cities” of Mr. Mehdi ZOUAOUI, the

Researcher and Educational Counsellor of Middle East Development Network ended the first

session.

After the conference, the delegation visited Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality’s Oya Bahadır

Yüksel Rehabilitation Centre, which struggles against addiction. Within the scope of visit, which

was accompanied by the Mayor of Metropolitan Municipality of Gaziantep, Ms. Fatma ŞAHİN, Dr.

Cenk YANCAR made a presentation to the participants, on centre’s studies of fight against

addiction.

At the second day of conference, a session titled “The Fact of Syria and Acculturation” was

conducted by the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Barış MATER, Retired Academic Member of Istanbul

University Faculty of Geography and Member of Advisory Committee of HCA.

The last session of conference was chaired by the Director of Healthy Cities Association, Mr.

Murat AR. At this session, the municipalities explained their projects awarded at the 2015 Healthy

Cities Best Application Competition. Firstly, Dr. Salih Kenan ŞAHİN, the Mayor of Pendik

Municipality and councilor of Healthy Cities Association told about the Project of “Pendik Active

Living Centre” which was awarded at Healthy Living category. Following the presentation of

Pendik Municipality, Mr. Abdullah AY, Vice Mayor of Bilecik Municipality shared about the

“Karasu Habitat for Youth and Sports” Project that took prize at the category of Healthy City. After

Ms. Aylin GİRAY, Head of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Protection and Control

Department narrated their studies of “Blue Sea, Clean Shores” Project won the prize at the

category of Healthy Environment, finally Kadirli co-ordinator of HCA, Mr. Cevahir ZARARSIZ gave

information about the “City Museum” Project which was awarded at the Social Responsibility

category.

Following the sessions, the conference has closed by a technical visit to the treatment facilities,

and also a visit to City Museum and Alacami of Kadirli Municipality.