Turkish Healthy Cities Association met in Balıkesir

Hosted by Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and Karesi Municipality, the conference titled “Physical Activity and Active Life” and the 24^th Ordinary General Assembly was organized by Healthy Cities Association, which was established for the purpose of making WHO European Healthy Cities Network prevalent in Turkey.

At the opening ceremony of the conference, Karesi Ensemble took the stage and performed folk-dances.

The Mayors of Associate Municipalities, representatives of Associate Municipalities and academicians attended the meeting. At his keynote speech, the Mayor of Karesi Municipality Yücel Yılmaz expressed his gratitude to be hosting the representatives of municipalities affiliated to the Turkish Healthy Cities Association in his region. Exemplifying the studies of his district on healthy life within his speech, Mr. Yılmaz noted that they have been putting so much effort into realizing a healthy transformation not only physically but also mentally, in Karesi.

Also, taking the floor at the keynote speeches of the conference, the host of the organization, Ahmet Edip Uğur – Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality informed the attendants about the studies conducted for the sake of healthy life in the region. Emphasizing that Balıkesir is a holiday destination and an olive land that bestrides between Marmara and Aegean Regions with its 22 islands, Mr. Uğur stated they have created a direct influence on human health by the services they put into practice. Noting that, as a Metropolitan Municipality they have been controlling every food product from field to fork and bringing the health statistics to a positive level by investments they have engaged such as parks, playgrounds and playfields, Mr. Uğur indicated they are pleased to be conducting human services by integrated approaches.

As he took the floor at the conference, Recep Altape, president of Turkish Healthy Cities Association and Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality told that they will endeavour to evaluate the issue of physical activity and active life at Balıkesir meeting, handling it with different viewpoints and by various approaches. Indicating that today’s living conditions make people exercise less, millions of people work at sedentary jobs, spend most of their time watching tv or sitting at the computer and these cause many diseases, notably obesity; President Altepe said: “Obesity has become a very common problem today. This situation also provides a basis for many chronic illnesses such as heart diseases and diabetes. Exercise, along with diet, is a must in prevention of obesity in order to obtain a healthier and more effective result.”

Efficient solutions will be put on the agenda

President Altepe reminded that the primary objective of Turkish Healthy Cities Association is to put health on the agenda of local administrations, and he stated: “So we have decided to give the title ‘Physical Activity and Active Life’ to this meeting of ours that is hosted by Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and Karesi Municipality. We aim at developing efficient solutions especially for obesity and the diseases related to it at this Balıkesir meeting realized by contributions of participants from Ministry of Health, universities, associations and municipalities who have accepted our invitation.”

At his keynote speech of the conference, President Altepe also congratulated municipalities of Bursa, İzmir, Trabzon, Burdur, Yalova, Çankaya, Nilüfer, Gölcük, Tepebaşı and Balçova for being affiliated to World Health Organization (WHO) European Healthy Cities Network.

Following the speeches, 24^th Ordinary General Assembly took place.

Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, Recep Altepe who has been holding the presidency of Association, restored trust and was requalified for presidency of Turkish Healthy Cities Association.

Highlighting that Turkish Healthy Cities Association is the principal partner of World Health Organization (WHO) in Turkey and the source of pride in Turkey’s municipalism with the works it perform, President Altepe said: “We are going to strive for providing services to all of our associates without discriminating political views and for being worhty of good faith put in us.”

Following the election, tendering the council members his vote of thanks, President Altepe wished good luck with the new period. Gratulating his assigned colleagues and laying emphasis on that as management they will continue to take action resolutely to be worthy of this, President Altepe also highlighted they will be responsive to the issue of instutionalization at the new period as well. Indicating that they have raised their sights and they will expend energy on enabling the Association to be determinative in every region of Turkey, to play an active role in determining recent policies; President Altepe stated: “We are in service in a vast region from Tuna Basin to Ergene, from Ürgüp to Marmara Basin. We will perform more efficient works with respect to these issues in the upcoming days.”

At the end of the plenary session of the 24^th Ordinary General Assembly, the  new board of the Turkish Healthy Cities Association consisted of these figures below:

President ofTurkish Healthy Cities Association: Recep Altepe – Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality.

Deputy Mayor: Mehmet Ellibeş – Mayor of Gölcük Municipality.

Deputy Mayor: Adnan Köşker – Mayor of Gebze Municipality.

Full Secretary Members of the Association: Mustafa Kırcalı – Mayor of Aydın Metropolitan Municipality, Abdullah Dikel – Alderman of Osmangazi Municipality.

Associate Secretary Members of the Association: Melih Arslangiray – Mayor of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, Nazmiye Höbek – Alderwoman of Gebze Municipality.

Councilmen:

Recep Altepe – Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality,

Ahmet Edip Uğur – Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality,

Ali Orkun Cengiz – Mayor of Burdur Municipality,

Salih Kenan Şahin – Mayor of Pendik Municipality,

Adnan Köşker – Mayor of Gebze Municipality,

Ufuk Sesli – Mayor of Bayındır Municipality,

Emre Çakır – Alderman of Çankaya Municipality.

Members of the Planning and Budget Commission:

Fahri Yıldız – Mayor of Ürgüp Municipality,

Güven Yılmaz – Alderman of Yalova Municipality,

Mahmure Uçar – Alderwoman of Mudanya Municipality,

Gülten Seber – Alderwoman of Odunpazarı Municipality,

Sezgin Yılmaz – Alderman of Ortahisar Municipality.

The number of affiliated members reached up to 63

The number of associates of the association increased from 60 to 63. Approved by member municipalities of Turkish Healthy Cities Association, Municipalities of Denizli Merkezefendi, Afyonkarahisar Dinar and Sandıklı were involved in the Association as initiates. Mustafa Çöl, Mayor of Sandıklı Municipality, of which membership was approved, gave a vote of thanks.

Also it has been agreed upon the next assembly to be hosted by Metropolitan Municipality of Mersin.

Balıkesir meeting was also supported by Bursa Association of Cyclists and Nature Lovers for the purpose of drawing attention to physical activity and active life on the occasion of European Mobility Week.

After the general assembly, the session titled “Directory of Turkish Physical Activity and Turkey’s Programme of Healthy Diet and Vigorous Life” was carried out, chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel İRGİL – Retired Member of Uludağ University – Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health and Member of Advisory Committee of Turkish Healthy Cities Association.

First speaker of the session, Prof. Dr. Hülya KAYIHAN – Head of Ergotherapy Department, Faculty of Health Sciences – Hacettepe University, made her presentation themed as “Introduction of Turkish Physical Activity Directory” to the participants. Following Kayıhan’s speech, Specialist Dr. Sabahattin KOCADAĞ, Public Health Specialist from Public Health Agency of Turkey –Department of Obesity, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases gave an outline of “Turkey’s Programme of Healthy Diet and Vigorous Life”.

After Kocadağ’s speech, first day of the conference was closed by a technical visit.

At the second day of the assembly, it was passed on to the second session titled “Physical Activity Approaches”, which was chaired by Prof. Dr. Cengiz TÜRE, Head of the Department Of Ecology of Anadolu University and Member of Advisory Committee of Turkish Healthy Cities Association. Taking the floor in first place, Prof. Dr. Devrim AKSEKİ from Balıkesir University – Faculty of Medicine made a presentation entitled “Sports Injuries from a Municipal Point of View”. After Mr. Akseki, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fahri AKÇAKOYUN from Balıkesir University – School of Physical Education and Sports made a speech on “The Effect of Regular Exercising on Organism”. After Mr. Akçakoyun, the president of Bursa Bursa Association of Cyclists and Nature Lovers – Ertan AYÇETİN made his presentation called “Stay Up, Stay Alive” to the attendants. As the last speaker of the conference, Adnan ÇANGİR – Board Member of ENVERÇEVKO (Energy Efficiency and Environment Protection Association) and MOVE Week National Coordinator made his presentation titled “NowWeMove”, the second session has come to an end.

Then it was passed on the third and last session entitled “Application Examples of Local Administrations” which was chaired by Prof.Dr. Ünal ALTINBAŞ, Retired Academic Member of Ege University Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition and Member of Advisory Committee of Turkish Healthy Cities Association. Taking the floor in first place, Yücel YILMAZ, Mayor of Karesi Municipality mentioned the studies of Karesi Municipality by his presentation titled “Karesi – The City Promoting Health”. Following Mr. YILMAZ, Secretary-General of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality – Osman YENİDOĞAN told the participants about the studies of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality in the field of urban sports activities by his presentation called “Support of Local Authorities for Sports Activities in Establishing a Healthy City – Balıkesir Model”. After Mr. Yenidoğan, Alderwoman of Odunpazarı Municipality – Prof. Dr. Gülten Sönmez SEBER gave her presentation titled “Life-Long Development: Old Age and Quality of Life”. Taking the floor following Ms. Seber, Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Coordinator ofActivities of Sports Clubs and School Sports – Adem YAKINCI gave information about the sports activities of schools in Bursa Metropolitan Municipality at his presentation entitled “Activities of School Sports in Metropolitan Municipality of Bursa”. Taking the floor at the last session of the assembly, Chief of Sanitary Affairs Department – General Directorate of Social Services of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Yılmaz OKTAY, made his presentation titled “A Project of Vigorous and Healthy Life in Fighting Against Obesity.”

After the conference, Balıkesir Meeting ended upafter the attendants were enabled to pay a visit to the childrens’ village created by Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and the sports facilities built by Karesi Municipality.