A meeting of the newly formed Girne Municipality Children’s Assembly was held on 11th January 2020 to elect the President of the Assembly.
15 candidates between the ages of 9-15, from different schools in the Girne region, competed in the election. During the event, the presidential candidates made their speeches on the podium. The candidates, were asked to explain to the members of the Girne Municipality Children’s Assembly why they aspire to this task and if they are elected, what they want to do for the city. Following the speeches of the members of the children’s council, votes were cast and the first Girne Municipality Children’s Assembly President and deputies were identified. After the election of the Board of Directors, the President of the Assembly was elected.
As a result of the vote, Zehra Bilge Bayram of Hasan Cafer Primary School, was elected as President of the Girne Municipality Children’s Assembly. Aleyna Besimler from Oğuz Veli Secondary School was elected as Vice President. Emir Aslantaş from Doğa College who received equal votes, will alternately serve as Vice-President and take part in the Board of Directors, together with Alya Aker from 23 Nisan Primary School, Eylül Su Gündoğdu from 19 May TMK and Yekta Aşut from Oğuz Veli Secondary School.
At the meeting, children’s councillors were also registered with the committees.
The Children’s Assembly was formed on 7th January 2020 for children aged 9-15 years, living in the city.
Girne Mayor Nidai Güngördü, expressed that the Municipality believes that everyone should have the right to speak in the city administration, and as soon as he came to office in 2004, he stressed that everyone in the city from 7 to 70 have the right to speak. With this in mind, on 20th November 2019, World Children’s Rights Day, he stated that they had decided to establish a child council, and in this context on Tuesday 7th January 2020, the Girne Municipality Children’s Assembly was formed by creating members of the board.
The Mayor added that the Girne Municipality Children’s Assembly, had 15 candidates from which to elect the President and Vice-President. Güngördü added that the President and Vice-President, the Board of Directors and Committees will start work as soon as possible.
Güngördü stressed that this step is of great importance for the Turkish Cypriot people in terms of democracy, common wisdom and the input to be made in the city. He also emphasised that it is very important for children to have a say in the city, gain self-confidence, develop their understanding of democracy and gain awareness that they will be the managers of the future.
Mayor Gungordu thanked the councilors who contributed to the implementation of the children’s council, the commissioners and the families and teachers who encouraged the children in this matter.
