UCLG-MEWA Culture and Tourism Committee Administrative Meeting organised by Girne Municipality was convened online for the 2019-2022 term, and was chaired by Girne Municipality Mayor Nidai Güngördü.
The 52 member municipalities and committee co-chairs of the Culture and Tourism Committee, one of the six working committees of the United Cities and Local Governments Middle East and West Asia Regional Organization (UCLG-MEWA) was held as an online joint meeting chaired by Girne Municipality President Nidai Güngördü for the term 2019-2022.
Meeting; UCLG-MEWA Secretary General Mehmet Duman, Girne Mayor Nidai Güngördü, Palestine Beit Jala Municipality Mayor Nicola Kamis, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yücel Yılmaz, Nevşehir Mayor Rasım Arı, Safranbolu Mayor Elif Köse, Gebze Mayor Zinnur Büyükgöz and Cyprus Turkish Municipalities Union (KTBB) and Güzelyurt Mayor Mahmut Özçınar started with the opening speeches.
In his speech at the meeting, Girne Mayor Nidai Güngördü stated that it is a very important idea and correct decision to hold such a meeting due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has affected the whole world. Güngördü pointed out the importance of programming that can be done without breaking the ties and interrupting them, and stated that they are trying to fulfill the task assigned to the Girne Municipality in the first meeting held in Jordan in July 2019.
Güngördü said that they could not physically hold the meeting due to the pandemic, but that they held a meeting in Girne in November 2019 and that there was intense participation in this meeting, and he believed that the committee, where knowledgeable and experienced municipalities come together, would be successful. Nidai Güngördü stated that our country, and in terms of Turkey’s historical and cultural heritage, is expressed as very rich with cultural heritage, inventory project partners to work with and others prepared to do so, and used in tourism this wealth will be protected and promotion carried out. He added that they have determined the agenda for 2021 together with the Municipalities and stated that it is a very important issue for the TRNC and Girne Municipality.
Güngördü stated that approximately 280 municipalities are members of the aforementioned Organisation and that they include various committees, and that they explained that the culture of Girne and the TRNC is an important area in the Middle East.
Emphasising that the “Olive Grove Festival” organised by the Girne Municipality is important, Güngördü stated that it was discussed that a trade network could be established with the Municipalities of other olive growing regions under the leadership of the Girne Municipality.
Drawing attention to the importance of establishing a trade network, Girne Municipality Mayor Güngördü said that another issue discussed at the meeting was that Balıkesir Municipality had assumed a task to create an unimpeded city from the current situation of Balıkesir in the 2021 work program. Güngördü stated that since July 2014, many activities have been carried out for disabled individuals in public buildings in the city and in the market centre in Girne, and that they put these as a condition for workplace opening permits and they want to be a part of this work in Balıkesir. He stated that they can do part of this under the roof of MEWA in Girne.
Girne Municipality Mayor Nidai Güngördü also made statements about a document book in which the TRNC will also be included, and stated that the book entitled “The Role of Local Governments in the Protection of Cultural Heritage” will be published in the near future.
Güngördü noted that a joint calendar can be prepared for many issues such as culture and art events.
Source (Turkish) Girne Municipality
