“Street Economics Workshop”, one of the preparatory works of the Second Century Economics Congress to be held in Izmir on March 15-21, brought together street workers and their representatives in Historical Çukurhan. The issues discussed at the workshop and solution proposals will contribute to the final declaration of the Second Century Economics Congress, which will be announced to the whole of Turkey and the world on March 21.
The Street Economy Workshop, organized in cooperation with the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and the Izmir Mobile Tradesmen and Craftsmen Council, brought together the actors of the street economy working in different fields. In the workshop, many issues such as the rights of street workers, the economic and social sources of the problems they experience, and the legal arrangements that need to be made in this area were discussed.
The workshop took place in three main sections: the theoretical framework of street economics, the evaluation of street economy in terms of media, law and politics, the experiences of street workers and the forum. The topics discussed in the workshop and the solutions developed against them will contribute to the final declaration of the Second Century Economics Congress, which will be announced to the whole of Turkey and the world on March 21.
A wide representation was achieved
The Street Economics Workshop focused on mobile tradesmen, artisans and precarious workers who feel the negative effects of today's economic conditions most severely. Aiming to produce policies for these groups to live and work in more democratic, fair and equal economic conditions, the workshop was organized with a wide participation.
The workshop was attended by academicians, lawyers, researchers, media members and politicians, as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations, mobile tradesmen and craftsmen's associations and cooperatives. Meeting with Dr. Osman Sirkeci, Prof. Dr. Kamran Elbeyoglu, Prof. Dr. Nurseren Tor, Istanbul Şişli Municipality Councilor Atty. Emin Vahap Şimşek, representing the Istanbul Roma Community Bahattin Turnalı, representing the Tradesmen and Craftsmen Assembly Evren Laçin, representing the Aegean Recycling Cooperative Erhan Laçin, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Police Chief Turgay Günay, Former İzmir Provincial Cultural Director Yusuf Ziya Ulusoy, İz Medya General Coordinator Özgür Coşkun, Social Democrat Local Governments Association Board Member Özer Doğan, retired teacher and second-hand goods seller Servet Sabak and İzmir Mobile and Syrian Migrants Solidarity Association President Muhammed Saleh attended. prof. Dr. Huriye Toker, Founding President of the National Indian Confederation of Street Vendors Arbind Singh and lawyer Nandita Haksar contributed to the meeting via video message.
“Street economy is the birthplace of entrepreneurship climate”
Street economist Dr. Osman Sirkeci made a comprehensive presentation for the Street Economy Workshop and touched on the concept of street economy, the historical process of street economy and its contribution to the country's economy. Sirkeci said, “There is an Izmir Metropolitan Municipality that says 'street workers are indispensable' in the economic policies of the second century. We are currently dealing with a cluster that covers millions of people and creates values worth millions of liras in İzmir” and defined the concept of street economy with the following sentences: “Street economy is an integral part of daily life and the future, it is the repairer of the market economy's faults and the remedy for its deficiencies. The street economy is the primary source of low-cost employment and the assurance of low-cost, micro-scale mass product production. Street economics is the most common school of entrepreneurship. The street economy is the easiest entrepreneurial sector of the free market with zero bureaucracy. The street economy is the birthplace and living space of the entrepreneurial climate.”
“I decided to use art as a tool”
prof. Dr. Nurseren Tor talked about the work she did with her students at Mersin University Faculty of Fine Arts in 2019. Stating that the work called “Uray Art” was done to make Uray Street, one of the busiest places in Mersin, known again and to keep its history alive, Tor explained the project as follows: “Within the scope of the project, we placed all our paintings in the old buildings and streets that are no longer used on the street. Our aim was to make Uray Street visible again, to revive the memory of the city. Historical buildings need to be saved, if social areas are created, these houses will begin to be used and revived. This is how I decided to use art as a tool for the streets.”
“Legal regulation needed”
Bahattin Turnali, who attended the meeting on behalf of the Istanbul Romani Community, emphasized that the working lives of street workers should be legally regulated and said: Is it a crime to be poor? At this point, a legal arrangement needs to be made.”
“The concept of permission should be clarified”
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Police Chief Turgay Günay explained the problem created by the gap in the concept of “permit” in the legislation with these words: “The municipal police have many duties. One of them is to ban 'unauthorized' peddlers from activity. The important thing here is the phrase 'without permission'. According to what we allow, who gives permission, there is a gap here. It is not specified who will allow it. The solution point for this is the amendment to be made in the legislation. If we regulate the concept of permission, the monitoring mechanism of the seller will improve, the economic profit of the seller will improve, the discussions between the police and the peddler will end, and most importantly, social peace will be ensured.
“This meeting gave us hope”
Erhan Laçin, who attended the meeting representing the Aegean Recycling Cooperative, said, “Today, we are at a meeting that should inspire all of Turkey. On the occasion of the Second Century Economics Congress, we are expressing the voices, thoughts and expectations of street workers. This meeting gave us hope once again. We are here, we are here with the employment we offer to the country's economy as millions of precarious street workers. Fiscal and economic policies regarding the street economy, which constitutes ten percent of the country's economy, should be established and these should be among the economic policies of the second century.
12-item demand list presented
Evren Laçin, who attended the Street Economics Workshop representing the Tradesmen and Craftsmen Assembly, said, “The world is changing, why shouldn't the streets change? In the past, those working on the street were seen as committing a crime, on the contrary, we do not commit crimes, we contribute to the economy. The decisions taken here will change our lives in the second century of the republic, so we have many demands” and presented a list of 12 items.
Establishment of the Ministry of Tradesmen, digital registration system, health and social security, sales permit in closed market places for those who sell second-hand products, suggestions for more active use of the streets in the recycling sector, the right to work worthy of human dignity, the authority to establish chambers and unions, and social security. Many articles were included, such as being educated, regulating the right to education according to the tradesmen working on the street, financial support program, registry amnesty for room and dues debts, amnesty of all fines and tax debts.
“People who live off the street economy should be listened to”
Lawyer Emin Vahap Şimşek, Member of the Istanbul Şişli Municipality Council, emphasized that the demands of the workers who earn their living from the street should be listened to while determining new policies, and said: “Legal arrangements should be made for citizens working on the street, but according to what? States and local governments should determine policies according to the right social, economic and cultural characteristics while carrying out their activities. We can only create the strategic planning to be done by collecting the right data from the society. Otherwise, the arrangements we make will not be a solution to any problems. Just as people who make a living from the street economy are here today at this meeting and we try to find solutions by listening to them, this should be done while determining the policies.”
Congress on March 15-21
The Second Century Economics Congress, a civil, transparent and fully participatory initiative, will be held between 15-21 March 2023. At the end of the congress, policy proposals that will shape the new century will be shared with all of Turkey.
The program of the Second Century Economics Congress, which will last for seven days, includes main sessions, delegate meetings, forums and artistic activities.
Comprehensive negotiations on the long-term consequences of the destruction caused by the earthquake were included in the program of the Second Century Economics Congress, which was postponed to March 6-2023 after the great earthquake disaster on February 15, 21. Many different sessions were added to the program, such as creating cities that are compatible with nature and resistant to disasters, and disaster management.
The secretariat of the congress is carried out by the İzmir Planning Agency (İZPA) affiliated to İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. For all information about the Second Century Economics Congress, you can visit iktisatkongresi.org.