The Golden Ant Awards, which reward inspiring projects of municipalities, were presented to their owners for the tenth time at a ceremony held in Istanbul on December 12. 10 projects from 40 municipalities were deemed worthy of awards in 55 categories ranging from climate change to culture and arts, from transportation to disaster management.
The Golden Ant Awards, organized by the Marmara Municipalities Union (MBB) for the 10th time this year, rewarded the innovative and inspiring projects of municipalities. 10 project teams received their awards from MBB and Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey in 55 categories including Disaster Management, Smart City Applications, Climate Change and Environmental Management, Urban Design and Architecture, Culture and Art, Social Services, Urban Planning and Infrastructure, Transportation and Mobility, Local Development, Governance and Participation.
Speaking at the opening of the award ceremony, Bozbey said, “We are here to applaud the innovative projects and valuable teams behind them that make our cities more livable, sustainable and inclusive. I am sure that we will be inspired by each other as we celebrate projects that make a difference.”
Bozbey: We need to review the way we manage cities
Bozbey said, “By 2050, cities are expected to host 70% of the world’s population. Our cities will face unprecedented challenges in the context of climate change. How will we prepare for all these challenges? We need to reconsider and rethink the way we manage our cities. We need to design cities for people, not cars; ensure that everyone has access to the opportunities that cities offer; invest in resource-efficient buildings, transportation, energy, water and waste systems; and ensure that cities nurture innovation and learn from each other. With Altın Ant, we aim to celebrate successes as well as to share the experience behind these successes and increase cooperation.”
Stating that they did not apply to the Golden Ant Awards 2024 program as a municipality, Mayor Bozbey said, “As Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, we did not apply with the intention of respecting an unbiased and impartial evaluation process and we were very sensitive about this issue.”
Bozbey: Projects to be awarded are a continuation of the 50-year journey
Referring to the fact that the Marmara Municipalities Union will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, Mayor Bozbey said, “In this journey we set out on in 1975, we have implemented many projects to make our cities more livable, stronger and more durable. The projects that will be awarded today are a continuation of this journey, solid bridges extending to the future. These valuable projects implemented by our municipalities set an example for other municipalities and are important milestones in our local government and urban planning history.”
Following the opening speeches, MBB Secretary General M. Cemil Arslan made a presentation regarding the evaluation process of the Golden Ant Awards.
GOLDEN ANT AWARDS 2024 – WINNING PROJECTS
DISASTER MANAGEMENT CATEGORY
• CoastWAVE Project, Büyükçekmece Municipality
• Pendik Disaster and Risk Awareness, Pendik Municipality
• Post-Disaster Safe Living Areas, Tekirdağ Metropolitan Municipality
SMART CITY APPLICATIONS CATEGORY
• Digital City Twin: Sustainable City Management Project, Bağcılar Municipality
• Bizim Esnaf Mobile Application, Bahçelievler Municipality
• Will You Be My Home?, Beylikdüzü Municipality
• Digital Twin Application for Sustainable Rail System Operation, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
• Disaster Early Warning System, Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT CATEGORY
• Climate Ambassadors for a Green Future, Ahmetbey Municipality
• Istanbul Innovative Environmental Education Center (İÇEM), Ataşehir Municipality
• Cleaning the Marmara and Aegean Seas from Ghost Nets and Other Wastes, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality
• Green Workplace, Büyükçekmece Municipality
• Liquid Fertilizer Support, Çatalca Municipality
• Waste-Free Life – Waste-Free Kitchen, Esenler Municipality
• Clean Environment with Solar Energy Clean Ezine, Ezine Municipality
• A Sustainable Green Future in Gürsu, Gürsu Municipality
• Sustainable Air Quality Measurement Network, İnegöl Municipality
• Izmit Bay Fish Farming Project, Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality
URBAN DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE CATEGORY
• Active Living Area Project, Beşiktaş Municipality
• Çayırova Municipality Sense and Empathy Park, Çayırova Municipality
• Yenikent Service Complex, Gebze Municipality
• Çubuklu Silos, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
• Green Valley, Kağıthane Municipality
• İzmit Walking Path Reorganization Work, Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality
• Multifunctional Interaction Area: “Nilüfer Beet Warehouse”, Nilüfer Municipality
• Boğluca Life Valley, Silivri Municipality
CULTURE AND ART CATEGORY
• Küçükçekmece's History, Nature, Culture and Literature Inventory Books, Küçükçekmece Municipality
• Classic Market, Uskudar Municipality
CITY PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE CATEGORY
• Smart City Platform-Smart Municipality Management System, Bağcılar Municipality
• Liquefaction Map and Risk Area Identification, Ezine Municipality
• Historical Land Walls National Garden, Fatih Municipality
• Coasts Belong to the People Project, Karasu Municipality
SOCIAL SERVICES CATEGORY
• Gerontoarchitecture Service Project, Beşiktaş Municipality
• Cemal Süreya Baby and Child Workshop, Bilecik Municipality
• Women Welders Are Educated!, Kadıköy municipality
• Bi'Mola Barrier-Free Living Center, Küçükçekmece Municipality
• Orhangazi Social Development Center, Orhangazi Municipality
• Paw Print, Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality
• A Good Start, Sultanbeyli Municipality
• Age Actively Project, Ümraniye Municipality
TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY CATEGORY
• Sidewalks Are Ours, Şişli Municipality
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY
• Fintech Factory, Ataşehir Municipality
• A New Beginning for Women: Employment and Support Program, Avcılar Municipality
• Producer Support Project, Çanakkale Municipality
• Productive Women's Market, Çınarcık Municipality
• Young Digital Entrepreneurship Academy, Gürsu Municipality
• Kadıköy Shop, Kadıköy municipality
• Kapaklı Mushroom Producing and Processing Hands Project, Kapaklı Municipality
• Kartal Science, Engineering and Technology Center (Machine Hangar), Kartal Municipality
• Kadineli Osmaneli Local Product Production Center, Osmaneli Municipality
• Sultanbeyli Digital Transformation and Competence Development Center, Sultanbeyli Municipality
• Yıldırım Municipality Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, Yıldırım Municipality
GOVERNANCE AND PARTICIPATION CATEGORY
• Sustainable Participation Journey with Strategic Planning: “Produce Together, Manage Together!”, Nilüfer Municipality
• Yıldırım's Environmental Inspectors, Yıldırım Municipality
SPECIAL JURY AWARD
• Budget Istanbul, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
