Hosted by Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, the International Cilicia Ultra Marathon, organized for the fourth time this year, made a magnificent start with the slogan 'Run to History in Nature'. This international sports event, held amidst Mersin's unique historical texture and fascinating natural beauties, hosted hundreds of athletes from all over the world. The start of the marathon, which was also attended by Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Vahap Seçer, once again demonstrated the unifying power of sports and its contribution to the promotion of Mersin.
President Seçer Wishes Success to Athletes
Mayor Vahap Seçer, who personally gave the start of the 10K Kızkalesi Course, wished the athletes success and participated in this meaningful event. At the start, Mayor Seçer was accompanied by Aydıncık Mayor Özkan Kılıçarpa, Republican People's Party (CHP) Erdemli District Chairman Ahmet Dursen Şahin, municipal council members, muhtars and Mersin Metropolitan Municipality and Mersin Water and Sewerage Administration (MESKİ) bureaucrats. After the countdown, Mayor Seçer gave the start at Kızkalesi Museum Beach and shared the excitement of the athletes. Mayor Seçer's participation in the start wearing the Mersin Super League Men's Basketball Team (MSK) t-shirt symbolized the value he gave to the city and the sports club.
Tough Challenge on Three Different Courses
The 4th International Cilicia Ultra Marathon, organized by the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality in cooperation with the Turkish Athletics Federation, brought athletes and spectators together with the rich historical ruins of Mersin and the enchanting view of the Mediterranean. A total of 658 athletes participated in the marathon, including 28 foreign athletes. The marathon was run on three different courses with different difficulty levels: 10K Kızkalesi Course, 33K Lamos Course and 53K Cilicia Ultra Marathon. The start and finish points of the 10K Kızkalesi Course were Kızkalesi Museum Beach, while the start and finish points of the 33K Lamos Course and 53K Cilicia Ultra Marathon were given from Lamos Canyon and the finish points of both courses were determined as Kızkalesi Museum Beach.
Promoting Mersin with International Participation
This important sports event organized by the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Youth and Sports Services Department was attended by athletes from 21 different cities from all over Türkiye, as well as hundreds of athletes from 8 different countries including the United States, Singapore, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine, the Netherlands and Tajikistan. This broad international participation made a significant contribution to the promotion of Mersin's natural and historical beauties worldwide, beyond the marathon being just a sports event. Athletes participating in the marathon had the opportunity to discover Mersin's rich cultural heritage and unique nature through sports. Athletes who enjoyed running among lemon and orange trees became one with the hidden historical and natural beauties of the region.
Trails Adorned with Historical and Natural Beauties
Along the marathon courses, athletes witnessed the most important historical and natural riches of Mersin. The mystical atmosphere of the Heaven and Hell sinkholes, the ancient ruins of the Kanlı Divane Archaeological Site, the magnificent structures of the Elaiussa Sebaste Ancient City and the historical texture of the Korykos Ancient City transformed the courses into an open-air museum. In addition, the ancient churches on the courses revealed the rich cultural heritage of the region. These unique routes provided athletes with not only a racing experience but also an unforgettable journey of discovery.
President Seçer: “Our Aim is to Introduce Mersin’s Thousands of Years of Accumulation”
In his evaluations after the start, President Vahap Seçer expressed his satisfaction with the intense interest in the marathon and stated that a total of 658 athletes competed on three different courses. Seçer said, “Our athletes from 21 different cities and 8 different countries sweated here. Our main goal is not only to organize a competition, but also to introduce the cultural heritage of thousands of years accumulated in these historical lands to Türkiye and the world. The athletes running here will of course want to be successful in the competition, but they will also have the opportunity to recognize and feel the smell of history, traces of different cultures and the unique beauty of this natural wonder region on these courses.”
President Seçer emphasized that the participation and interest in the marathon is increasing every year and said, “We hope that this interest will be much greater in the coming years. Our aim is to promote our region in the best way possible with such international organizations. I always say, ‘We should be a brand city, Mersin needs to be recognized.’ These kinds of events play an extremely important role in achieving this goal.”
“Such Organizations Also Contribute to World Peace”
President Seçer also touched upon the Historical Cilicia Road, which they launched the day before, and stated that tourists who come to Mersin for such organizations not only do sports but also have the opportunity to get to know the history and culture of the region closely, thus making significant contributions to the regional economy. Seçer said, “Such international sports organizations actually make significant contributions to world peace. It is necessary to look at events from a multi-faceted perspective and evaluate them from a broader perspective. We should not see these works we do as mere events, we take care to make them full and enriching. We also encourage our people to participate in these events. Mersin is advancing to a better point in this regard every passing day, and our citizens’ awareness on this issue is increasing.”
“The Main Issue in Organizations is the Participation of the City”
Noting that Mersin is a city with a very high potential with its geography, natural beauties, rich ecology, productive agriculture and developing trade, Mayor Seçer stated that they are working to take Mersin to a better point by evaluating all this potential in the best way. Underlining that although some major organizations are carried out under the leadership of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, many public institutions and organizations and civil society organizations also support these efforts, Mayor Seçer said, “The most fundamental issue here is the city’s participation as a whole and that we all carry out such events together. We want to be a part of these efforts together with our civil society organizations, public institutions and all our stakeholders.”
“The Cultural, Sporting and Artistic Enrichment Process Has Started in Mersin”
Reminding that Mersin Metropolitan Municipality hosted many major organizations such as the Tour of Mersin cycling tour, Tarsus Half Marathon, International Mersin Marathon, Cilicia Ultra Marathon, Tarsus Festival, Literature Festival and Youth Festival, Mayor Seçer said, “When we bring all these events together, we clearly see that a process has begun in Mersin that is enriching and revitalizing in cultural, sportive and artistic terms.”
“We Have a Completely ‘People’s Municipality’ Understanding”
Mayor Seçer emphasized that as Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, they attach great importance to young people in particular and that they embody this importance with the projects and services they implement. Stating that they have established Education and Training Support Course Centers so that young people can go to the high schools and universities of their dreams and that they have provided free education to 9 thousand students in these centers, Seçer said, “We are making great efforts for Mersin to become a youth city, a university city and a student city.” He also stated that they support the education processes of young people with the new generation libraries they have implemented. Emphasizing that their vision is based entirely on the understanding of ‘popular municipality’, Mayor Seçer said, “Our understanding of municipality is completely public-oriented, a populist municipality. We carry out municipality from a social municipality perspective. Of course, we also have an investor and visionary understanding of municipality. We are not limited to social municipality. Mersin is a rapidly developing and developing city. We have a municipality understanding that presents a vision for Mersin to be a more organized city from its infrastructure to its transportation and green areas.”
Seçer's Emphasis on "Brand City" and Support for Sports Clubs
Mayor Seçer, who stated that they, as the Metropolitan Municipality, provide all kinds of contributions for the city's sports clubs to grow, develop, achieve successful results and establish themselves on solid foundations, also mentioned the Mersin Super League Men's Basketball Team (MSK) and said, “MSK is Mersin's men's basketball team in the Super League and it is a very successful team. I wanted to introduce our team a little bit by coming here today with an MSK t-shirt.” Drawing attention to the importance of the team's last match, the Darüşşafaka Basketball match, Seçer said, “If we win this last match, we will represent Mersin directly in the play-offs in the men's Basketball Super League and our basketball players will also sweat in Europe next year. This is how a brand city becomes. In other words; you create a beautiful, orderly, tidy, educated, productive and fruitful city; you become a brand city as a whole with its artists, athletes, successful teams, poets, writers and successful politicians.”
Speaking about the New Mersin Idman Yurdu, President Seçer emphasized that it is very important for the city to support its team. Underlining that the city should support the city's values not only in the field of sports but also in all other issues concerning the city, Seçer stated that cooperation in these areas is also of vital importance.
“Let’s Protect, Grow and Develop Our Mersin”
Mayor Seçer also touched upon the preparations for the summer season on the coasts and in the highland areas, and noted that the population in the city will increase significantly in the coming days. Seçer warned, “I hope the drought we experienced in the winter this year will not cause us any major negativity. I do not think there will be a problem with water in the city centers, but we need to be more careful in the highland areas, especially in the coastal areas where the population is dense in the summer,” and asked citizens to be more conscious about this issue and help the Metropolitan Municipality. Seçer said, “Our people have the misconception that Turkey is a country rich in water and we can use water as we wish. This is definitely not true. Water is a very valuable resource.”
Seçer, who stated that the city population is expected to increase due to the upcoming Eid al-Adha, said, “As the Metropolitan Municipality, we are making all the necessary preparations, but it is more important than anything for our citizens to be sensitive to areas that may be problematic, to help us and to keep our city clean. If Mersin is clean, the general opinion about Mersin and the people of Mersin will be good and positive in all of Türkiye and even in the world,” and emphasized that citizens should be more sensitive about all issues related to Mersin. Seçer concluded his words by saying, “Let’s take care of our Mersin, let’s grow and develop our Mersin. Let’s all live happily. This is all we want.”
“Let’s Enjoy the Holidays to the Fullest”
Mayor Seçer, who also touched upon the May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, invited all Mersin residents to the Simge concert to be held by the Metropolitan Municipality on the evening of May 18 at Özgecan Aslan Peace Square at 21.00:19. Seçer said, “The results of today’s football matches will also determine the champion in the Turkish Super League and it will be around that time. Today will be a very busy day in Mersin. Of course, as the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, we are ready for such busy days together with our teams as always.” Noting that he will also attend the official ceremonies to be held on May XNUMX, Seçer said, “I and my people will be there. Let’s enjoy the holidays to the fullest.” Mayor Seçer also stated that the Metropolitan Municipality units have completed all their preparations for the upcoming Eid al-Adha and wished all Mersin residents a peaceful holiday.
