Antalya Metropolitan Municipality was deemed worthy of an award in the “Social Cohesion” category within the scope of the 5 “Best Practices Awards” organized by the Cittaslow International Network, which has 33 municipalities from 310 countries on 2025 continents as members. This prestigious award made Antalya’s innovative local governance approach, which includes all segments of society in urban life, strengthens solidarity between generations and prioritizes participation at the neighborhood level, visible on an international scale. The award also means that Antalya Metropolitan Municipality’s value for young people and its understanding of social municipality are internationally recognized.
In the 15th year of the Cittaslow Best Practices Awards, 10 cities from 18 countries and 8 video projects participated in the competition. The evaluation of the projects was carried out by a jury consisting of Giuseppe Roma, Coordinator of the International Scientific Committee, Mauro Migliorini, Cittaslow President, Pier Giorgio Oliveti, Secretary General and Luca Filippetti, expert. The projects were evaluated on criteria such as contribution to the Cittaslow philosophy, social innovation, participation, scale of investment and sustainability.
AWARD-WINNING PROJECT: “CITTASLOW IDEA MARATHON”
The project named “Cittaslow Idea Marathon”, which Antalya won an award for, was implemented specifically for Yeşilbayır Cittaslow Metropol Neighborhood. Organized in cooperation with ANSİAD, Habitat Association and Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, this event was organized at HUB Antalya Entrepreneurship Center on April 9-10, 2025; It stood out as a governance model based on intergenerational cooperation and participatory democracy, where young people, elderly, civil society organizations and municipality representatives produce solutions together.
STUDENTS DEVELOPED INNOVATIVE PROJECTS
As part of the Idea Marathon, students from high schools in Döşemealtı district received support from expert mentors in the field and 11 teams developed innovative projects on topics such as sustainable cities, disaster management, local economy, green areas, food safety, tourism and entrepreneurship. Creative solution proposals that increase the quality of life at the neighborhood level, active participation of vulnerable groups in urban policies and inclusive design processes that prioritize social solidarity were discussed in the Idea Marathon. This application stood out not only as a project; but also as a concrete expression of the social municipality vision of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality.
EXAMPLE PROJECT PIONEERING SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
The “Social Cohesion” category, in which Antalya Metropolitan Municipality was deemed worthy of the award as a result of the jury’s evaluation, represents the human-centered dimension of the Cittaslow philosophy. The projects that received awards under this title stand out as practices that bring together different age groups, strengthen trust and cooperation between communities, make neighborhood-based participation visible, and include vulnerable groups such as youth, the elderly, women and the disabled in decision-making processes.
WILL TAKE THE STAGE FOR THE AWARD AT ANTALYA WANDO
Antalya receiving an award in this category has internationally confirmed that the city is considered a model city not only in environmental but also social sustainability, and that its local governance approach has become an exemplary model with the principles of participation and social inclusiveness. The award ceremony will be held within the scope of the Cittaslow International General Assembly to be held in Wando, South Korea on June 21, 2025. Antalya Metropolitan Municipality will take the stage with its “Social Cohesion” themed works in the presence of the Cittaslow community on this occasion. The success story of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality will be announced to the whole world in Wando; Antalya’s “calm but effective”
