27 Oct Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Leads City Diplomacy Efforts
The “Muğla City Diplomacy and International Projects Meeting of Metropolitan Municipalities,” organized by Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, was held in Akyaka on 25–26 October 2025.
The two-day meeting addressed topics such as strengthening international cooperation among metropolitan municipalities, new directions in city diplomacy, and strategies for local governments to access global funding sources.
Representatives from the relevant departments of the metropolitan municipalities of Ankara, Antalya, Balıkesir, Bursa, Denizli, Erzurum, Eskişehir, İstanbul, İzmir, Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, Manisa, Mersin, and Şanlıurfa attended the meeting. Officials from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, the İzmir Representation Office of the Directorate for EU Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MUSKİ (Muğla Water and Sewerage Administration), and the municipalities of Bodrum, Fethiye, Kavaklıdere, Köyceğiz, Marmaris, and Menteşe also participated.
New Perspectives in City Diplomacy Discussed
The first day of the meeting began with sessions titled “Redefining Diplomacy in the 21st Century: City Diplomacy and The Importance of City Diplomacy,” “The Role of International Relations Units in Local Governments and Strategies for International Cooperation,” and “The Concept of Soft Power and Public Diplomacy in International Relations.”
On the second day, interactive presentations were held on “Funding Opportunities for Local Governments” and “Access to Domestic and Foreign Financing in Local Administration.”
Kabasakal: “We Are Very Glad to Be in Muğla and to Benefit from Shared Experience”
In his speech, Ramazan Kabasakal, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, shared his insights: “In this program, cities like Ankara, which have long-established Departments of Foreign Relations, share their experience with newly formed ones. Muğla is truly one of the world’s most significant provinces in terms of tourism. We can see that, under the leadership of Mayor Ahmet Aras, great progress has been made in the field of diplomacy. We are very pleased to be in Muğla and to benefit from these experiences. Thank you very much.”
Büyüksağnak: “Our Main Goal Is to Define How to Promote Our Country and Cities on the International Stage”
Barbaros Büyüksağnak, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, stated: “Through these programs, we have the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with the heads of foreign relations departments from other provinces. We extend our sincere thanks to Mayor Ahmet Aras for organizing this event. Our main goal here is to determine how we can best promote our country and our cities on the international stage. As someone coming from Istanbul — a city known and loved by everyone — it is very valuable for us to share our experiences.”
Ambassador (Ret.) Turan: “Mayor Ahmet Aras Is a Leader on the International Stage”
Mustafa Osman Turan, Retired Ambassador and Foreign Relations Advisor to the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, stated: “We are holding the third edition of this program in Muğla, following the first one in Istanbul. Muğla is already carrying out remarkable work. Mayor Ahmet Aras is a leader with an international profile, promoting Muğla’s values abroad with great success. As a result, Muğla has become a pioneering city not only in Türkiye but also on the international stage. Therefore, I would like to congratulate Muğla.”
Ayaz: “We Are Motivated by Mayor Ahmet Aras’s Vision of ‘World City Muğla’”
Erhan Ayaz, Advisor to the Mayor of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, stated: “In our program, we are hosting representatives from 14 metropolitan municipalities across Türkiye, along with their respective district municipalities. Since Mayor Ahmet Aras took office, Muğla has played a very active role in this field. The most inspiring element of these efforts is our Mayor’s vision of ‘World City Muğla.’ We continue our work in line with this vision.”
Dengiz: “We Represent Muğla in Every Event We Take Part In”
Celal Cem Dengiz, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, stated: “Our main goal in this program is to bring together the most successful examples set by foreign relations departments across Türkiye and to benefit from shared experiences. Although we are local governments, we represent our country in every international event we participate in. The ‘World City Muğla’ vision of our Mayor consists of two key pillars: the first is to promote Muğla to the world, and the second is to bring the best global practices to Muğla.”
Secretary General Yılmaz: “Our Goal Is to Carry Muğla into the Future through Strong Partnerships Extending from the Local to the Global”
Tayfun Yılmaz, Secretary General of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, stated: “Our goal is clear: to carry Muğla’s nature, culture, and people into the future through strong partnerships that extend from the local to the global. I would like to thank all stakeholders who contributed to this productive gathering. We will continue our work guided by the principles of transparency, merit, and public benefit.”
Mayor Aras: “We Aim to Build a Bridge of Diplomacy Extending from Muğla to the World”
Ahmet Aras, Mayor of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality and President of the Coastal Aegean Municipalities Union, shared his views on the Muğla City Diplomacy and International Projects Meeting of Metropolitan Municipalities: “City diplomacy is no longer limited to managing the external relations of cities; it now represents a new approach that enables the sharing of cultural, economic, environmental, and human values with the world. As Muğla, we are moving forward with this vision. Our goal is to build strong partnerships with global cities while preserving our city’s nature, history, culture, and people. With its potential and commitment to universal values, Muğla is a city capable of developing a language of diplomacy that extends from the local to the global. Events like this contribute to making local governments more active and visible at the global level. With this understanding, we aim to build a bridge of diplomacy extending from Muğla to the world.”
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