Message of the chair...
In order to preserve our country's unique urban values and richness in healthy conditions, and to prepare our country for the future, we shall initially start to work from basic levels, in other words from the cities that we live in.
As the authorities of Turkish cities, we should work in co-operation to build cities that have solved their problems with regard to transportation, education, health etc., protected the historical heritage and developed in every aspect; and by this way we should carry and develop Turkey towards this aim together. Apart from the traditional understanding of local administration, we should produce new projects to prepare our people ready for the future by means of “envisioning and shaping the future”.
In this regard, WHO Healthy Cities Network, which has initiated the Healthy Cities movement by gathering numerous cities around the world in order to create healthy and livable cities, and provide high quality living standards along the principles of sustainable development, is an important model for us.
Healthy Cities Movement that the WHO Healthy Cities Network has carried out by seeking solutions to the problems and sharing information and experiences between cities, will continue in Turkey under the auspices of Turkish Healthy Cities Association, established by cities aiming to create livable cities in Turkey.
“Healthy Cities Association” will effectively and strongly represent Turkey, which is a member of WHO, in the European Healthy Cities Network, and gather ‘Healthy Cities' and candidate cities all around Turkey, and provide great advantages for member cities.
Members of the Association will cooperate in order to alleviate all urban and environmental inequalities and poverty for establishing livable and healthy cities; will share experiences related to health, planning, environment, housing, transportation, education, security etc. and will unite their forces. Furthermore, these cities will also have the opportunity to exchange information with other cities that are members of the ‘Healthy Cities Project' of World Health Organization, in the international platform.
I do believe that we will realize a fruitful co-operation that will contribute to the development, embracement and implementation of “Healthy Cities” Movement across Turkey and create sustainable cities with sustainable development under the frame of Healthy Cities Association. We will also promote our cities among leading and model world cities, and contribute to the development of Turkey altogether. Hoping our Association will strengthen and grow-up with the membership of new cities, I wish to invite all cities to join Turkish Healthy Cities Association.
Hikmet ŞAHİN
Chair of the Turkish Healthy Cities Association