In recent times, the world has been experiencing a long-standing democratic decline. In addition to the weakening of democratic principles, democracy is often reduced to a mere system, while totalitarian regimes are on the rise. Democracy, however, is a collection of principles that prioritize the collective well-being of all individuals. It is the nucleus of life in harmony.

In Izmir, a city with a rich history of 8500 years of democracy, we have introduced a concept aimed at rejuvenating democracy amidst the global decline. This concept, known as "Circular Culture," recognizes nature as a subject of rights alongside the human rights. Originating from the outcome of the UCLG Culture Summit in September 2021, Circular Culture rises on four pillars: Harmony with nature, harmony with each other, harmony with the past, and harmony with change. 

As a result of our endeavors, our city was honored with the European Prize in 2022. In our pursuit to fortify local democracy, we took another step to strengthen our commitment by becoming a member of the European Capital of Democracy Network. Izmir proudly holds the distinction of being the inaugural and solitary Turkish city to be part of this network.

The Izmir Democracy Award is a prize established by us to endorse individuals, civil society groups, academic research, and diverse initiatives that foster global democracy. Through this initiative, we aim to fortify and advance democracy by recognizing individuals who have played a substantial role in upholding democratic principles. By reinforcing Izmir's longstanding identity as a city of democracy spanning 8500 years, we are at the forefront of initiating positive transformations towards a more democratic world in the 21st century.

With the Izmir Vision Partnership network, we have created, we collaborate with all stakeholders in our city based on the principles of collective wisdom and collective conscience. We view the culture and expertise of our institutions as one of the basic building blocks of the struggle for democracy.

We highly value the significant efforts put forth by the Izmir City Council. The core concept of the City Council revolves around the notion that Izmir should be governed by its own residents. Within this entity, which serves as a hub for collective wisdom and collective conscience, we forge collaborations with civil society and stakeholders, leading the way in adopting a participatory governance approach in Izmir.

The Izmir Planning Agency (IZPA), established by our municipal company IzDoğa, plays a crucial role in our endeavors to enhance democracy in Izmir. Collaborating with diverse municipal departments and external organizations, IZPA formulates strategies and course of actions for Izmir, establishing robust connections with other metropolitan areas. 

We experienced an indescribable sense of pride for hosting the Economy Congress, a significant event from the Republic's legacy, in Izmir once more, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Izmir's liberation. The Congress for Future’s Economy, held from March 15th to 21st, following meetings attended by representatives of farmers, workers and industrialists, traders, artisans, echoed the spirit of a collective wisdom and conscience, akin to a century ago, where the groundwork for the future of Türkiye was established, leaving an enduring mark in people's memories.

We have launched the Imece Izmir program with a range of projects and initiatives to bolster public accord and encourage active citizenship within the city.  Through this program, which strives to reinforce the ‘imece’ culture of community cooperation, starting from Izmir, we forge collaborations by actively engaging with all stakeholders in our city.

Through the Bizİzmir (WeIzmir) website and mobile application, we provide our citizens with convenient and swift access to comprehensive information about all the ongoing services offered by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. We prioritize projects based on citizen input, aiming to elevate the quality of urban life for our residents. As an organization, we ensure transparent governance by efficiently disseminating information about all services from a centralized source, enabling our citizens to easily access the resources they need.

During my tenure as the Mayor of Seferihisar, we established Türkiye’s inaugural Children's Municipality in our district. Extending this vision, we introduced it to Izmir and launched our Children's Municipality in Tire. In the near future, we are set to inaugurate the Children's Municipality in Gürçeşme, Izmir. Embracing a municipal approach that looks at the world from the perspective of our children, we are broadening Izmir's vision of becoming a city designed for children.

In a society where our youth do not have a voice in determining the fate and future of the nation, it is impossible to discuss democracy. Therefore, we are dedicated to providing enhanced opportunities for our youth in every aspect of life. One of our initiatives in this regard is the establishment of the Youth Municipality, aimed at enabling the active participation of young individuals in politics and decision-making processes. This framework, designed to integrate democracy into every facet of life, stands as the first and only Youth Municipality in Türkiye. Within this Youth Municipality, we involve our youth in the city governance, fostering a sense of active citizenship.

The sense of justice in a society lies in its ability to safeguard the most vulnerable, rather than the most powerful. Keeping this in mind, we established the Urban Justice and Equality Branch Directorate, which reflects the values and principles of Izmir. Through the efforts of our unit, we are intensifying our fight against various forms of oppression, discrimination, and hate speech within Izmir.

Receiving news is as vital to society as breathing is to our bodies. Societies unable to access factual and unbiased news find themselves suffocating in preconceptions, ultimately compromising their democratic principles. It is of utmost importance to us that our press members, entrusted with uniting society through truth, carry out their responsibilities with highest dedication. To this end, we established the International Press Center in collaboration with the Izmir Journalists Association. Despite all kinds of pressure or intimidation, we always stand by our press workers, who tirelessly champion the truth and represent the voice of the people.

In Izmir, we have never believed that our role in promoting judicial independence and the rule of law as a local administration is constrained. Our initiative, the "Justice Bus" project, was introduced to enhance access to justice in Izmir, particularly benefiting economically disadvantaged citizens residing in the outskirts of the city. The project has significantly expanded accessibility to legal resources for this demographic.