The 21st European Week of Regions and Cities, where cities and regions showcase their capacity for growth and job creation, implement European Union cohesion policy and demonstrate the importance of the local and regional level for good European governance, was held in Brussels between 9-12 October 2023 with the theme "Thriving Regions, Stronger Europe”.
In addition to the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (UMT), a delegation consisting of representatives from the Directorate for EU Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, Union of Provinces and municipalities participated in this annual event.
On the first day of the event, the delegation headed by Dr Hayri Baraçlı, Secretary General of the UMT, paid a congratulatory visit to Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı, Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the EU, for his new assingment and discussed the future of relations between Türkiye and the EU.
After the opening event of the European Week of Regions and Cities at the EU Parliament, the delegation attended the opening reception of the EU-funded "Town Twinning between Türkiye and the EU-II: Green Future Project" of which the UMT is the main beneficiary held at the Permanent Delagation of Türkiye to EU.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Ambassador Kaymakcı stated that this was the second town twinning project and he hoped that the project-oriented cooperation between municipalities in EU countries and Türkiye would deepen.
Bernard Brunet, Head of the Türkiye Desk at the European Commission, expressed his wish for the continuation of such interactions between Türkiye and the EU and hoped that both Turkish and EU cities would benefit from each other's experiences thanks to the project.
Fabrizio Rossi, Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), expressed his pleasure for the support of the EU Commission to the project and emphasised that town twinning is the most important mechanism for learning from each other.
Secretary General of UMT Hayri Baraçlı stated that the project will increase the exchange of experience between Türkiye and European cities and underlined that it is planned to be continuous. Baraçlı also stated that the project will have a positive impact on the harmonisation process in Türkiye's EU membership journey.
On the second day of the programme, the delegation headed by Secretary General Baraçlı visited CEMR Secretary General Fabrizio Rossi and discussed the cooperation between the two Unions.
Within the scope of the Week, the delegation visited the "Greener Future Through Town Twinning” stand established in the frame of "Town Twinning between Türkiye and the EU-II: Green Future. At the UMT stand, which attracted great interest for three days, projects were introduced and visitors were informed about town twinning activities.
In addition, Dr Hayri Baraçlı, Secretary General of UMT and Bülent Özcan, Director General for Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation of the Directorate for EU Affairs, were interviewed about the publicty of project.
The delegation, which made various contacts in Brussels within the scope of the program, also participated in the Busworld Bus Fair held on the same dates, where mainly Turkish companies exhibited their products.