Bursa has determined its application subject for the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, of which requests will be received on April 4 and 2 cities from Turkey will be accepted. Stating that they will make an attempt to be included in UNESCO in the field of “crafts and folk arts”, Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Alinur Aktaş said, “We are strong in the field of gastronomy, but we believe that we will make a difference in crafts and folk arts. 2 candidate cities from Turkey will be determined in May. About November, the cities that qualify will be announced. I hope we will reach the point we aim”.
Subjects of Application, craft and folk dance
The Metropolitan Municipality brought the dynamics of the city together in order to include Bursa in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network list established in 2004, in order to determine the subject title and make a final decision. In addition to Mayor Aktaş, Bursa Governor Yakup Canbolat, MPs and NGO representatives attended to the consultation meeting held in Merinos Atatürk Congress and Culture Center (Merinos AKKM). Evaluating the 7 application areas determined by UNESCO one by one in the session chaired by Governor Canbolat, the participants expressed their opinions on at which point a successful result can be obtained. At the end of the meeting, where the fields of “gastronomy” and “crafts and folk arts” became prominent, it was decided that Bursa will apply to UNESCO on crafts and folk arts.
Mayor Aktaş; We will be successful in these efforts
Metropolitan Mayor Alinur Aktaş, in his assessment, expressed his wish that the decision made as a result of the consultation would be beneficial. Noting that Bursa has great values in gastronomy, but the city has the potential to amaze the world in terms of crafts and folk arts, Mayor Aktaş said, “In the targeted area; The city’s creativity, culture and its sustainable story from the past to the future are critical issues that paved the way for it to be included in the list.” Mayor Aktaş also added, “We have a very rich infrastructure in crafts and folk arts. Even the Iznik Tile alone has the potential to make us successful in this area. “Bursa will accomplish this job with the city dynamics, the support of its stakeholders and the power of its values.”
Bursa Governor Yakup Canbolat said that with the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, Bursa’s tourism opportunities will increase significantly. Stating that he believes that a city identity that has international validity in terms of brand will be formed by being included in the said network, Governor Canbolat said, “We should not consider this event as mere income. Through this process, Bursa will seriously specialize in other items ‘starting from the field it has chosen’. This will prepare an environment for the increase of the current standard and quality. “I think that walking on the road to UNESCO will be very beneficial for the city.”
246 members, 6 of which are from Turkey
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network has been shaped around 7 themes by which member cities can direct their own abilities and energies. Themes were determined as literature, film, music, craft and folk arts, design, gastronomy and media arts. Istanbul (Design), Gaziantep, Hatay and Afyonkarahisar (Gastronomy), Kütahya (Craft and Folk Arts) and Kırşehir (Music) have been accepted from Turkey to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, which has 246 members.
BURSA METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY
Date: 30.12.2020
