Balkan Cities Park and Monument Opened

IMM, the Balkan Cities Park and Monument, which saved the coast of Zeytinburnu Kazlıçeşme Mahallesi from its old derelict state and brought it back to its new face, President Ekrem İmamoğlu and 9 Balkan cities with the participation of the mayors. Reminding that they met with the local administrators of 30 Balkan cities from 2021 countries on November 11, 23, İmamoğlu said, "As of today, we are a big family of 12 million people, consisting of 45 cities from 32 countries." Speaking at the event, Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis said, “Today we prefer to follow a different path. Not the way of extremism and conflict; We choose the path of hope, temperance and unity. We follow the path of Eleftherios Venizelos and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The path of Venizelos, who in 1934, after years of violence and bloodshed, proposed that the Nobel Prize be awarded to Atatürk. We choose peace and friendship," he said.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) opened the Balkan Cities Park, which brought the Zeytinburnu Kazlıçeşme Neighborhood to its new face, to the use of the citizens. The ceremony held for the Balkan Cities Monument, the work of artist Ayhan Tomak, opened with the park; IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Kırklareli Mehmet Kapakoglu, Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis, Mayor of Pula Filip Zoricic, Mayor of Sarajevo Benjamina Karic, Mayor of Laktashi Miroslav Bojić, Mayor of Sofia Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of Stara Zagora Zhivko Todorov, Mayor of Svilengrad Anastas Karchev and Plovdiv Mayor Zdravko Dimitrov attended. İmamoğlu made a speech at the park opening as the Founder and Term President of the B40 Balkan Cities Network.

STARTED WITH 23 CITIES, REACHED TO 45

Reminding that they met with the local administrators of 30 Balkan cities from 2021 countries on November 11, 23, İmamoğlu said, "The idea of ​​regional cooperation, regional stability and friendship, and the search for a better future is an important idea for all the Balkans." Sharing the information that 1 Balkan cities became members of the B22 in about a year, İmamoğlu said, "As of today, we are a big family of 40 million people, consisting of 12 cities from 45 countries." Emphasizing that Istanbul is a city that cannot fit into a narrow circle, İmamoğlu said, “The history, culture, geography and economy of this city do not allow this. Until recently, there was an understanding that saw Istanbul as a place where only a certain group of tourists came and only the wealthy of certain countries bought real estate. This understanding saw Istanbul only as a Middle Eastern city; that was his horizon, his vision. Yes, Istanbul is a Middle Eastern city, but it is also a Balkan city. Istanbul is a European city. It is an Asian city. It is an Anatolian city. Istanbul is a Mediterranean city. It is a Black Sea city,” he said.

“YOU CANNOT MANAGE ISTANBUL BY ABSTRACTING ITS COLORS”

Saying, “You cannot manage Istanbul by abstracting from all these colors, these beauties, and these unique features,” İmamoğlu said, “Even if you wanted to, you cannot reduce this city to a single color, a single sound. Istanbul is a world city. Since it has been neglected and betrayed in recent years, this feature was not revealed enough. But now there is a management mentality that gives Istanbul its due and is determined to make Istanbul 'the city where the pulse of the world beats'. As we take steps to make Istanbul a fair, green, creative and productive city, Istanbul is getting closer to being 'the city where the pulse of the world beats'. The Balkan Cities Park and the Balkan Cities Monument, which we are opening, are one of the most valuable symbols of this vision. Emphasizing that strengthening the ties between Balkan cities is very important in terms of paving the way for peace and economic development both in the region and in Europe, İmamoğlu said, “The Russian-Ukrainian war that started shortly after establishing the B40 and what happened after it, is what it means to protect peace and stability. It showed once again how important it is. We should all be careful against the wrong attitudes of those who do not see this truth and who hope to benefit from tensions between countries. Whoever does it, if it is wrong, we should be able to say 'wrong'.

“FRIENDLY AND COOPERATION IS NEEDED ON THE TWO COASTS OF THE AEGEAN”

"There is a need for friendship, brotherhood and cooperation on both sides of the Aegean," said İmamoğlu, adding, "There is a need for peace in the Aegean. How the rulers of the two warring countries, Atatürk and Venizelos, improved and improved the relations between Turkey and Greece after the war should set an example for everyone. We know from our practices such as B40 that city diplomacy and solidarity between cities will be an important alternative in the amicable and peaceful solution of such problems.” Emphasizing that they are aware of the need for cities to cooperate more for a world free of wars, migrations and famines, İmamoğlu said, “As Istanbul, we will continue to play a pioneering role on this path. The Balkan Monument, located in the Balkan Cities Park, is a very valuable expression of the Balkan cities' desire for peace and cooperation.”

EXPLAINED THE FEATURES OF THE PARK

Pointing out that the park has a very important function in terms of Zeytinburnu, İmamoğlu said, “This is an area that continues along the land walls to Bakırköy, causing the coast to be cut off, and has been dysfunctional for many years due to misuse. We turned this 75.000 square meter area into a private park by equipping it with active and passive green areas, adding features such as children's playgrounds, sports fields, jogging track, fitness area, cafeteria. Thus, we offer a wider and uninterrupted park area to our compatriots who use Zeytinburnu coastal parks. We ensure the continuity of the use of the beach. We had previously renovated Topkapı Park in Zeytinburnu. We will start the renovation works of Yedikule Sports Field very soon”.

“ON THE LIMIT OF BEAUTIFUL DAYS…”

Transferring the services they provided to Zeytinburnu district during their tenure with examples, İmamoğlu ended his speech with the following words:

“We see Istanbul as a single whole with all its districts, neighborhoods and streets. Without separating any of them from the other, we try to deal with all of them and find solutions to their problems. We strengthen the sense of unity and integrity, brotherhood and solidarity in Istanbul. We are working to spread this effect to our immediate region and to the whole world. We are counting the days towards the 100th anniversary of our Republic, which was built on the principle of 'Peace at home, peace in the world' of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. We are passing through a very important and meaningful period. Knowing that we are on the verge of better days, we should all work harder and hold each other tighter. I believe that the Balkan Cities Park will increase the hope in our compatriots and make their lives better. We all know that we are on the verge of better days. We should all work harder. We should hug each other tighter. I would like to underline that the determination of our 86 million people in unity and solidarity, with which we will put forth the great struggle in taking the right decisions, will be very good not only for our country, but also for our close geography, our neighbors, especially the Balkans.”

BAKOYANNIS: “WE WORK FOR HUMANITARIAN CITIES”

Mayor of Athens Bakoyannis, who will receive the B2023 Term Presidency from Imamoglu as of January 40, also thanked the President of IMM for hosting. The headlines of Bakoyannis' speech were as follows:

“I am delighted to be in Istanbul, a wonderful and unique city whose rich and glorious history makes the hearts of many of us all over the world, especially us Greeks, beating faster. For your warm hospitality, my dear friend and colleague Mr. Ekrem İmamoğluThank you and your team. For us mayors, in every city, whether in Istanbul, Athens, Sofia or Sarayova, every vacant space gained is a breath for the city and a right for people. We strive for greener, more comfortable, friendlier, fairer, more humane cities. Especially when it comes to beautiful Istanbul, a real jewel on the shore of the Bosphorus. We gathered around the friendship and solidarity tree of the brotherhood tree of the Balkan countries. Each of our cities is like a leaf growing on the branches of a tree. Its roots are also deep. Dialogue thrives on cooperation and mutual aid. This tree is big and strong. It is also resistant to bad conditions. It is also resistant to land and wind. Our children are playing on it. Our children who are not born with prejudices and hatred for another God or speak another language. It is our children for whom we work, for whom we work.”

“IT IS EASY TO DESTROY; HOW DIFFICULT IS TO BUILD”

“The visible and tangible proof of our fundamental belief is this: Societies are ahead of politics. Cities are also the closest democratic institutions to the public and society. We must interpret the sincere feelings of our people in a pure and effective way. Those feelings are; feelings that are not based on political abuse. Feelings based on mutual trust and mutual respect. Emotions that are building materials for friendship bridges. Do not forget that; it is easy to destroy. The hard part is to build. The Balkan Cities Network we proposed a year ago; important for promoting peace, security, freedom, democracy. This monument is also a response to those who play with our national feelings. Let them hear us from here, from Istanbul, from the crossroads of culture. Greek, Turkish, Bulgarian, Bosnian, Croat and others not found here. Today, we are all here. We unite our voices and send a clear message: No to cynical nationalism. To the fight, no. What unites us is more than what divides us. Today we prefer to follow a different path. Not the way of extremism and conflict; We choose the path of hope, temperance and unity. We follow the path of Eleftherios Venizelos and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The path of Venizelos, who in 1934, after years of violence and bloodshed, proposed that the Nobel Prize be awarded to Atatürk. We choose peace and friendship.”

After the speeches, İmamoğlu, the mayors of 9 Balkan cities, the CHP deputies Turan Aydoğan, Gökan Zeybek and Sezgin Tanrıkulu, and the artist Tomak, put the Balkan Cities Park into the service of the citizens.