Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyer, hosted the “Izmir of the Youth: Today's Stakeholders” program and talked about the youth vision and projects. Saying that they established the first and only Youth Municipality in Turkey, Soyer addressed the youth and said, "Our concern is not to do good things for you, but to pave the way for good things for you to do for yourself."
Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyerhosted an introductory meeting titled “Youth's İzmir: Today's Stakeholders” where the Metropolitan's youth vision and projects for 2023 were explained. In the meeting held with the youth at Kültürpark İsmet İnönü Art Center, the President Tunç Soyer He also gave the good news that they established the first and only Youth Municipality in Turkey. Representatives of youth chambers and non-governmental organizations, professional chambers, university and high school student societies, district mayors, Metropolitan Municipality bureaucrats and many Izmir residents attended the meeting. In the meeting where the youth works of the Metropolitan Municipality in 2022 and the vision and projects of 2023 were explained, the Izmir Youth Municipality's sözcüAdvanced İlke Bircan and Alper Kurudere gave information about the operation of İzmir Youth Municipality.
“I am very happy and proud”
Yiğit Koçak, a member of the Young İzmir Theater Group established by the Metropolitan Municipality, increased the enthusiasm in the hall by singing. Tunç Soyer' was welcomed with flows. President Soyer added, “I'm really struggling with myself. I'm having a hard time controlling my tears. It is a very exciting moment for me.”
Stating that the Youth Municipality is a dream, Mayor Soyer said, “When I was the mayor of Seferihisar 13 years ago, I had the idea of a children's municipality. Children and young people are treated like the adults of tomorrow. However, they are the partners of our today's life. But today, by not giving them a place in life, by not helping them to participate in the administration, we have unfortunately cut them off from life. We thought that we should recognize children's rights and youth rights and we established a children's municipality. My dream in Seferihisar was actually to establish a youth municipality. Unfortunately, the conditions of that day did not favor him. Finally, today we are taking the first step towards this. Therefore, I am very happy and proud.”
“We would have done the best if we could pave your way”
Stating that they have implemented many projects for young people in 2022, President Soyer said, “We did not tell these to brag. I just wanted you to know, we're trying to do something. But our concern is not to do good things for you, but to pave the way for good things that you will do for yourself. You yourself know what is good for you. If we don't shadow you and can clear your way, we've done the best we can. This is the real story. Youth Municipality will be a first for Turkey. Because this is a shadow municipality. It will have a budget, institutional structure, hierarchy and legislation within itself and will bring many regulations. You will decide what is best and most right for you, you will do it. As Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, we will pave the way for you. We will pave the way for your decisions to come true. With the Youth Municipality, we want to create a new institutional structure that will inspire the whole world.” he said.
“You will change the things you complain about”
Emphasizing that the results of the surveys show that young people want to flee the country, President Soyer continued his words as follows: “86 percent of young people have no idea about their own future. Do you know what this means? People have lost their dreams. Young people stop having hope for the future, they are far from dreaming. This is a very tragic thing. If young people in a country do not dream of the future, if they have lost hope, that country cannot have a future. It can't get any heavier than this. We are going through a very difficult time. But I want to tell you this. This is not destiny. Rest assured, another life is possible. This is just the point where the wrong policies have brought us. That's why you have to do politics. I know you don't like politics. You find it very ugly and shallow. You are right from earth to sky. But as long as you stay away from politics, others fill the void you left. You will change what you complain about. If you want your children to live better in this beautiful land, not the way you live, start adding the links of this chain now.”
“We want to be the European youth capital of 2026”
Stating that they will organize a youth fair in 2023, President Soyer emphasized that they have started the candidacy work for İzmir to be the 2026 European Youth Capital. Soyer concluded his speech as follows: “I love you very much. You are my biggest hope. No one deserves this life in the most beautiful climate zone of the world, in the most fertile lands of the world, in a geography that has hosted such deep-rooted civilizations. But you have to stand up. It is necessary to keep the conscience, courage and solidarity alive. Take care of each other, take care of each other. Remember the strength of the ties that bind you together rather than the differences between you.”
How will Izmir Youth Municipality work? İzmir Youth Municipality will bring a new breath to youth work in local governments with the participation of young people between the ages of 18-30. Izmir Youth Municipality, which will open its doors to young participants from 30 districts of Izmir, will play a very important role in participatory democracy and having a say in decision-making processes. The Youth Assembly, which will take place within the body of Izmir Youth Municipality, will primarily identify the problems of the city and especially the young people with 11 commissions and work to solve the problems with a common mind. Izmir Youth Municipality Youth Assembly will convene on the last weekend of every month, except in cases of emergency. The Youth Council will evaluate and decide on the reports from the commissions throughout the month.
For participation and detailed information about the Youth Municipality, please Click here.
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