Time for ‘Town Twinning’ at The European Week of Regions and Cities

Organized in Brussels each year, the European Week of Regions and Cities is a significant event both for regional and local authorities. Within this scope, Turkey was represented for the first time by the Town Twinning Between Turkey and the EU Project (TWIN) in the 17^th European Week of Regions and Cities between 7-10^th of October 2019. Arranged within the scope of the project, the information and promotion stand named ‘Town Twinning: Connecting Europe and Turkey, was a point of attraction.

Organized by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), the European Week of Regions and Cities provides a unique communication and network platform for all shareholders as it brings together all the regions and cities across Europe. This important event that has been held for the last 16 years includes studies aiming to support learning of policies related to the implementation of European Structural and Investment Funds together with the sharing of good practices. In the meantime, the event also brings together local authorities, NGO's, private sector representatives, experts, scholars and the academia, journalists as well as EU institutions where they can table recommendations for potential solutions regarding problems that cities and regions encounter.

Over 9,000 people attended the 17^th European Week of Regions and Cities

In total over 9,000 people attended the European Week of Regions and Cities, held between 7-10 October 2019 at Square Brussels Meeting Centre. Throughout the event more than 300 conferences with presentations, workshops and exhibitions with the attendance of over 1000 speakers and 200 journalists, have been held as well as various activities were organized in order to provide an opportunity to exchange information and experience between regions and cities. 

Participants for Turkey comprised of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Directorate for EU Affairs, Union of Municipalities of Turkey, Union of Provinces, Ministry of Environment and Urbanization Directorate-General of Local Authorities, a delegation consisting of coordinator and co-beneficiary institution representatives of 9 grant projects selected from the Town Twinning Grant Program. The TWIN Project reached out to attendees of the event at its stand named’ Town Twinning: Connecting Turkey and Europe’ set up in the ‘Agora Village’ exhibition hall inside “Building SQUARE” where many of the European Week of Regions and Cities events were held.

In the stand of ‘Town Twinning: Connecting Turkey and Europe’ various activities such as

• TT Tool Promotion Activities: Promote TT Tool to participants through some activities
•   TWIN Experience Sharing: Grant projects sharing their experiences with participants were held.

With the support and supervision of the Directorate for EU Affairs, the Projects Technical Assistance Team prepared all the materials used during activities and all visibility and promotion materials used at the ‘Town Twinning: Connecting Turkey and Europe’ stand as ‘paperless’  i.e. digital format without use of any print materials including, also, the introductory videos, presentations, electronic posters (TT Tool promo poster, TWIN Project promo poster, TWIN Experience Sharing Announcement Posters) as well as all other promotion materials of the TWIN Project, the Grant Scheme and 9 other grant projects.

Seeking to enhance their knowledge and experience related to Town Twinning participants attended more than 50 sessions handpicked among 300 meetings and workshops held within the scope of The European Week of Regions and Cities event.  

At the European Week of Regions and Cities Town Twinning Tool (TT Tool) was introduced.

Over the course of the 4 day event the introduction of Town Twinning Tool (TT Tool), which is a crucial cooperation tool for local authorities as well as providing information related to the type, demographic characteristics, twinning fields, experiences about past and current twinning experiences of local authorities both in Turkey and European Union, has been made through face to face meetings. Furthermore, visitors of the ‘Town Twinning: Connecting Turkey and Europe’ stand had the chance to gather information about the Town Twinning Tool System as well as register in the system.

9 Projects from Town Twinning Grant Program shared their knowledge and experience.

At the ‘Town Twinning: Connecting Europe and Turkey’ stand significant information sharing sessions regarding the importance of town twinning studies carried out between Turkey and EU was conducted by the representatives of the grant project. In this context informative and introductory presentations about  Partnership for Future Smart Cities Project, Partnership for a Sustainable Future, A Road Map for Smart City, Connect To Life, Health With Sports, Local Quality Covenant and Sustainable Tourism, Strengthening of Local Administrations for Migration Management, Experience-Sharing And Capacity Development For Migration, Building Climate Change Resilient Cities through Empowering Women and Bridges for Democratic Participation were performed by their respective coordinators and co-beneficiary institution representatives.

Permanent Representative of the Republic of Turkey to EU Mehmet Kemal Bozay visited the the ‘Town Twinning: Connecting Europe and Turkey’ stand.

On the first day of the event, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Turkey to EU, Mehmet Kemal Bozay visited the ‘Town Twinning: Connecting Europe and Turkey’ stand.  "Turkey is not only a formation-gathering country but essentially a qualified one that shares experience and knowledge with the EU. Therefore, attendance of our local authorities, implementing their projects as part of the TWIN Project, for sharing their relevant experiences at this week, during which information sharing was carried out in order to move to a more contemporary local administration system, is crucial" stated Bozay. 

"Town Twinning: Connecting Europe and Turkey" on CNN Türk.

Diplomacy Reporter for CNN Türk Sena Alkan Aktürk, participated in The European Week of Regions and Cities through TWIN project. Aktürk conducted exclusive interviews with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs, Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı and Head of the EU Delegation to Turkey, Ambassador Christian Berger before the event in Ankara together with the Permanent Representator Turkey to the European Union, Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay in Brussels on the opening day of the event. Moreover, CNN Türk did special news broadcasts by following the activities carried out at the stand 'Town Twinning: Connecting Europe and Turkey' also interviewing participants.