Organized in cooperation with Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and Dursunbey Municipality, 24th Suçıktı Poetry Evenings held its first Poetry Assembly in the historical Zağnos Pasha Square. In the poetry evenings attended by master poet Hüseyin Ferhad as the guest of honor, valuable poets performed their works accompanied by music.

The 24th Suçıktı Poetry Evenings program, organized by Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and Dursunbey Municipality between September 22-24, will be full of poetry and poetic evenings for 3 days. The poetry council gathered among the people in a great atmosphere at the historical Zağnos Pasha Mosque Square; they performed beautiful works of poetry together with the music concert accompanied by the instrumentalists of the Metropolitan Municipality Conservatory.

GUEST OF HONOR HÜSEYİN FERHAD

The master poet Hüseyin Ferhad, who has many awards in his field and some of his poems have been translated into 8 languages, participated in the Suçıktı Poetry Evenings as the guest of honor; Adem Turan, Adnan Özer, Ahmet Edip Başaran, Ali Ayçil, Ali Emre, Ali K. Metin, Celal Fedai, Cenk Gündoğdu, Çiğdem Sezer, Eda Fırat, Ercan Yılmaz, Hasan Hüseyin Çağıran, Hayriye Ünal, Mehmet Tepe, Metin Cengiz, Mustafa Köneçoğlu, Mustafa Muharrem, Mustafa Uçurum, Şadiye Kılıç, Üzeyir Sali and Yusuf Akgül read their most beautiful poems. The program was presented by Gülçin Yurdakul, President of Balıkesir Writers and Poets Association (BAYŞAD) and the citizens in the square showed great interest. 

Karesi District Governor Metin Arslanbaş stated that they shared the honor and happiness of witnessing a time full of culture on a beautiful Balıkesir evening and congratulated all institutions, poets and the Metropolitan Municipality who contributed to the 24th 'Suçıktı Poetry Evenings'.

POETRY CITY BALIKESİR

Stating that they are glad to host valuable poets in Zağnos Paşa Square in the historical city of Balıkesir, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Yücel Yılmaz said: "We are living a day where our poets share their experiences with our people and our city, tell poetry, read poetry and talk about poetry. I said we will govern Balıkesir like poetry, but not without poets. We are trying to develop and change our city in every aspect and make the people of Balıkesir happy. This square suits poetry very well. We are organizing our 24th Suçıktı Poetry Evenings program for 3 days full of poetry. Poetry city Balıkesir."

SUÇIKTI POETRY EVENINGS, THIS CITY'S BRAND

Stating that Suçıktı Poetry Evenings is one of the most important brands of Balıkesir, AK Party Balıkesir MP Mustafa Canbey said: "Those who are interested in poetry and literature came here and were impressed by this environment. We are honored to host our esteemed poets in our city."

The Game Caravan, prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Family and Social Services, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and the Federation of Children's Games Sports Clubs, set off from Balıkesir to go to the earthquake region.

The "Game Caravan on the Road to the Earthquake Region", prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Family and Social Services, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and the Federation of Children's Games Sports Clubs, was sent off from the in front of Atatürk Stadium for its 2nd tour. Within the scope of the project launched with the slogan "Don't Let Children Be Without Games", the first stop of the Game Caravan departing from Balıkesir will be Hatay on September 25th. After Hatay, the " Game Caravan" will visit Gaziantep, Osmaniye, Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, Malatya and Diyarbakır provinces, respectively, and will visit 7 provinces and 15 districts in total.

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, which continues its environmental investments for a sustainable city, celebrates the European Mobility Week with the theme "Save Your Future Energy" and the slogan "Discover Your City".

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality organized a series of activities within the scope of "European Mobility Week" celebrated between September 16-22 every year. Within the scope of the week, which draws attention to the importance of ensuring more active use of public spaces by citizens and widespread use of sustainable transportation modes, many activities ranging from cycling to awareness trainings, traffic trainings to children's workshops were held in the area created in Altınkum Neighborhood of Edremit District.

THEY RODE BIKES

The European Mobility Week celebrations, organized with the slogan "Add Activity to Your Life" and attracted great interest from children, hosted colorful scenes. Zero waste trainings were also given at the event and the Car-Free City Day was also celebrated. In this context, Edremit, Altınkum Neighborhood Atatürk Street was closed to traffic and a bicycle ride was organized. Deputy Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Mehmet Birol Şahin and Deputy Secretary General of Metropolitan Municipality Mehmet Akif Şencan also attended the events.

The brave firefighters of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality continue their search and rescue operations day and night in Libya, where more than 20 thousand people are missing due to floods.

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality's search and rescue team is conducting search and rescue operations together with other Turkish teams in Libya, where more than 11 thousand people have lost their lives and more than 20 thousand people are missing due to the flood disaster. Three vehicles belonging to Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and a fire brigade search and rescue team of 10 people are conducting search and rescue operations in the region, while living spaces are being created from AFAD tents sent from Türkiye. The teams also distributed garbage containers belonging to Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality to the tent cities.

BALIKESIR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS FULLY EQUIPPED

Storm "Daniel", which was effective in the Central Mediterranean and hit eastern Libya on September 10, caused floods in Benghazi, Beida, Merc, Suse and Dernea. According to the official Libyan agency LANA, the number of people who died in the floods increased to 11 thousand and more than 20 thousand people were missing. Upon the instruction of Mayor Yücel Yılmaz, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department sent a truck consisting of a search and rescue team of 10 people, a fire truck, a fast transportation vehicle, three divers, garbage containers, 52 items of critical materials and equipment to be used in search and rescue operations by ship from Izmir.

Yücel Yılmaz, the President of UMT and Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, who is in New York City with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was among the first to sign the Declaration of Goodwill for Zero Waste at the Turkish House.

"ZERO WASTE" INTRODUCED TO THE WORLD

Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Union of Municipalities of Türkiye and Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, and Deputy Mayor Yasin Sağay, who are among the delegation accompanying President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is in New York to attend the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations, first attended the press conference held at the United Nations regarding the World Cities Day event to be hosted by Üsküdar Municipality on October 31st.

"I AM HAPPY ON BEHALF OF MY COUNTRY"

Speaking at the meeting attended by Mehmet Özhaseki, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, and Hilmi Türkmen, Mayor of Üsküdar Municipality, Mayor Yücel Yılmaz said: "This year, we will organize the World Cities Day events under the auspices of Mrs. Emine Erdoğan and hosted by Üsküdar Municipality. I am really happy about this on behalf of my country."

"IT HAS SPECIAL MEANING FOR TÜRKİYE"

Stating that Türkiye has inspired the world with the Zero Waste Movement launched in 2017 under the leadership of Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, Mayor Yücel Yılmaz emphasized that the participation of local governments in the zero waste movement is very important. Stating that the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye is doing effective work at this point, Mayor Yılmaz said, "It also has a special meaning for us that the World Cities Day will be held in Türkiye. Because one of the main themes of this year's event is zero waste." At the Türkevi (Turkish House), where he signed the Declaration of Goodwill for Zero Waste, Mayor Yılmaz met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and Akif Çağatay Kılıç, Chief Advisor to the President on Foreign Policy and Security.

MAYOR YILMAZ SIGNED THE DECLARATION OF GOODWILL

Mayor Yücel Yılmaz also signed the Declaration of Goodwill for Global Zero Waste, which was opened for signature by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and enabled the Zero Waste movement to become a world brand by Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the first signature. Yılmaz said, "I am proud and happy to sign the Declaration of Goodwill for Zero Waste at the Turkevi. This is a valuable step. Through this action, the Zero Waste movement will start to be implemented all over the world."

NEW YORK CONTACTS WERE EVALUATED

Afterwards, Mayor Yücel Yılmaz evaluated his contacts in New York; "We have been holding intensive meetings since Saturday. World Cities Day will be held in Üsküdar, Istanbul on October 31st this year. We launched this to the world. We are witnessing and accompanying the intense pace of our President. Zero Waste Movement is a project of Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, the wife of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This project, launched in 2017, has now turned into a world movement. We would like to thank Mrs. Emine Erdoğan for spearheading this. We also organized the World Habitat Day event in Balıkesir. Our activity in this field is increasing. The fact that the Turkevi (Turkish House) is here, that our President is tirelessly meeting with those who want to meet with him, increases Turkey's effectiveness a lot. There is a very effective Turkish diplomacy here."

Since 1982, an unforgettable night was organized by the City Council's Fidelity to the City Assembly with the support of Balıkesir Music Society and Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality for teacher Sıtkı Sahil, who has made significant contributions to Balıkesir's cultural and artistic life and trained hundreds of choristers and soloists with the choirs he founded, since he left Balıkesir and settled in his hometown Erzurum.

In the concert consisting of the master's compositions, Balıkesir Music Society, under the direction of Conductor Atik Sahil, presented a pleasant concert to the participants. The songwriters of the compositions composed by Sahil all around Türkiye and the students trained by the maestro did not leave the maestro alone on this meaningful night.

Speaking before the concert, Gökmen Karadağ, Chairman of Balıkesir City Council, Fidelity to City Assembly, said: "We are in the bitterness of seeing off our esteemed teacher who has made his mark on our city with his works for more than 40 years, while thanking him for his work for our city so far; we wish him health, peace and happiness in his further life. I would like to express my gratitude to Yücel Yılmaz, the Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, Mürsel Sabancı, the President of the City Council, Nilgün Bulca and Atik Sahil, the esteemed teachers of the Music Society, for their great support in organizing this night."

At the end of the night, Deputy Governor Ömer Faruk Günay, Balıkesir City Council Fidelity to City Assembly President Gökmen Karadağ and businessman Levent Tellioğlu, one of the most important supporters of the Music Society, presented gifts to Maestro Sıtkı Sahil to commemorate the meaning of the day.

Within the scope of Ahilik (Turkish-Islamic Guild) Week activities, 55 chamber members from 20 districts visited the Metropolitan Municipality under the leadership of Fehmi Erdem, President of Balıkesir Union of Chambers of Merchants and Craftsmen, and İlhan Pehlivan, Provincial Director of Balıkesir Trade.

Ahilik (Turkish-Islamic Guild), which holds an important place in the economic and cultural life of Anatolian people and is the combination of honesty, solidarity and cooperation with art, has started to be celebrated in Balıkesir as it is all over the country. In this context, 55 chamber representatives from 20 districts visited the Metropolitan Municipality under the leadership of Fehmi Erdem, President of Balıkesir Union of Chambers of Merchants and Craftsmen, and İlhan Pehlivan, Provincial Director of Balıkesir Trade. Mehmet Birol Şahin, Deputy Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality, hosted the craftsmen during the visit held at the Metropolitan Municipality Council Hall. The merchants, who are members of various chambers, expressed their requests and demands from the Metropolitan Municipality. Deputy Mayor Şahin, who gave information about the services realized by the Metropolitan Municipality in the districts, said that they were very pleased to host the merchants, the lifeblood of the city's economy, and congratulated each of them on the Ahilik Week.

Muharip Gaziler (War Veterans) Association Balıkesir Branch President Ali Hulusi Karakuz and Türkiye War Disabled Veterans, Martyrs, Widows and Orphans Association Balıkesir Branch President Haydar Filiz and the accompanying delegation visited the Metropolitan Municipality on September 19, Veterans Day.

102 years ago today (September 19, 1921), Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Commander-in-Chief of the War of Independence, was given the title of gazi (veteran) and the rank of field marshal. With the law adopted on June 27, 2002, September 19 has been celebrated as Veterans' Day every year. Ali Hulusi Karakuz, President of Balıkesir Branch of Muharip Gaziler (War Veterans) Association and Haydar Filiz, President of Balıkesir Branch of Turkish War Disabled Veterans, Martyrs, Widows and Orphans Association and the accompanying delegation visited Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality on the occasion of Veterans Day. Welcomed by Deputy Mayor Mehmet Birol Şahin, the veterans expressed their gratitude. Delivering the greetings of Mayor Yücel Yılmaz to them, Deputy Mayor Şahin congratulated them on Veterans Day and presented flowers, saying that the Metropolitan Municipality provides and will continue to provide all kinds of support to veterans and their relatives based on Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's words "Veterans are the living monuments."

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality rearranged the outdated basketball court in the fill area of Bandırma Beach and turned it into Skate Park. In the area, which has been renovated from the tribunes to the environmental lighting, young people enjoy both the view and the fun in the Skate Park with sea view.

Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Yücel Yılmaz is keeping his promise to young people. The Metropolitan Municipality, which established Skate Park in the city center; Avlu Life Center and Atatürk Park upon the request of young people, is now bringing together the young people of Bandırma with Skate Park. The Metropolitan Municipality transformed the old basketball court, which has lost its function on an area of one thousand 300 square meters in Hacıyusuf Neighborhood of Bandırma, into a Skate Park and put it into the service of young people fully equipped. In the Skate Park, which was established on the fill area on the Bandırma Coast, young people enjoy both the view and the fun, and do sports in the fresh air by breathing sea air. In the area where skateboards, rollerblades and bicyclists can easily use; there are Quater acceleration ramps of different sizes, Flybox, Roll-inn. The Metropolitan Municipality, which secured the area with a camera system, also renovated the old benches so that young people can rest comfortably. The Metropolitan Municipality, which also installed a free wifi system, also carried out lighting and landscaping works in the area near the Skate Park.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE HAPPY

The young people thanked Mayor Yücel Yılmaz for the creation of a Skate Park in Bandırma and expressed their happiness. The young people, who said that they had previously gone to Balıkesir center or nearby provinces for Skate Park, said that a great deficiency was eliminated for them in Bandırma.

"European Mobility Week", which is held between September 16-22 all over the world, is celebrated in Balıkesir with the activities prepared by the Metropolitan Municipality. UMT and Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yücel Yılmaz stated that hundreds of municipalities in Türkiye are participating in the week with projects and activities and that Balıkesir will be one of the prominent cities with the activities it organizes.

"European Mobility Week", which is held every year between September 16-22 all over the world, is celebrated in Balıkesir with events organized by the Metropolitan Municipality. Within the scope of the activities organized with the motto "Discover Your City - Save Your Future Energy" this year, programs for everyone from 7 to 70, from mobility activities in parks to bicycle riding trainings, from sports and dance shows to children's workshops and environmental trainings, will be held until September 22.

CAR-FREE CITY DAY WILL BE CELEBRATED

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality encourages cities and municipalities to take measures and support sustainable transportation in various events specially prepared for the European Mobility Week. In this context, "Car Free City Day" event will be held on Wednesday, September 20 at 14.00. On the Car-Free City Day, which will be organized to encourage active mobility, public transport use and the use of smart transportation solutions, Edremit, Altınkum Neighborhood Atatürk Street will be closed to traffic and cycling activities will be held. 

'OUR GOAL IS A HEALTHY LIFE'

Yücel Yılmaz, Union of Municipalities of Türkiye and Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, said that the European Mobility Week, which is organized by UMT, is a project aiming sustainable, clean and healthy living conditions in cities. Stating that hundreds of municipalities in Türkiye are participating in the week with projects and activities, Mayor Yılmaz said that Balıkesir will be one of the prominent cities with the activities it organizes.