Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality made its country proud by winning the first prize with its book "Balıkesir, City of Bread" at the "Gourmand Awards", the world's only international cookbook competition held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia this year. The book won the right to be published with the "Best in the World" label.

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, which focuses on book studies with the vision of Mayor Yücel Yılmaz in order to record the product diversity and deep-rooted history of Balıkesir, which has a different culture and tradition in each region, and to transfer this valuable heritage to future generations, has appeared on the world stage at the Gourmand Awards, the only international competition for food culture, with the books " Balıkesir, Land of the Olive" and "Balıkesir, City of Bread". The international event, which takes place in a different country of the world every year, will be held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on 27-29 November this year.

IT WILL BE PUBLISHED WITH THE LABEL "BEST IN THE WORLD”

On the first day of the competition, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality made its country proud by announcing the wealth and ancient history of Turkish cuisine to the world with the book " Balıkesir, City of Bread", which won the first place in the Bread Books Category. Thus, the book " Balıkesir, City of Bread" was entitled to be published with the "Best in the World" label. Following the book " Balıkesir, City of 50 Cheeses", Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality has achieved this success for the second time and the results of another book " Balıkesir, Land of the Olive" will be announced tonight.

AUTHORS THANKED MAYOR YILMAZ

The authors of the books; Berrin Bal Onur and Neşe Aksoy Biber said that they are excited to bring this pride to our country and thanked Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, and his team for providing them with this opportunity and for their efforts and contributions at every stage of the books. The authors said that the Metropolitan Municipality embraced this work very well and supported them in every aspect, and expressed their happiness of being rewarded for their efforts.

Politics, science, education and health were discussed at the conference titled "New Türkiye on the Horizon as We Enter the Second Century" organized by the International Vuslat Platform and hosted by Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality.

The conferences titled "New Türkiye on the Horizon as We Enter the Second Century" organized by the International Vuslat Platform were hosted by Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality. Many deputies, mayors, politicians, academicians from different universities, representatives of non-governmental organizations, business people, artists and journalists attended the 3-day conferences where politics, health, science and education were discussed. Making the opening speeches of the program, chef, traveler and researcher Ömür Akkor made a statement about the gastronomic values of Balıkesir, while Bursa Provincial Police Chief Dr. Sabit Akın Zaimoğlu gave information about the process and activities in the fight against drugs.

'WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITY'

Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and President of Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, said: "We are people who love Balıkesir. We have a responsibility towards this city. We have worked hard and achieved a lot." 

'WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITY'

Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and President of Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, said: "We are people who love Balıkesir. We have a responsibility towards this city. We have worked hard and achieved a lot."

EXPLAINED THE BRAND CITY JOURNEY

Speaking about Balıkesir's journey as a brand city, Mayor Yücel Yılmaz said, "We describe our city as 'the city with oil flowing from its mountains and honey from its plains', 'a city of two seas', 'a city of 50 cheeses'. We are engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry and tourism, but our industry is also very strong."

BALIKESİR TO BREATHE AIR

Emphasizing that Balıkesir is especially famous for its milk and cheese, Mayor Yücel Yılmaz said, "If you want to show off, go anywhere in Türkiye; but if you want to breathe air, we say ‘come to Balıkesir’. We are a city that offers everyone the opportunity to have a budget-friendly vacation and live a healthy life."

EMPHASIS ON UNITY AND SOLIDARITY

Emphasizing the importance of consultation, Hamza Cebeci, President of the International Vuslat Platform and Darülaceze, stated that Muslims should be in unity. Cebeci stated that Turkish youth is harmed every 10 years with coups and coup attempts and said, “We must have a thought that will ensure peace in this country, that will not marginalize, that will embrace and embrace despite different thoughts. We must be Muslims who are one body and come together like the bricks of a building."

FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS

Çorum Governor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zülkif Dağlı said that the fight against drugs is an issue that local governments, public institutions and universities should be involved in and added: "All of our society has an important duty to protect our children."

'IT IS IMPORTANT TO WORRY'

Stating that they are pleased to host people who are concerned about the future of the country in Balıkesir, Governor of Balıkesir İsmail Ustaoğlu said, "It is important to be concerned. In this sense, the Vuslat Platform, which brings together people who are concerned, will have a say in the construction of the future of our country with its valuable ideas and thoughts."

TARGET; PEACE IN TÜRKİYE

Speaking on migration, AK Party Istanbul MP Oğuz Üçüncü said that Türkiye, as the representative of the culture of compassion, welcomes those fleeing wars in their countries. AK Party Deputy Group Chairman Muhammet Emin Akbaşoğlu stated that the Ottoman Empire went down in history as 'Pax Ottomana', meaning 'Ottoman Peace' and said, "As Türkiye enters its second century, our goal is to realize Pax Türkiye, that is, the Peace of Türkiye."

NUMEROUS SESSIONS 

Within the scope of the 3-day program, many sessions were held on many different topics ranging from the pharmaceutical sector in Türkiye and the world to Communication in the Turkish Century, from brain drain and the century of youth to the civil society perspective in politics, from the world press's view of Palestine and Gaza to university youth in the second century. 

RESULT DECLARATION

The program ended on Sunday with the reading of the final declaration. In the final declaration read by Rukiye Karaköse, a member of the International Vuslat Platform High Advisory Board, the following statements were made: "The vision of the Turkish Century states that Türkiye's adventure of being a pioneer in every field must begin. Our country has made significant progress in the last quarter century. The 'Entering the Second Century' conferences aimed to contribute to the vision of the 'Century of Türkiye' by evaluating politics, health, science and education, which are among the most fundamental issues targeting the determination of the Republic of Türkiye to be a pioneer in the second century with various dimensions of these developments in the global and regional arena."

Following the book "Balıkesir, City of 50 Cheeses", which was selected as the best cheese book in the world at the Gourmand World Cookbook Award 2019, the books "Balıkesir, Land of the Olive" and "Balıkesir, City of Bread", which are the continuation of the gastronomy culture series in which Balıkesir's olive and bread heritage is recorded, also made it to the finals at the 2023 Gourmand Awards.

"Balıkesir, the Land of the Olive" and "Balıkesir, the City of Bread" were written by Neşe Aksoy Biber and Berrin Bal Onur with the vision and support of Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, to record the gastronomic cultural values and carry them to the future. 

The aim of the books written between 2020 and 2023 is to shed light on the existence of our ancient foods, olives and bread, in Balıkesir, as in cheese, and to inspire pioneering works to ensure their transfer to the future and turn them into international values. Within the scope of the competition, the authors will present Türkiye's rich culinary culture and ancient foods through Balıkesir at the Food Festival Food Symposium. The award ceremony for the winning books will be held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on 27-29 November.

THE GOURMAND INTERNATIONAL

Organised since 1995, the "Gourmand Awards" is the only international competition for food culture in which 205 countries participate. Gourmand Awards, where the world's best books are selected every year, is one of the most important gastronomy events in the world, bringing together gastronomy writers, chefs, food culture experts, leading institutions, organisations and publishers. The international event, which takes place in a different country of the world every year, will be held in Riyadh on 27-29 November this year as part of the Festival of Saudi Eid Food. During the presentations to be held within the scope of the festival, Balıkesir will share Anatolian food culture through the ancient foods in the city.

BALIKESIR CITY OF 50 CHEESES

The book "Balıkesir, City of 50 Cheeses", in which the local and traditional cheeses of Balıkesir were recorded, was selected as the most successful book in the world in the cheese and dairy products category at the international book competition Gourmand Cookbook Award 2019. "Balıkesir, City of 50 Cheeses", which was prepared with two years of travelling, research and investigation in order to record the deep-rooted cheese and cultural diversity of Balıkesir, achieved the first place among 12 finalists including countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Canada and France. "Balıkesir, City of 50 Cheeses" was written with the support of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality and the research, travel and examination works of authors Berrin Bal Onur and Neşe Aksoy Biber in order to record the culture and traditions, deep-rooted history and cheese richness of the city in dairy products and to transfer them to future generations. With the book ""Balıkesir, City of 50 Cheeses", a scientifically based study based on original sources was put forward. During the studies, many local-traditional products were determined along with 50 cheeses, and these discoveries and determinations were supported by hundreds of written and oral sources and more than 250 visuals, together with the cultural textures created by the unity of history, geography and people. The book has also been published in English.

BALIKESIR, LAND OF THE OLIVE

The book, which was completed with a field study covering the years 2019-2021, was written to determine the current situation of olives in the region and to record its value, potential and cultural accumulation for Balıkesir. Hundreds of interviews were conducted in the entire value chain from small family producers to cooperatives, from olive enterprises to machine manufacturers, from crew to stewards, from tasting experts to laboratories, from wood workshops to soap houses, from pomace factories to museums, from sales points to restaurants where olives touch and are touched, and the olive world that Balıkesir keeps hidden behind was reflected on the pages of the book. Many poets, writers and valuable academics contributed to the book, which is supported by more than 300 written and oral sources. The information obtained from scientific studies and valuable books on olives was combined with expert and field interviews to reach a book content that will reflect the past, present and future. The book was completed in 2022 to take its place in international platforms with its English edition.

BALIKESIR, THE CITY OF BREAD

The book, in which Anatolian breads, which have been the homeland of wheat and the peoples living on it have mastered the secrets of bread with wisdom, have been the home of thousands of flavours, and have shaped the future of food from past to present, was completed with fieldwork covering the years 2020-2022. The book, which was prepared to record the value, potential and cultural accumulation of bread for Balıkesir by looking at the current situation of bread in the region, was published in 2023. The information obtained from scientific studies on bread and valuable books, combined with expert and field interviews, was prepared in a content that reflects the past, present and future. In the book, which includes the traditional bread recipes of different peoples living in 20 districts of Balıkesir through families and local bakeries, a total of 172 recipes for 62 breads were recorded. Bread, the most important narrator of the relationship between the soil and mankind, with its sourdoughs, mills and ancestral seeds that keep the secret of survival, will continue to preserve its magnificence on the pages of the book in the original recipes of Balıkesir.

AUTHORS

Berrin Bal Onur and Neşe Aksoy Biber started their cheese journey in 2000 with Antre Gourmet in Istanbul. The authors first represented Türkiye by being entitled to compete in the Gourmand Cookbook Award Best in the World with their book "Peynir Aşkına" published in 2015. Then, with "Balıkesir, City of 50 Cheeses", they realised a first in Türkiye, enabling the recording of a city's cheese diversity and the creation of a cheese inventory. The book " Balıkesir, City of 50 Cheeses" was selected as the first in the world at the Gourmand Awards in 2019. Balıkesir, the Land of the Olive-Balıkesir, the City of Bread books prepared by the authors were published in 2023.

After the teachers in Bandırma, Manyas, Erdek, Marmara and Gönen, hundreds of teachers working in Edremit, Ayvalık, Burhaniye, Havran and Gömeç districts applauded Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, for the value he gives to teachers.

Due to 24 November Teachers' Day, Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, who met with teachers in Bandırma, Manyas, Erdek, Marmara and Gönen, now met with teachers working in Edremit, Ayvalık, Burhaniye, Havran and Gömeç districts. Teachers applauded Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, for covering more than 6 million liras of expenses of Success Monitoring and Improvement Project (BİGEP) exams, building new schools, repairing more than 30 schools, landscaping hundreds of schools, providing discounts in BALBUCKS, OnHann Hotel and restaurants and buses.

A MAYOR WHO ADDS A SPECIAL VALUE TO BALIKESİR

Stating that 24 November brings a bit of bitterness, sadness and history to their minds, Ercan Kurter, Provincial President of Memur-Sen Balıkesir, said: "I would like to thank our Metropolitan Mayor Yücel Yılmaz for bringing us all together, who adds a special meaning to our 24 November Teachers' Day and understands our teachers, who are a great value for Balıkesir. Our Mayor Yücel Yılmaz, who touches every part of Balıkesir from education to health, from agriculture to tourism, and invests in every field, has made price reductions that provide great convenience for our teachers in terms of transportation. On behalf of teachers and my union, I would like to thank him very much."

THANK YOU THOUSANDS OF TIMES

Stating that they are together with very nice people, Emin Ersoy, Mayor of Havran, said: "I would like to thank Mayor Yılmaz for thousands of times. We know very well the support he has given to education, educators and most importantly to educational areas since he was Mayor of Karesi Municipality. We have a metropolitan mayor who continues to support education in 20 districts without stopping or objecting, which he started in the centre of Balıkesir. I am not saying this as a fellow mayor. I thank him thousands of times for having such a mayor. On behalf of the education community, I say; may Allah be pleased with him. Happy 24 November Teachers' Day."

6 MILLION LIRA CASH SUPPORT FROM MAYOR YILMAZ FOR BİGEP EXAMS

Stating that they came together hosted by Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, Balıkesir Provincial Director of National Education Ali Tatlı said, "We divided Balıkesir into three regions. We came together with our teacher friends in Bandırma region. We have a metropolitan mayor who is always with us at every stage of education. Starting in 2019 and continuing until the 2023 academic year and continuing in 2024, Yücel Mayor spent 6 million liras for BİGEP exams. This is only the money transferred in cash. In 2023, he carried out major repairs in more than 30 schools in order to improve schools. All the works we request are met early or late. I would like to thank Yücel Yılmaz for his support to education."

HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY

Informing that they will come together with teachers in Bandırma yesterday, Edremit today and Balıkesir centre on Thursday, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Yücel Yılmaz said: "Teaching is a profession that touches, affects the soul and goes down to the individual. You may experience competition with everyone in life, but there are two groups that never envy you and take pride in your success; your parents and our valuable teachers. These two situations actually reveal what teachers do.

WE TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINST EARTHQUAKES IN SCHOOLS

As the Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, we see that many physical and spatial changes can be made immediately when the conditions arise. Three years ago, our Governor gathered us and it was decided that earthquake resistant schools should be built. Together with our businessmen and philanthropists, schools that were not earthquake resistant were demolished and new ones were built. As the Metropolitan Municipality, we demolished Sakarya Primary School in Karesi District of Balıkesir and rebuilt it with our own means in 6 months.

OUR TEACHERS ARE THE ARCHITECTS OF TODAY

If countries were the most developed countries thanks to their underground resources, Africa would be the most developed country. If there was development related to culture, tradition and existence from the past, Egypt would be the most developed country in the world today. If there was development according to the smartest people in the world, India would be the most developed country. The education of societies that appeal to the most beautiful citizens and live in peace and justice is of high quality. And countries that invest in education are always getting better. I think that our teachers are the hinge of all our achievements until the 100th year of our Republic. The door is big, but it is the hinge that stands the door."

TRANSPORTATION DISCOUNTS

At the end of his speech, Mayor Yılmaz wished that the transportation discount of up to 76 per cent for teachers and the 20 per cent discount at BALBUCKS, OnHann Hotel and restaurants would be beneficial. After the programme, Mayor Yılmaz examined the landscaping works carried out by the Metropolitan Municipality in the gardens of Edremit District Directorate of National Education, Cumhuriyet Primary School and Mehmet Akif Ersoy Primary School.

Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, gave good news to teachers on 24 November Teachers' Day. Teachers will now get 59 percent to 76 percent discount on buses belonging to the Metropolitan Municipality. In addition, teachers will benefit from Balbucks, OnHann Hotel and restaurants with 20 percent discount between 21-24 November.

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Department of Transport Planning and Rail Systems is now providing transport support to teachers following the instruction of Mayor Yücel Yılmaz. Mayor Yücel Yılmaz came together with teachers in Bandırma, Manyas, Erdek, Marmara and Gönen and gave good news for 24 November Teacher's Day. Mayor Yılmaz said, "As of 24 November Teachers' Day, we are making discounts for the travels of all our teachers. For example, a teacher travelling from Bandırma to Balıkesir was paying 130 liras. By making a 69 per cent discount on this tariff, we reduced the transportation fare to 40 liras and it will be like this from now on. By subsidising the difference as the Metropolitan Municipality, we do not cause any inconvenience to our driver tradesmen. Our teachers will ride the buses of the Metropolitan Municipality at a discount with the smart card they will receive with their identity cards. My second good news is in OnHann hotels, OnHann Restaurants and Balbucks, which belong to the Metropolitan Municipality in various parts of Balıkesir. Again, by showing their smart cards, they will benefit 20 per cent from these places, all the best,".

17.689 TEACHERS WILL BENEFIT FROM

A total of 17 thousand 689 teachers, including 801 primary, secondary and high schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education and 15 thousand 225 teachers working in these schools, 2 thousand 69 teachers working in 169 private education institutions such as private schools, kindergartens, study centres, and 395 master instructors working in different directorates, were given a discount of 59% to 76%.

FARE REDUCTION TO BE APPLIED TO OUR TEACHERS ACROSS THE PROVINCE

Teachers will benefit from our Metropolitan Public Transport vehicles by paying 11.00 TL boarding fee, while paying 6.50 TL with a 40.91 per cent discount on this fee. While paying 13.00 TL boarding fee in collective Taxi and Minibuses operated by tradesmen, they will be able to benefit from the transportation service by paying 9.00TL by applying a 30.77 percent discount on this fee.

SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION TARIFFS FOR TEACHERS

SUBSCRIPTION TYPE 1

50 boarding rights per month: 215 TL 

While the boarding fee in Metropolitan vehicles is 6.50 TL, with this tariff, the boarding fee will decrease to 4.30 TL with a discount of approximately 34%. While the boarding fee in collective taxis and minibuses operated by tradesmen is 9 TL, with this tariff, the boarding fee will decrease to 8.60 TL with a discount of approximately 5%. For 30 days, 50 boardings on the city bus and campus line and 25 boardings on the central taxi, minibus and minibus line will be provided.

SUBSCRIPTION TYPE 2

80 boarding rights per month: 344 TL

While the boarding fee in Metropolitan vehicles is 6.50 TL, with this tariff, the boarding fee will decrease to 4.30 TL with a discount of approximately 34%. While the boarding fee in taxis and minibuses operated by tradesmen is 9 TL, with this tariff, the boarding fee will decrease to 8.60 TL with a discount of approximately 5%. For 30 days, 80 boardings on the city bus and campus line and 40 boardings on the central taxi, minibus and minibus line will be provided.

SUBSCRIPTION TYPE 3 

100 boarding rights per month: 410 TL

While the boarding fee is 6,50 TL in Metropolitan vehicles, with this tariff, the boarding fee will decrease to 4,10 TL with a discount of approximately 37%. While the boarding fee in collective taxi and minibuses operated by tradesmen is 9 TL, with this tariff, the boarding fee will decrease to 8.20 TL with a discount of approximately 9%. For 30 days, 100 boardings on the city bus and campus line and 50 boardings on the central taxi and minibus line will be provided.

HOW TO APPLY FOR SMART CARD?

Teachers who want to benefit from the discount by obtaining a Teacher Card; They can apply to BALKART personalisation centres with a work certificate and professional identity card to be obtained from their institution and one passport size photograph.

NEW INTER-DISTRICTS PRICES SPECIAL FOR TEACHERS

Savaştepe - Balıkesir Minibus line: Reduced from 52 liras to 17 liras. 

İvrindi - Balıkesir line: Reduced from 45 lira 50 kurus to 14 liras. 

Kepsut - Balıkesir line: Reduced from 39 liras to 13 liras.

Kepsut - Dursunbey line: Reduced from 76 lira 75 kurus to 31 lira 50 kurus.

Dursunbey - Balıkesir line: Reduced from 90 lira to 32 lira 50 kurus. 

Susurluk - Balıkesir line: Reduced from 50 lira to 17 lira 50 kurus. 

Susurluk - Bandirma line: Reduced from 60 lira to 22 lira 50 kurus. 

Erdek - Bandırma line: Reduced from 36 lira to 12 lira 50 kurus. 

Karşıyaka - Tatlısu - Bandırma line: Reduced from 39 lira to 12 lira 50 kurus. 

Gönen - Bandırma line: Reduced from 65 lira to 22 lira 50 kurus. 

Manyas - Bandirma line: Reduced from 65 lira to 22 lira 50 kurus.

Manyas - Gönen line:  Reduced from 50 liras to 15 liras.

Bigadiç - Balıkesir line: Reduced from 48 liras to 17 liras 50 cents. 

Bigadiç - Çağış Campus line: Reduced from 26 lira 75 kurus to 6 lira 50 kurus. 

Sındırgı - Balıkesir line: Reduced from 71 lira 50 kurus to 26 lira. 

Sındırgı - Bigadiç line: Reduced from 46 lira 75 kurus to 17 lira 50 kurus. 

Balya - Balıkesir line: Reduced from 65 lira to 21 lira 50 kurus. 

Havran - Burhaniye line: Reduced from 24 lira 75 kurus to 9 lira 25 kurus. 

Havran - Edremit line: Reduced from 15 lira 50 kurus to 5 lira.

Burhaniye - Edremit -Pelitköy line: Reduced from 28 liras to 10 liras. 

Ayvalık -Edremit line: Reduced from 52 liras to 20 liras.

Balıkesir - Ayvalık line: Reduced from 160 liras to 45 liras.

Balıkesir - Edremit line: Reduced from 130 liras to 40 liras.

Balıkesir - Bandirma line: Reduced from 130 liras to 40 liras.

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Digital Youth Center (DGM) organised FIFA 2023 and VALORANT tournaments with a prize pool of 110 thousand Turkish Liras and 10 thousand Turkish Liras during the mid-term break, specially for November 24 Teachers' Day.

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Youth Sports Department organised FİFA 2023 and VALORANT tournaments during the mid-term break for 24 November Teachers' Day. In the two-day tournament, e-sportsmen from outside the province admired the facility and digital equipment. With a 110 thousand TL prize pool, the champion of the VALORANT tournament was "Team NVus", the second was "Dark Passage" and the third was "PCİFİC Esports" teams. The champion of the FIFA2023 tournament with a prize pool of 10.000₺ was "Bekir Karadağ", the second "Doğuşcan Köse" and the third "Alperen Filiz". Yahya Akduman, Head of Youth Sports Department of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, presented the awards to the e-sportsmen.

YOUNG PEOPLE ADMIRED THE CENTRE

Yahya Akduman, Head of Youth and Sports Department, said that the Digital Youth Centre was established by Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality with the slogan "Carrying Balıkesir to the Future" and became an international youth centre.  Stating that such an environment in Balıkesir cannot be found anywhere even for money, the youth underlined that it is priceless that Mayor Yücel Yılmaz offers all these facilities to the youth for free.

Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Yücel Yılmaz organised the Children's Activities Festival for children to spend the mid-term holiday to the fullest.

Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Yücel Yılmaz organised Children's Activities in Bandırma, Sındırgı, Gönen, Ayvalık, Bigadiç, İvrindi and Dursunbey districts so that children can spend the mid-term holiday to the fullest. Children who showed interest in the activities held during the mid-term break in order to ensure that the children, the guarantee of our bright future, spend the mid-term break in a productive, fun and educational way, had fun to the fullest in the programme specially prepared for them. Children and parents switched places and this time children painted the faces of their parents. During the activities, smiles were never missing from children's faces. In order to introduce the beauties of our past to future generations, children could not hold their laughter in the Traditional Turkish Shadow Play "Karagöz and Hacivat" show.

Diving Village built by Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality in Gömeç is counting days for its opening. Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yücel Yılmaz, who inspected the works in Türkiye's first Diving Village, said that they have commissioned another very valuable investment for the economy of both Balıkesir and Gömeç.

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality is implementing projects and investments that will make Balıkesir, which hosts thousands of tourists every year, a centre of attraction for diving tourism. In Balıkesir, which is one of the first places that come to mind when it comes to sea and sun tourism and also hosts the world's unique diving spots, the countdown has started for the opening of "Gömeç Diving Village" built by the Metropolitan Municipality. Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Yücel Yılmaz examined the works in the Diving Village, which also includes the "Underwater Sculpture Gallery" where Balıkesir's values and mythological heroes are exhibited, which was opened in October last year. Mayor Yılmaz was accompanied by Mayor of Gömeç Mehmet İrem Himam.

WORKS COMING TO AN END

The Metropolitan Municipality is about to complete the construction of the Diving Village in the area covering Güvercin and Martı bays, Karaağaç, Pelitköy İçmeler and the blue flagged Pelitköy Bağlarburnu Coast in Gömeç District. In the Underwater Academy to be established within the scope of the Diving Village project, sportive dives, institutional dives, scientific dives, disabled dives, technical dives and search and rescue trainings will be given. In addition, many workshops and activities will be held, especially photography workshops, lifeguard races, triathlon races and sailing races.

A FIRST IN TÜRKİYE

The facility, which is Türkiye's first diving centre in terms of its infrastructure and surface area, has been planned for the use of disabled citizens. The Diving Village will offer the opportunity to obtain international certificates at all diver training levels. In addition to the training unit built in harmony with the environment using natural stone and wood, the project area will include a 400-metre public beach, a 9,000 square metre tent camping area, a 2,500 square metre recreation area, 2,500 square metre social facilities and a restaurant. The works are being carried out in co-operation with Gömeç Municipality.

HOLIDAY SEASON WILL BE EXTENDED

Making inspections at the completed Education Unit in Karağaç, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Yücel Yılmaz emphasised that their goal is to spread tourism to 12 months and said, "We are in love with our city. We want to introduce our city to the world with all its values and strengthen its economy. Each district of Balıkesir has the potential to stand out and become a brand with its unique values. We want to give each district of our city a different function. We aim to extend the holiday season in Gömeç."

IT WILL ADD VALUE TO THE CITY'S ECONOMY

Stating that the Diving Village is a very valuable investment for Gömeç's economy, Mayor Yücel Yılmaz said, "We are opening the Diving Village, which we believe will add a lot of value to the district, to the service of Türkiye. I claim that it is the most beautiful in Türkiye. It will be one of the most important diving centres in the world in terms of its functions. Diving Village will add a lot of value to Gömeç and Balıkesir. It is a place where firefighters from all over Türkiye will be trained and those who want to work on diving will be trained.  We have built a fully equipped centre at international standards."

WE INTEGRATE THE DISTRICTS

Stating that Balıkesir is one of the most beautiful cities in Türkiye, Mayor Yücel Yılmaz said that they have taken steps to integrate all districts in terms of tourism. Yılmaz said, "The guest who will come here to dive will go to Havran and visit the museum where Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk met with Seyit Onbaşı, and visit the historical oil factories there. They will go to Ayvalık and eat fish, shop in the centre, taste the stew in Bigadiç, buy lamb from İvrindi and go to the glass observation terrace. We are weaving the infrastructure of this like a shuttle. We plan them all together".

Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, announced that Ülkü Road, which will significantly reduce the traffic density of the Gulf, will be officially opened in January. 

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yücel Yılmaz visited tradesmen and citizens in Havran with AK Party Havran District Mayor Sercan Şık and Havran Mayor Emin Ersoy. After the visits, Mayor Yılmaz, AK Party Edremit District Chairman Ekrem Umutlu and Metropolitan Municipality teams inspected Edremit Ülkü Road. Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality has reached the end of the Ülkü Road, which was initiated with its own labor force and own resources in order to reduce the traffic density in Edremit, whose winter population reaches 200 thousand and summer population reaches 2 million. The 7-kilometer-long, 6-meter-wide Ülkü Road, which connects Zeytinli, Altınkum and Akçay neighborhoods of Edremit District and includes a bicycle path, sidewalks and lighting poles, will be officially opened in January. 

ROAD MEETS INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

Stating that Ülkü Road will be opened in January as a New Year's good news, Yücel Yılmaz, Mayor of  Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, said, "Our road has become a road that meets international standards, befits our region, creates very serious added value and everyone can use it very comfortably. We took the arrangement work of Edremit Stream next to our road from DSİ and did it entirely with our own labor force. We have built a road that can handle the density of people, a sidewalk, a bicycle path for those who want to use bicycles, a road with lighting, parking, and a road where people can walk safely day and night in summer and winter”.

Si Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yücel Yılmaz visited tradesmen and citizens in 

DENSITY AT AKÇAY ENTRANCE WILL DECREASE

This road will take a big burden off the density at the Akçay entrance. Many people will say 'I can walk from Akçay to Edremit thanks to this road'. Because the distance is a walkable distance with its beautiful surroundings. We have built a comfortable road in international standards that our citizens in this region and our guests coming on vacation will be really comfortable. We are planning to inaugurate it at the beginning of January."DENSITY AT AKÇAY ENTRANCE WILL DECREASEENSITY AT AKÇAY ENTRANCE WILL DECREASE

Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality has been turning the grass mowed from roadsides and airlines into bales and distributing them with a 100 percent grant to farmers who make a living from animal husbandry in rural areas for two years.

With the instruction of Mayor Yücel Yılmaz, who has given great importance to rural development and provided more than 300 million liras of support to producers since the day he took office, the Metropolitan Municipality mows the grass that grows spontaneously on roadsides and airline lands and grants it to farmers who live on animal husbandry. For 2 years, the Metropolitan Municipality, which has been entering tenders, mowing the grasses and turning them into bales, distributes all of the bales of grasses mowed as life water to small businesses in the countryside with a 100 percent grant.

BALES OF GRASS DISTRIBUTED TO OVER 500 FARMERS

Serkan Akça, Head of Metropolitan Municipality Rural Services Department, said that they continue to support farmers under the leadership of Mayor Yücel Yılmaz in Balıkesir, the city of agriculture, and added: "As the Department of Rural Services, we have many supports for our farmers from seeds and seedlings, saplings, livestock support, agricultural equipment, beekeeping support, pasture improvement and improvement of field roads. Since last year, we have been receiving tenders to mow the grass of the airports in Balıkesir to be given to our farmers with 100 percent grant. We have made our plans with the instructions of Yücel President and we have been receiving tenders for 2 years. Both the grass there is not wasted and we distribute it to our farmers with a 100 percent grant. We have provided grass support to more than 500 farmers, including farmers who were damaged in fires and disasters."

The farmers who loaded the bales of grass onto their tractors thanked the Metropolitan Municipality for their support.