Collaborations and projects realized by Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yücel Yılmaz with international platforms make Balıkesir an international base in Türkiye. Türkiye's first United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Cities Network Office and United Nations World Environment Situation Center will open in Balıkesir.
The efforts of Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yücel Yılmaz to strengthen Balıkesir's international role continues to increasingly reflect on the city. Türkiye's first United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Cities Network Office and United Nations World Environment Situation Center are opening in Balıkesir, which hosted the World Habitat Day, one of the most important organizations of the United Nations, last year.
SUSTAINABLE MOVES THAT WILL SHAPE FUTURE OF TÜRKİYE
The Türkiye Office of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Cities Network opens in Balıkesir. Representing an important step taken for cities to achieve their sustainable development goals, the Office will host sustainability moves that will shape Türkiye’s future. Thanks to the Office, which is one of the most important indicators of Turkey's commitment to sustainable development goals and that local governments play an important role in achieving these goals, cities will have access to the knowledge and experience necessary to make them more livable, safe and sustainable.
BALIKESIR WILL BE A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
With the Office, which will also strengthen the cooperation and solidarity between cities, Balıkesir will be a source of inspiration for other cities in the country by hosting the sustainability moves that shape the future of Türkiye. Aiming to promote Türkiye's efforts and achievements in this field on a global scale by drawing attention to the importance of cities in achieving sustainable development goals, the Office will offer access to policy and practice examples in line with sustainable development goals, and cooperation opportunities with international projects and funds in the field of sustainability.
IT WILL SERVE AS DATA AND INFORMATION PLATFORM
In addition to the Türkiye Office of the Sustainable Development Goals Cities Network, efforts have been initiated to bring the Environmental Situation Center to Balıkesir together with the United Nations. The World Environment Situation Center (WESR), which will be established in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality, will serve as a data and information platform.
IT WILL BE A GREAT GAIN FOR BALIKESIR AND TÜRKİYE
The Center, which will enable users to access, visualize, share and download data, information and information services related to the world environmental situation in almost real time, will be a great gain for Balıkesir and Türkiye. This platform will be the primary transformational change tool that implements UNEP's global environmental data strategy by integrating geospatial, digital libraries, data-driven assessments, insights, global environmental monitoring, communications, citizen science and support to UN country teams and the relevant Partner Country Analysis.
IT WILL CARRY BALIKESIR TO THE DIGITAL ERA
The World Environmental Situation Center to be established in Balıkesir will also help visualize the progress made regarding the environmental “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA). The Center will carry Balıkesir into the digital age and establish a leadership role in using the latest technologies for big data, geospatial and global environment. It will be built to fulfill humanity's environmental missions and fill an important and unique gap in emerging digital environments for the planet.
ONLY TOGETHER CAN WE OVERCOME THE DIFFICULTIES
Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yücel Yılmaz stated that they prepared a 5-year strategic action plan that focuses on sustainability after he was elected as the Metropolitan Mayor in 2019: We focus on achieving sustainable development goals and disseminating climate action in every investment and every step we take. Now, we are excited to bring the Türkiye Office of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Cities Network and the United Nations World Environment Situation Center to Balıkesir. This Office, which represents a big and important step for our cities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, will host sustainability moves that will shape Türkiye's future. The office demonstrates our country's determination in this field and the will of Local Governments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. As leaders who have gained similar experiences in different cities and different countries, we need to develop the ability to 'look together' at global problems, the effects of which we feel more and more every day. A Turkish proverb says; 'The stone doesn't move when you don't collaborate.' Only by working together can we build a better world.
