Special Edition: Translated 14th Issue of Şehir & Toplum, International Urban Forums And Conferences by Marmara Belediyeler Birliği

INTERNATIONAL URBAN FORUMS AND CONFERENCES Special Edition: Translated 14 th Issue of Å&#x17E;ehir & Toplum Journal ISBN: 978-605-80307-0-1

INTERNATIONAL URBAN FORUMS AND CONFERENCES Special Edition: Translated from 14th Issue of Å&#x17E;ehir & Toplum Journal

ISSUE

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

2019

ISBN:

978-605-80307-0-1

This document is a translation of the 14th issue of the journal “Şehir & Toplum” (“City and Society” in English) published by Marmara Municipalities Union (MMU). Şehir & Toplum is a journal in which articles on urbanisation and local governments are published in Turkish. This issue of the journal is dedicatedly translated in English for the first time for participants of Marmara Urban Forum (MARUF) 2019. ISBN: ISSUE

978-605-80307-0-1

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

2019

PUBLISHER

ADVISORY BOARD

COMMUNICATION

Tahir Büyükakın

Ahmet İçduygu

Tel: +90 212 402 19 00

(On behalf of Marmara

Ali Yaşar Sarıbay

Fax: +90 212 402 19 55

Municipalities Union)

Aslı Ceylan Öner

Address: Marmara Belediyeler Birliği

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Beşir Ayvazoğlu

Ragıp Gümüşpala Cad. No:10

M. Cemil Arslan

Bilal Eryılmaz

Eminönü 34134 Fatih / İstanbul

EDITOR

Feridun Emecan

PRODUCTION

Ezgi Küçük

Hasan Taşçı

Lom Creative Studio

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Kemal Sayar

Akarsu Cd. No: 27/1, 34433

Samet Keskin

Korkut Tuna

Beyoğlu / İstanbul

Büşra Yılmaz

Ruşen Keleş

Tel: +90 212 2455565

EDITORIAL BOARD

Selçuk Mülayim

www.lom.com.tr

Alim Arlı

Suphi Saatçi

DESIGN

Hatice Çetinlerden

Tarkan Oktay

Alper Zeki

Ülkü Arıkboğa

Yunus Uğur

COVER ILLUSTRATION

PROOFREADING

Ezgi Küçük

Burcuhan Şener

PRINT Printcenter Sultan Selim Mah. Libadiye Sk. No:3, 4. Levent 34415 İstanbul 0212 371 03 00

CONTENT 5 | Making Sense of Urban

47 | Global Coordination

77 | Urban Future Global

Forums and Conferences

Function for Sustainable

Conference: From Graz to

ALIM ARLI

Urbanizatıon of United

Oslo Via Vienna Transfer

Nations Habitat Conferences

HATICE ÇETINLERDEN

19 | Marmara Urban Forum

ULAŞ AKIN

(MARUF): An Interview with M. Cemil Arslan

55 | Moscow Urban Forum:

ALİM ARLI

From Glasnost to Globalism

EZGI KÜÇÜK

M. CEMIL ARSLAN

SAMET KESKIN

HATICE ÇETINLERDEN

37 | Cities and Local Governments on The Global Urban Agenda: United Nations Habitat Conferences GÜLDEN ERKUT

63 | Understanding Urban Age: Urban Age Conferences EZGI KÜÇÜK SAMET KESKIN

85 | International Metropolis Conferences: Migration Agenda From 1996 to Present BURCUHAN ŞENER MERVE AĞCA KOCAKOÇ

97 | Play the City: The Architectonics of Game Spaces EKİM TAN

Editor’s Note I am delighted to present you the special

The following two articles by Gülden Erkut

edition of our journal “Şehir & Toplum” (“City

and Ulaş Akın address UN-Habitat Confer-

& Society” in English) on “international ur-

ences and UN Sustainable Development

ban forums and conferences”.

Goals. Moscow Urban Forum is explored in M. Cemil Arslan and Hatice Çetinlerden’s

Every citizen has a word to say out about the

article named “From Glasnost to Globalism:

cities. We share the sun, air, soil, we share

Moscow Urban Forum”.

the city. To live in justice, peace and high quality of life we should be sharing both our

The journal proceeds with the article by

successes and failures and looking for alter-

Ezgi Küçük and Samet Keskin on Urban

native ways of consensus. We are all joint

Age Conferences held by LSE, focusing on

owners of our cities and should be heark-

the idea behind Urban Age Project. Subse-

ened because each voice matters. This idea

quently, Urban Future Global Conference

paved the way for us to organize an inter-

is elaborated by Hatice Çetinlerden based

national urban forum which gathers citizens,

on the experience of years’ conference. In

professionals, private sector, NGOs, univer-

the next article, Burcuhan Şener and Merve

sities and other stakeholders that play a cru-

Ağca Kocakoç provide information on Inter-

cial role in the design, transformation and

national Metropolis Project and share their

governance of cities with the aim of sharing

experiences on International Metropolis

knowledge, experience and of creating new

Conference held in Sydney in 2018. Lastly

opportunities.

Ekim Tan explains the idea of city games by drawing special attention to Play the City as

This edition contains international urban fo-

an alternative discussion platform alongside

rums and conferences that can be regarded

forums and conferences.

as basis and preliminary works in the preparation and organization process of Marmara

I hope you find our special issue valuable,

Urban Forum (MARUF) which will be held

and we welcome your constructive feedback

by Marmara Municipalities Union (MMU)

and comments.

on 1-3 October, 2019 in Istanbul, Turkey. The first article titled “Making Sense of Ur-

Enjoy your reading.

ban Forums” written by Alim Arlı provides a historical timeline of urban exhibitions, conferences and forums in the world. Then, the interview with MMU Secretary General and MARUF General Coordinator M. Cemil Arslan reveals how the idea of MARUF emerged and gives a general framework of MARUF. E ZG I KÜ Ç Ü K E D I TO R- I N - C H I E F

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

When the related dates are examined, it is observed that the conference and forums developed slowly in 1990s, they kept increasing in number through 2000s, and there has been a world-wide leap in the organization of conference and forums after 2010. Those gatherings where UN is a partner, or an equal participant seem to concentrate in the regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceanic islands. UNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation is also an occasional incident in the events held in Europe and America. The growth of forums becomes remarkable as of their titles and numbers after 2000s, turning into a boom after 2010.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Making Sense of Urban Forums and Conferences

gether all stakeholders of the city. It is a controversial question where to start the history of forums in the context of urbanism issues. On the one hand, it is possible to point out a long historical trace, which indicates that in some of the ancient civilizations such as Rome, Greek, and Islamic empires, in addition to the political agenda of the day, urban issues were also discussed in people’s open assemblies or among courtly circles. Although it is a matter of history and/or historiography with regard to how earlier practices should be interpreted, considering in relation to the logic of forum, most cultures have an experience in having organized speeches and discussions in various communicative forms. These practices are rather ancient models for symbolic and normative ingredients released from the moral and economic existence of city communities as in “polis” or “medina” were opened up for discussion in terms of their “political” meanings. Nevertheless, it should be noted that with regards to the present-day crite-

ALİM ARLI*

ria of democratic communication, these old models had taken shape mostly within patrimonial hierarchies of monarchical regimes. Another challenge to the endeavor to take

described as spaces of a democratic ne-

the history of forums back in the timeline in

gotiation and sharing, where the issues of

relation to forms of the present-day demo-

urbanism are approached by various social

cratic societies would be the complexity of

groups and individuals on an open speaking

the history of post-industrial societies. After

ground. From this perspective, an urban fo-

the industrial revolution, it was not only the

rum would serve as a dialogue platform that

social order and social structures, but also

allows present-day cities of various sizes

structures of information that was subject to

and scales to examine the issues they en-

a revolutionary transformation. Accordingly,

counter together with theoretical and prac-

numerous new science fields appeared in

tical shareholders of the issue on the basis

order to describe those novel situations. The

of mutual respect to the accumulation of

first century of those tired, working industri-

expertise and the ideological/political com-

al cities with factories, workshops, railways,

mitments of each other. In this respect, it

mines, harbors, and air pollution, was a real

is a discursive space that is not limited to

laboratory to observe the problems of pres-

scholars and political figures but brings to-

ent-day cities in its fledgling form.

Istanbul Sehir University, Faculty of the Department of Sociology.

ISBN:

in various subjects, urban forums could be

978-605-80307-0-1

Similar to many other forums convening

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

The period after the post-1860 revolution of

that some of the suggestions, including liv-

heavy industries had witnessed a new ex-

ing in good cities as well, were expressed in

perience of being human, where all the po-

the form of utopias. Thus, these intellectual

tential limits of this laboratory were tested.

efforts from opposing political ends as in

Thus, along with the ripening of methodol-

both for- and anti-establishment, left the

ogy and theory in the aforementioned novel

next generations an intellectual legacy that

fields of knowledge, it became possible to

was conflicted, preliminary, yet highly rich in

discuss about numerous topics such as how

terms of grasping the nature of cities.1

cities work, how to study its problems, and how to design its policies. Considering the

In the 19th century, problems of modern in-

forums in parallel with these developments,

dustrial cities that grew apace in Western

it would take the second half of the 20th

Europe and North America such as public

century for a ground of discussion and nego-

order, quantitative records, exploitation, pol-

tiation to develop on an international scale.

lution/sanitation, health, and infrastructure were of interest first to those groups at the

A SHORT BACKGROUND OF FORUMS

opposing ends of the aforementioned political spectrum, and then gradually entered

The social and economic study of cities in

into the field of science. “Reform” was the

their nascent form that appeared in (late/

chief demand shared by those who were

post) modern societies, which have become

attached to these kinds of intellectual in-

highly distinct and complex, examination of

terests during the 19th century. Utopian

the infrastructure and administrative prob-

(radical politics) and realist (political con-

lems have now a rich framework thanks

servatives and aristocrats) reformist pro-

to a long period of learning and explaining

grams alike involved a vision of a social

that extends over more than a century. The

order in order to solve the problems of de-

political opposition against the liberal and

veloping cities. This brought about a nor-

conservative approaches that dominated

mative plane also in the next century, which

the political scene of nascent modern states

inherently included “talking” about cities

of the 19th century, which were ruled either

and the thought of a consistently “good

with monarchy or democracy, was already

life”. And it was the entrepreneurs and in-

writing about the “social problems” in its

ventors who changed the cities and city life

then-recent term. Those who expressed

in the 19th century. Introducing innovations

these ideas, which were regarded as “rad-

in every area from electricity to motors,

ical” tendencies within the scenery of the

mechanics, and urban technologies, these

day, were among the first groups, who ab-

inventors and entrepreneurs directly influ-

stracted the problems of urbanization using

enced the already-changing nature of the

languages of various specialties. Curiously,

cities. The name of the real change was the

some of the aristocrats within the Europe-

Second Industrial Revolution, which pro-

an courtly societies of 19th century in par-

vided a much more radical wave of change

ticular were also occupied with remarka-

compared to the First Industrial Revolution,

ble intellectual endeavors to diagnose the

and brought about the urban world we still

“social problems” that emanated from the

live in on the ground of powerful technology

newly developing industrial society. The

after the 1860s. This wave of change was

most interesting part of these debates was

an accumulation of steps that created also

1 To follow a broad account of the idea of urbanization in this period, see. Michel Ragon, Modern Mimarlık ve Şehircilik Tarihi [History of Modern Architecture and Urbanization], trans. M. Aykaç Erginöz, İstanbul: Kabalcı Yayınları, 2010.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

a break for the way of thinking devoted to

Both events faced an interruption in 1939

grasp the cities on a rather small scale with

due to the conditions of war and it took 20

regards to population, geography, produc-

years to start again. Re-organization of the

tion, and consumption. Inspired from Michel

exhibition paradigm after 1970s through

Foucault, it could be said that this regime of

space-oriented specific exhibitions (such as

biopower, which trains the bodies with novel

design, infrastructure, water, and climate)

tools such as demography and microbiolo-

and biennales is almost simultaneous with

gy created the societies of discipline. After

the topics of urbanism having appeared on

this wave of change, it was no sooner than

a larger scale in events like forums, con-

late 19th century and early 20th century for

ferences, and summits with a novel under-

cities to be grasped as a wholistic focus of

standing.

analysis and ideas about cities to be systematized.

After 1970s, until international conferences and forums developed step-by-step, forms

“International exhibitions” and “universal

of thought and cultural discourse over cities

exhibitions” could be considered as the first

evolved gradually with events like fairs, exhi-

experiments of public sharing in terms of

bitions, and conferences, or within scientific

modern urbanism. London 1851, Paris 1855,

disciplines. A summary of these endeavors

London 1862, and Paris 1867 were the first

would be beyond the extent of this article

examples of Universal Exhibitions, which

due to the scope of the geographies and re-

continued to be organized in European and

gions they expanded in. Briefly, the ground

U.S. cities until 1970s (except the 1970 exhi-

for these discussions was built among social

bition in Osaka), and presented strong opin-

scientists, urban planners and architects,

ions about the relations of the day between

administrators and intellectual circles either

cities, states and technology by represent-

independently or being informed by each

ing diverse effects of industry and technol-

other. The period between 1880-1930 was a

ogy on cities as well as through pavilions

time when systematical works were being

for different countries to present their cul-

for the fully developed for the first time in

ture. International Exhibitions on the other

multiple fields and disciplines. Introduction

hand, was another significant event, where

of the first urbanization classics in social

the performance of urbanization continued

sciences 3 is almost simultaneous with the

within many other representative para-

utopia of garden cities, which served as an

digms, starting with New York 1853, Flor-

intellectual reference for all of the new city

ence 1861, London 1871, and Sydney 1879,

movements, and the appearance of first ur-

and to be continued in different cities of the

ban planning and modelling researches.4

Western world up until 1964.2

A good number of names started original

2 Michel Ragon, Modern Mimarlık ve Şehircilik Tarihi [History of Modern Architecture and Urbanization], p. 406. 3 Those which come to mind first are, Community and Society by Ferdinand Tönnies on the conflict between urban and rural, Max Weber’s The City, which describes cities within the organization of middle-age, Georg Simmel’s theory of social forms, including his article titled Metropolis and Mental Life, and the reference article titled The City: Suggestions for the Investigation of Human Behavior in the City Environment by Robert E. Park, who were among the pioneers of Chicago School and started the tradition of urban etnographies. For a broad review of the literature in Turkish, see. Alim Arlı, “Şehir Sosyolojisi: 1970 Öncesi Tartışmalar Hakkında Bir Yeniden Değerlendirme”, ed. Köksal Alver, Kent Sosyolojisi, İstanbul: Hece Yayınları, 2012, pp. 107-149. 4 Studies of Howard and Geddes, who were also among the leading figures of the discipline of Urban Planning, constitute pioneering works, which approached the questions of housing, planning, conservation, and a good life in a systematical fashion. Howard’s Garden Cities of Tomorrow which often inspired utopias of the 20th century could be mentoined here, as well as Cities in Evolution and Urban Development by Geddes, which influenced his follower Lewis Mumford as well as British schools of urban planning.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

research traditions. Especially in terms of

power struggles over space, it left a lasting

the way the world of design, arts and cul-

impression on further periods.6

ture took shape, the strong influence of the art movements of late 19th and early 20th century, as well as the change in the Cartesian idea of space should be mentioned. Cubist, modernist, Dadaist, and avantgarde art movements still continue to be influential on the reconfiguration of the perception of matter and space.

The period of welfare economies after the World War II changed the global picture of urbanization. Western world and the USSR countries built two different models of welfare economy with different paradigmatic priorities. In sketch, cities witnessed a wave of rubber-wheeled vehicles, highway construction, and erection of new residential

Discussions about urbanism and urbani-

districts during this period that lasted until

zation continued to diversify over different

mid-1970s. This short-term and booming

courses during the period between 1930-

wave of urban growth, gigantic in scale,

1960. New perspectives on topics such

paved the way for a new era. In those coun-

as urban sprawl, density, and urban mac-

tries, which fell outside of those consider-

roform emerged in 1930s with pioneering

ing themselves as the First world (West)

works of architects, urban planners, and

and the Second world (Soviets), the macro-

various intellectuals. Led by a good num-

form developed in the form of construction

ber of names such as Le Corbusier, Frank

for huge slum areas. Financing this huge

Lloyd Wright, Lewis Mumford, and Pat-

urbanization wave was almost impossible

rick Abercrombie, these discussions grew

for those countries, which struggled with

around dominant European themes such

contradictions between the crippling leg-

as urban design, new cities, agglomeration,

acy of a destructive colonialism, whose

and sprawl.5 Advances of the surrealist art

roots go back as far as the period of high

movement in particular could be mentioned

imperialism in the second half of the 19th

in terms of having transformed the con-

century, and meager policies of nation-

cepts of form and perception in this period.

al development in a climate of post-war

On the other hand, a vision of metaphys-

independence. The world witnessed the

ics to a new, spatial power quickly spread

greatest urban developments in the his-

along with the labors of socialist, liberal,

tory during these years. At the same time

and authoritarian regimes of the time to

however, the already-present, chronic ine-

form the cities in accordance with their

qualities became institutionalized on the

own aims. The new, iconic cities as works

spatial level, and thus discernable in the

of design involved also a goal to mold the

form of slum planets. Numerous new cities

society through spatial organizations. Al-

emerged, and the geographically uneven

though a considerable part of these efforts

development level between countries and

resulted in utter failure, as a new phase of

cities become visible to the naked eye.7 An-

5 A history that includes some of the events and enterprises, which occured between the end of the World War I and the end World War II, and influenced the life of cities would be as follows: Walter Gropius founding Bauhaus school in Weimar and foundation of Paris School of Urbanism the same year. First International Congress of Modern Architecture (CIAM) in 1928, and Charter of Athens, declared in 1933 meeting and deeply influenced the architectural thought. Founding of 1943 British Urban Ministry, enactment of Patrick Abercrombie’s London and Greater London Plan in 1944. From Turkey, planning works carried out in many cities after the founding of Republic, particularly Istanbul (H. Prost) and Ankara (H. Jansen) could be mentioned. 6 For a summary, see. James C. Scott, Devlet Gibi Görmek: İnsanlık Durumunu Geliştirmeye Yönelik Projeler Nasıl Başarısız Oldu? [Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed], trans. Nil Erdoğan, İstanbul: Versus Yayınları, 2008. 7 Mike Davis, Gecekondu Gezegeni [Planet of Slums], trans. Gürol Koca, İstanbul: Metis Yayınları, 2007.

Ĺ&#x17E;EHÄ°R & TOPLUM

other feature of this period was, regardless

were not being discussed yet on interna-

of the ideological orientation, a technocracy

tional platforms, by various stakeholders,

arose to form urbanization policies. These

and on an open, public ground. The dis-

novel class of technocrats and their varying

cussions changed direction along with the

ideological orientations still constitute the

innovations brought by UN organizations

source of many disputes that occupy the

and starting particularly with the first Habi-

topics of urbanization.

tat Conference in 1976. Foundations for the discussion about a global urban era came

Another characteristic to mention with re-

along with the emergence of a world-wide

gards to the thought and research of ur-

political-intellectual public opinion and a

banization in these years is the entrance

group of specialists, who employed a new

of nascent international institutions into

speaking ground in urbanization-related

the field. Many new organizations (UNDP,

subjects, used similar terminologies and

UNCHS-Habitat, UNCHR, UNESCO, etc.)

conceptual frameworks, and produced new

appeared in this period, through influential

frameworks of knowledge using present

institutions notably such as United Nations

statistical comparisons.

(UN) and World Bank. These organizations worked for a while through developing a

INTERNATIONALISATION AND

global system of measurement and statis-

GLOBALIZATION

tics. After 1960, many units affiliated with the organization of United Nations gradual-

Another importance of 1970s for the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

ly formed various sets of economic, demo-

history of urban development lies in the fact

graphic, social indicators on a national scale

that a new economic development plan trig-

in collaboration with national governments,

gered a change on a global scale in these

and meta-databases started to be estab-

years. The shift in the sectoral priorities of

lished. As a result of these efforts, and the

the welfare economies in advanced-capital-

emerging new ground providing the uni-

ist countries, and especially the transferal

versalist foundation for a global modern-

of labor-intensive manufacturing industry

ization discourse, as well as the accumu-

into developing economies that have cheap

lation of experience that enabled objective

labor force have started in this period. The

comparisons to be made between varying

de-industrialization in the West and new in-

development levels of different countries,

dustrialization processes in the non-West-

ideological discussion became also more

ern world together triggered a culturally,

complicated. Today, comparisons between

economically and sociologically novel devel-

cities and countries are to a great extent

opmental dynamic in the cities of those re-

conducted on this ground.

gions. Within this process, where European and American modernities were theorized

Urban studies were mostly under the strong

as post-industrial societies, cities in Asian

influence of the notions of development and

and African continents rose as the manufac-

technological determinism after the World

turing centers of the post-industrial world.

War II. The counter-discourses on the oth-

Deep inequalities of urban growth within

er hand were linked to an implicit political

developing countries ranked among the is-

agenda in connection to anti-colonialism

sues that most occupied the international

and discussions of an alternative develop-

institutions and governments in this peri-

ment. An important aspect in this picture,

od. The emergence of a new, international

was the fact that the topics of urbanization

co-operation in economy almost coincide

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

with the convention of first Habitat Con-

tion represent also a remarkable moment

ference (1976) under the guidance of Unit-

of shift that enabled the challenges arising

ed Nations. Thereafter, issues of urbanism

from the birth of a global urban era after

such as housing, settlement, built environ-

the World War II to be abstracted around

ment, energy, sanitation, and waste began

various themes. Another characteristic of

to be approached on a global scale. As a

this era involves the emergence of various,

global issue and part of the global agenda, it

quite powerful social movements, along

allowed various topics to be tackled within

which the Eurocentric modernity and its

a new, international system of representa-

values began to be systematically criti-

tion with the object of classifying the cities

cized. A shower of criticisms from within

according to their population scale thanks

the system such as the youth movements in

to the UN’s statistical databases that ena-

particular, the birth of the environmentalist

ble comparisons and providing a founda-

movement, a criticism of developmentalism

tion for national policies. These databases

led by the Club of Rome, and new religious

that made the comparisons possible for the

movements started to occupy the agenda.

first time since the era of industrial leap,

A symbolic sign of this wave would be the

changed also the political vision with re-

publication of J.F. Lyotard’s The Postmodern

gard to cities. The indexes that revealed the

Condition in 1979. The years when Habitat

comparative superiorities and weaknesses

conferences were introduced corresponded

between cities that displayed strong dispar-

also to its conflict with an anti-Eurocen-

ities also justified a competitive discourse.

tric intellectual wave on the possibility of a

On the other hand, the fact that until then,

global world of plural modernities. Thus, in

ideas about urbanization were mostly devel-

those emerging forums, the agenda would

oped within national traditions, while those

center on countless problems resulting es-

conceptions formulated within various sci-

pecially from the gap of development level

entific disciplines displayed normative char-

among countries (such as famine, access

acteristics that were shaped on the basis of

to clean water, uncared housing and built

remarkably theoretical and historical pri-

environment, inequality of consumption,

orities had undergirded a limited perspec-

and disparities in the quality of life). Now

tive. The practice of discussing problems of

the urban agenda was not only about Bar-

urbanization within a broad community of

on Hausmann’s magical Paris, fancied by

specialists and shareholders was either em-

courtly elites of all non-Western countries

ployed in a country-specific framework, or

in the 19th century, or Robert Moses’ shin-

it could not go beyond vocational meetings.

ing New York in a post-war world, or Lon-

The significance of UN’s first Habitat Con-

don, re-designed by Patrick Abercrombie;

ference, which could be considered as the

but “Bombay” struggling with numerous

first large-scale, global urban forum, lie in

economic and social deprivation, Mexico,

the facts that for the first time, urban devel-

Kinshasa, Rio, Istanbul, Tehran, Cairo, Del-

opment was discussed on a global ground

hi, and “other” smaller-scaled world cities.

and the convention brought all the interest-

The legacy of deep inequalities inherited

ed parties together.

from the history of colonialism was in the forefront of the political intellectual agen-

This conference as an international ago-

da concerned with global stratification. So,

ra that focused on access to housing and

the notion of “Third world” which gradually

more questioning and multi-disciplinary

forums and conferences.

ways of solution are needed in order to go beyond the reductionist and determinist ways of thinking and practice. Grasping and managing the contradictions at the heart of the late-modern world require the practices to be designed as integrated with the natural environment, and sensitive to the social suffering and needs. We need to direct more questions to our metropolitan lives that are organized on the principle of production and consumption based on an endless exploitation of nature, and take the moral responsibility of the answers we might give. Those contradictions getting deeper and deeper between our social lives and our natural world won’t be solved with the tools of the “smart-city,” based merely on technology. It is apparent that unless the technological development is accompanied by a moral as well as social development and perspective, where the responsibilities toward nature is re-defined, the frameworks developed in this context cannot produce solutions for the future of human society and the cities.

Translated by Deniz Gedizlioğlu

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

The accumulation of failures and achievements adds up to a lifetime. We dream and wish such and such had been done or had been possible to do. Sometimes there comes a moment when some things you dream about comes your way in the form of a risk to take or an opportunity knocking at your door, saying “You’ve asked and here I am.”

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Marmara Urban Forum / (MARUF): an Interview with M. Cemil Arslan*

to have evolved into Marmara Urban Forum (MARUF). Organized with the contribution of Marmara Municipulities Union Secretary General Dr. M. Cemil Arslan, his team, the reputable academic staff team, and the many prestigious universities of Turkey, Istanbul Şehir University Center for Urban Studies in particular, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul University, Marmara University, Istanbul Technical University, MARUF will take place at Istanbul Congress Center in Istanbul, Turkey 1-3 October 2019. MARUF is organized with the cooperation of national and international non-governmental organizations working for the achievement of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and sustainable cities with high quality of life, private-sector representatives creating solutions, development agencies in the Marmara region, local government associations and last but not least municipalities, the genuine facilitator of the whole process.

ALIM ARLI**, EZGİ KÜÇÜK***, SAMET KESKİN****

The interview below presents Marmara Municipalities Union Secretary General and also the General Coordinator of MARUF Dr. M. Cemil Arslan’s account of the emergence of MARUF and its organization and planIstanbul Şehir University Sociology Depart-

its potential power brought about by the

ment member and also MARUF’s steering

plethora of its past experiences and its glob-

committee member Assoc. Prof. Alim Arlı

al value, gets its strength from the local, in-

provides the questions while Urban Plan-

cluding the whole country, Marmara region

ning Coordinator at Marmara Municipalities

as well as Istanbul. It has built platforms

Union and MARUF Program Coordinator

to seek solutions in such diverse issues as

Ezgi Küçük contributes by making addition-

local governments and urban planning by

al commentaries about the whole process.

bringing practitioners and academicians

This interview constitutes the backbone of

together for the last five years. Marmara

the 14th issue of our journal “Şehir & Toplum”

Municipalities Union’s efforts create solu-

(“City & Society” in English).

tions by bringing such platforms together *Dr., Secretary General, Marmara Municipalities Union **Assoc. Prof., Sociology Department Faculty Member, Istanbul Sehir University *** Urban Planning Coordinator & Urban Policy Center Director, Marmara Municipalities Union **** Urban Policy Center Expert, Marmara Municipalities Union

ISBN:

Marmara Municipalities Union (MMU), with

978-605-80307-0-1

ning process which took almost 1.5 years.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

Interview: M. Cemil

Alim Arlı: How did the idea for Marmara Ur-

a municipality where quality and aiming for

Arslan, Alim Arlı, Ezgi

ban Forum – MARUF come about?

long-term effects are brushed aside. Since I have had a long-standing interest in finance,

Küçük, Samet Keskin MMU, Eminonu, 2019

M. Cemil Arslan: You see, the process an

I could see how the lack of an approach

idea or a thought ripens is mostly the sto-

based on quality and long term effects ul-

ry of a long journey. The accumulation of

timately results in a large expenditure that

failures and achievements adds up to a life-

tends to grow bigger and bigger and, what

time. We dream and wish such and such

is more, I have seen the way in which

had been done or had been possible to do.

stitutions with fairly high capacities that

Sometimes there comes a moment when

otherwise have the potential of providing a

some things you dream about comes your

great service for our country being wasted

way in the form of a risk to take or an oppor-

on petty sideshows and profits at the ex-

tunity knocking at your door, saying “You’ve

pense of a transformative outlook focusing

asked and here I am”.

on long-term and qualitative implications.

There are a few books that have had a great

It is fair to say that Marmara Municipalities

impact on me to the point of turning my

Union is one of the institutions with a level

whole world upside down. One of them is

of stress that is highly manageable. Every-

The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the

body has a different management approach.

Times by René Guénon. Since the day I read

I personally believe that working with peo-

that book, much to my chagrin, I have ach-

ple who differ in the manner they think and

ingly observed how quantity is overvalued

yet pursue the same dreams resting on a

and quality is overlooked in the works I have

principle and willingly face up to challenges

been part of. Regrettably, I have witnessed

is more enjoyable than working with people

a similar approach upon starting to work in

thinking in the same manner. As a matter

in-

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

of fact, I believe that management success

and English. Can you imagine? After that,

Workshop for the urban

equals to “stress and conflict management”.

the magazine meddled in political affairs

forum in MMU Annual

When you fail to manage the conflict of dif-

during certain periods, hence the decline

Meeting, 2018

ferences, turmoil breaks out. On the other

in its quality. That is why I wrongly believed

hand, when you allow no room for conflict,

that we performed an extraordinary feat

lethargy takes over. Rather than being an in-

even though we were merely revisiting what

stitution that directly serves our people, we

had already been done in 1975. Similarly, al-

are an institution that indirectly works for

most 30 years ago, a Drainage Master Plan

the local governments which directly serve

for Marmara Region was prepared with the

our people. Therefore, the stress we are put

support of German government and State

under here is merely a result of our willing-

Planning Organization. If only this kind of

ness to do the right things and do things

regionally-led approach and application had

right, to make it on time and to do better

persisted.

with an eye towards higher quality. Thanks to our strengthened institutional As I got to know the institution, I came to

structure and young qualified colleagues,

realize that actually a great deal of high

we have achieved several firsts. Architect

quality work had been produced since 1975,

Turgut Cansever Symposium, Internation-

the date of its establishment. For instance,

al Children’s City Congress, Local Gov-

I thought that publishing Marmara Life

ernments Finance Summit, Smart Cities

in Turkish and English for the first time in

Summit, Mayors Summit, Social Servic-

2014 was a huge achievement on our part.

es Symposium, Book and Culture Fair are

But then after publishing the first issue I re-

some of them. I have realized that our insti-

alized that the first issue published by this

tutional capacity, culture and history actual-

institution in 1975 was already in Turkish

ly enable us to do certain high-quality work.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

MMU Team: Urban

Moreover, an enthusiastic and capable team

how can we create this forum?” Those were

Age Conference 2018

producing high-quality work has evolved in

the questions we pondered on. During our

(left), Urban Future

the process. Since we are also an interme-

first meeting, there were people who were

Global Conference 2019

diary institution, one of our strategic goals

pessimistic and who thought that we would

(middle), World Urban

is to improve and support the institutional

not be successful. Our second meeting,

Forum 2018 (right)

capacity of municipalities and provide con-

however, made our faith in what we wanted

sultancy to them.

to do stronger – so much so that some of our colleagues came to think that we could

Being an intermediary institution has its ad-

have created a more comprehensive pro-

vantages as well as disadvantages. I have

gram than what we have now. Some said,

felt this polarity all my life. For instance,

“since we are doing it, we should do it bigger

we have had many meetings with academi-

and better”. Therefore, it is fair to say that

cians, municipalities, yet municipal employ-

this forum is an outcome of group-think-

ees and academicians were talking about

ing among Marmara Municipalities Union

completely different concerns. They only

employees. After all, the reinforcement and

had meetings, but never worked for a com-

the materialization of this dream becomes a

mon cause. Even if they verged on working

possibility only through people who accept

together, most of the time they were not

to undertake such a work and keep believ-

able to keep going or what they started sim-

ing in it. I have no reservations saying this:

ply sank into oblivion. In this institution, we

MARUF came about with total consensus.

have noticed that we are able to bring theo-

Of course, we had been told that we could

ry and praxis together. This was something I

do this and proceed with this idea, but what

kept ruminating upon for a few years. Then

matters is that we all believed in the fact

we made this a point of discussion among

that we could do this during our second

our managers and experts during our annu-

meeting. An important by-product of that

al evaluation meeting. “Can we create such

meeting was that we produced ideas as to

a forum? Provided that we can, can we come

how to do this work.

through? Provided that we come through,

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

I do not believe that people can be happy

ters from time to time has shown us that

when they do things they have no faith in.

the time is indeed right for local diplomacy.

I think one of the main responsibilities of a

Someone had to undertake this and one of

manager is to take their colleagues’ happi-

the most fitting institutions that are capable

ness into consideration because we make

of doing so is Marmara Municipalities Union

an effort to do what we do not only to earn

as it was successfully able to accomplish

money but also to be happy, feel useful and

important doings while retaining its inter-

serve our country. Having faith in a work is

mediary position. This is why we undertook

one way of being happy. All of us believed in

this and set to work. This is how the whole

this work and we would not be happy unless

idea came to existence and fully grew.

we make it. Alim Arlı: How did you set to work? What Then came the time for giving a name to

did you do to actualize this idea? Which

our project. As an institution, even though

stakeholders did you get in touch with?

we are capable of undertaking challeng-

Which organizational regulations did you

ing tasks, we know when to stop: we value

make? What about the work distribution?

producing superior work with high quality,

Since this is still an ongoing process, could

building awareness and setting an example.

you share some of the things you think we

We are happy to support other institutions

should know?

when we see them set out to achieve a similar task to ours. This is why we decided not

M. Cemil Arslan: We follow urban forums,

to use “Turkey” and “Istanbul”. Since we also

events and conferences. We try to partici-

aimed to discuss regional problems and ad-

pate in some of them. We actively partake

dress the relationship between region and

in and take note of such governance plat-

city, we decided to name it Marmara Urban

forms as Global Parliament of Mayors start-

Forum. Naturally, we were meticulous and

ing from the very first meeting.

attentive to details during this process, but deciding for MARUF as its abbreviation was

When our idea was full grown and we

the result of a huge coincidence as we were

built consensus among our colleagues, we

surprised to see that we all thought of the

started to exchange opinions as to how to

same thing.

organize the forum. As you know, the decision-making mechanism of Marmara Mu-

Needless to say, we sought advice from a

nicipalities Union is the our Executive Board

lot of people. We sought advice from you

which consists of mayors. We discussed

personally as well as seeking advice from

this issue with our Executive Board. Even

Istanbul Şehir University as an institution.

though some of the members were initially

We asked for advice from employees in mu-

supportive of us, our proposal was disap-

nicipalities, employees not working in mu-

proved. After six months, we presented our

nicipalities, people from different factions

project with a more detailed proposal. It was

on how to contribute to our country. The

rejected again – though it was a weak re-

fact that the central government of Turkey

jection this time. After 7-8 months, with all

has been able to find a way out of the prob-

of us having more faith in our project, we

lems it had with the central governments

presented our proposal for the third time

of other countries by resorting to the local

and it was approved. We were not able to

governments for the last 3-4 years and that

start right away due to the local elections,

we too have been asked to help in such mat-

though. Yet once we got the approval, we set

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

to work by visiting Istanbul Şehir Universi-

public and private institutions, non-govern-

ty, Center for Urban Studies. First we got in

mental organizations, different factions and

touch with Assoc. Prof. Alim Arlı, then with

groups of people with diverse political iden-

Dr. Yunus Uğur and Assoc. Prof. Eda Ünlü

tities.

Yücesoy. Istanbul Şehir University promised to support us. We were really pleased to

I can tell you some of the organizations

begin our journey with such a strong insti-

that influenced us most: One of them is Ur-

tution. Having an institution specializing in

ban Age Conference organized by London

this field on our side was invaluable.

School of Economics. Another is Urban Future Global Conference which is based in

MMU Executive Board

Interestingly enough, each institution we

Vienna. Of course, there is World Urban Fo-

visited-be it a university, municipality or a

rum by UN-Habitat. And there is also Mos-

foreign entity—supported us. Some of them

cow Urban Forum (MUF) that influenced

warned us against the potential risks of fail-

us with regards to their successful employ-

ure and financial insufficiency, but almost

ment of an event as a political tool by having

all of them liked the idea and they were

the support of a municipality within what

supportive of it. They told us that we should

we previously thought to be a closed so-

definitely proceed with the idea and actual-

cial network. Then we thought to ourselves,

ize it. None of them was unfavorable; no one

“Why not organize such an event based

ever assumed an approach that would dis-

in Istanbul?” After we had the approval of

courage us. For instance, some people did

the advisory board, there came some sug-

not want to become a part of the advisory

gestions to name the event “Istanbul”. But

board but it was due to their personal rea-

Istanbul is a heavily loaded, special name.

sons; they assured us they prized the forum

Our institutional capacity falls short of liv-

and they wanted to see it done. We there-

ing up to such a name, let alone our financial

upon decided to broaden our horizon and

resources. Each name has a certain claim.

tried to embrace as much color as possible:

Naming an event “Istanbul” is something

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

that should be claimed by some other in-

versities, finance sector, municipalities and

stitution. It would have been improper of

that we thought to be willing to support us

us to use “Istanbul” unless we had had the

to be a part of our steering committee. We

absolute direction and support of the insti-

determined 12 themes for the forum in ac-

tutions that were directly bounded up with

cordance with the suggestions made by the

Istanbul. Moreover, since we are a regional

steering committee. Also, we determined

Local Government Association, we wanted

a group of people who would support us

to take into consideration not only the city

as members of advisory committee. Some

but the concept of region-city, regional is-

of these people were approached by our

sues, the interaction between the cities in

steering committee while some were ap-

that region, investment networks and are-

proached by our institution. We took note of

as, regional decision- making. Hence, we

their opinions as well as their criticisms. In

named it Marmara Urban Forum (MARUF)

the meantime, we tried to follow the new-

accordingly. The necessity of addressing

ly emerging trends around the world. We

the issues I have just mentioned has be-

tried to follow UN-Habitat. We paid visits

come greater since the abolition of Ministry

to the central government institutions. We

of Development. The Ministry of Develop-

informed them beforehand as well as having

ment was being abolished while we were

their support and approval.

in the process of laying the foundations of MARUF. Development agencies came un-

There is one important point which we pay

der the Ministry of Industry and Technology

attention as an intermediary institution. In

and lost their autonomy to a certain extent,

Turkey, many institutions have wasted their

which has made such undertakings as ours

energy by fighting against each other to no

all the more important.

avail for many years. We do not want this to be an issue of concern for us in any of the

Alim Arlı: One of the most important as-

work we do. We try to steer clear of such sit-

pects of these events is the level of partici-

uations in our dealings with the institutions

pation in structuring process. There are two

that resort to antagonism. By no means do

committees that work for the organization

we intend to waste our energy on antago-

of the event: Steering Committee and Ad-

nism. In areas that entail collaboration, we

visory Committee. There are also five or six

prefer to cooperate as much as possible to

centers that efficiently manage this whole

produce efficient results and focus on our

process. How is the work distributed? What

work without being drawn into antagonistic

do these two committees do? An informa-

situations. Our aim is to generate as much

tive account of this whole process can be

kindness as possible by bringing goodness

inspiring for other institutions.

and positivity into the foreground rather than focus on the bad and negativity. Of

M. Cemil Arslan: One of the most impor-

course, this does not simply mean that we

tant conditions of being successful is be-

refrain from conflict at the expense of our

ing a qualified and eager person. Marmara

principles. On the contrary, we prefer to as-

Municipalities Union is very lucky to have a

sume this approach for the preservation of

team that displays great passion about their

our energy. When our work is at stake, we

work and at the same time maturity despite

do not hold back. We do not withhold solu-

their young age. Right after our colleagues

tion-oriented criticism that could potentially

agreed to undertake this work, we asked

put many people or institutions under pres-

people employed in private sectors, uni-

sure. Therefore, we tried to collaborate and

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

reach an agreement while identifying the

subjects. They grouped the subjects under

subjects and presenters. In determining the

different headings. Some of these headings

subjects, we tried to consider the decisions

were actually determined in one of our pre-

we made jointly with the steering commit-

vious annual evaluation meetings where we

tee and strike a balance.

had discussed the possibility of creating an international urban forum in our capacity

We wanted to give equal space for the rep-

as MMU. Our team compiled the agendas

resentation of women and men, practition-

of the conferences and forums that were of

ers and academicians, decision-makers,

interest to us. We presented the selection

national and international, different regions.

of these subjects prepared by our team to

Of course, time will tell whether we ac-

the steering committee during our second

complished this, but this is our goal. Since

meeting. With our steering committee, we

MARUF is the first step in our project, we

eventually chose these 12 themes by band-

are trying to push the limits in reaching our

ing all our findings together rather than con-

goals. Our relations with the central govern-

centrate on a single subject. However, there

ment have gained momentum. We are try-

would be a fundamental point to arrive with

ing to include them in this process as much

these 12 themes: Cities Developing Solu-

as possible.

tions. Therefore, we took “Cities Developing Solutions” as a main point of discussion

Alim Arlı: This forum has 12 themes. Each

that would be handled from different angles

theme will be tackled in 2-3 sessions. In ad-

by focusing on 12 main themes within the

dition, there will be special sessions. Could

framework of 21th century visions for urban-

you tell us more about the way in which

ization.

themes emerged? Why these themes were picked over others? How did you ascertain

Ezgi Küçük: I would like to elaborate on

the fundamental criteria and limitations?

these themes a little. The themes are envi-

What can this region and municipalities in

ronment and climate change, resilience, mi-

this union hope to gain from the discussion

gration, public space, city networks, housing

of these themes selected by you in your ca-

and built environment, urban infrastructure,

pacity as Marmara Municipalities Union?

social inclusion, urban technologies and in-

Can you make a general assessment about

novation, transport and mobility, local devel-

this issue?

opment, governance. Actually, city networks and governance constitute the intersection

M. Cemil Arslan: We reached this conclu-

of all the other themes. We organize two

sion with the steering committee while our

sessions on circular economy and climate

team in MMU was making a great effort in

change issues under the theme of environ-

carrying out our work in the background: We

ment and climate change. There will be

were either going to focus on a single main

two sessions each on the theme of public

subject or choose different headings. Since

space, city networks, social inclusion, urban

this was supposed to be an event, we pre-

technologies and innovation, transport and

ferred to bring a group of subjects together

mobility. We address fundamental issues

rather than focus on a single one. We chose

in each session: For example, for the theme

the subjects with the steering committee.

of transport and mobility, we are designing

But before that, 5-6 colleagues of ours in

two sessions that will revolve around the is-

Marmara Municipalities Union took the re-

sues of both people oriented transport and

sponsibility of coming up with a bunch of

institutionalization of mobility. In order to

Ĺ&#x17E;EHÄ°R & TOPLUM

touch upon these issues in more detail, we are planning to arrange more sessions. We will be having three sessions each on the theme of housing and built environment, and local development. For the themes of resilience, migration and governance, we are planning four sessions each. Was addressing more than one issue the only determinant factor for choosing these 12 themes? No. In establishing the headings, we also aim at being in line with the current agenda on an international scale. UN-Habitat stands as the top organization for determining the current concerns that draw international attention. As you know, United

in the localization of global sustainable de-

MARUF Steering

Nations has sustainable development goals

velopment goals. This is why these 12 head-

Committee

and UN-Habitat has the New Urban Agenda.

ings, in line with sustainable development

We wanted to determine headings that are

goals, were chosen by our steering com-

in parallel with Sustainable Development

mittee. Other headings were discussed, yet

Goals and The New Urban Agenda because

they were eventually eliminated. Of course,

this would enable us to address the issues

having certain limitations is one of the rea-

that stand at the intersection of global and

sons for that elimination. There is a limit to

local agenda and hence reinforce the is-

our resources as well as to our time. Another

sue of local diplomacy. Furthermore, this

factor was that we wanted reserve the half

seemed as a good starting point for us to

of the last day for a technical observation

achieve our goal of assuming an active role

trip, so we had to put a certain limit to the

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

Alim ArlÄą: 192 municipalities from Marmara region are your members and this forum is an opportunity for these municipalities to be more engaged in various regional, national, and international agendas as well as look at these agendas from their own point of view. My question is, what should the municupities and local governances of Marmara region expect from this forum? How should they view this forum and contribute to it? M. Cemil Arslan: I have been travelling abroad on a regular basis since 1999. There are quite different demands from Turkey overall number of sessions. However, in our

made especially by the Balkans and the

event program, we still included many sub-

Middle East due to its increased influence

jects connected to many themes that will be

and the change in the outlook on Turkey that

discussed in private sessions. I would also

took place in the last 15-20 years. This situa-

like to add this point: In addition to our will-

tion increases the responsibility of people in

ingness to bring city stakeholders together,

Turkey and also runs the risk of not meeting

we want to interact with the participants

their expectations. On the other hand, this

that will be our audience. Therefore, we are

situation boosted a sense of confidence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at

planning to receive their questions and con-

times excessive and devoid of any essence,

tributions not only during sessions but also

though. Since the beginning of public ad-

through an MARUF mobile app. Also, there

ministration reforms in 2004, local gov-

will be a board to receive evaluations on the

ernances have entered into a huge reform

main 12 themes of the forum. Additionally,

period. The authority and resources of local

we are working on visual elements that will

governances have increased. This process

play a role in the development of these 12

coincided with the rise in the power of the

themes and the localization of United Na-

central government and perceived prestige

tions Sustainable Development Goals and

of Turkey as well as increased expectations

The New Urban Agenda.

from it. Central government made use of local governances from time to time. For ex-

Similar to the other works done by MMU,

ample, in some cities in Africa, you can use

one of the main goals of MARUF is to de-

busses donated by the municipalities. In

velop a policy based on proof and data by

the Balkans, there are fire engines donated

gathering true information, meaningful sig-

by the municipalities union. You can come

nifiers and statistics in order to increase the

across a park built by the municipality in the

capacity of local governments and contrib-

Middle East or a orphanage in Tanzania. We

ute to the realization of sustainable, livable

need to make sure that this becomes a long-

cities characterized by equality. As part of

term, systematic and information-based

the projects carried out MMU Urban Policy

business. On the other hand, the munic-

Center, our aim is to present the first sam-

ipalities work locally, but their roles as the

ples of a research that studies the cities of

mayor of a small municipality and being a

Marmara region within the framework of 12

representative of a whole country tend to

main themes of MARUF.

get confused with each other. Therefore, at

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

times they fail to recognize that the prom-

90 and post-90s – is not willing to settle for

ises they make or actions they take abroad

a good payment for satisfaction. Older gen-

have bearings for the whole country. Mar-

erations used to deem getting a foot in the

mara Region alone constitutes more than

door and then getting retired there an ac-

60% of Turkey’s export-imports. 42 % of

complishment. Younger generations, on the

the tax revenue of the whole country comes

other hand, want to feel useful; they want

from Istanbul alone. There are more than

to be productive. They want to contribute

60 universities in Istanbul. Therefore, since

to a production. They want to accomplish

this region is the center of industry, produc-

something that will be of value around the

tion, technology, finance and information,

world. Municipalities can make use of this.

the first step of any business ventured upon

We expect the municipalities in this region

in the name of Turkey needs to be taken in

to keep up with new trends, new approach-

Marmara Region. In this vein, I think that

es and new developments around the world

Marmara Municipalities Union’s undertak-

and not be inward-looking. We expect them

ing of such a work is a historic responsibili-

to bring them knowledge they got from the

ty. When and if the right time comes, one of

world and convey what they learnt here to

the most righteous things that institutions

the world.

can do for a city, a region or the whole country is to avoid neglecting their responsibilities, do their work in due time and take risks for it. Cities and municipalities in this region are the institutions that have the most developed capacities in the country because there is an enormous abundance of people populating the cities. Thanks to their institutional capacities, the municipalities can more easily communicate with the rest of the world, speak for Turkey and learn from the rest of the world faster in a more efficient manner. I think, besides their other responsibilities, the municipalities in this region have two fundamental responsibilities: First, the municipalities of this region are responsible for delivering the highest quality work. Second, they should keep up with the current developments in the world and in the field of urban administration and bring them in. All in all, we expect an interaction that will be mutually beneficial. I think the institutional capacity of the municipalities in this region allows for such an interaction: There are hundreds of employees that can speak a foreign language. Moreover, an important part of the young generation – particularly

We also want municipalities to realize that no issue can really be solved unless it is thought and dealt with within the framework of the whole Marmara region. Municipalities cannot solve the problems of migration, transportation or logistics on their own. They are part of a network of relations and all the constituents of this network should work together. We need to try to solve these problems by considering them on a regional level. This could be possible only if the institutions come together and learn to work with each other and then learn to work with the central governance and the whole world. Alim Arlı: Also, as you have just mentioned, there are many urban forums that you have tried to follow around the world. It is fair to say that, though they engage in global concerns on a gloabal scale, these forums are also partly characterized by locality in some way or another. For example, forums organized in Europe mostly deal with local concerns in Europe. You have said that Marmara Urban Forum is also engaged with the current global agenda, but how exactly does it do it with an eye on regional, national and local concerns? How does it locally set itself apart from other forums?

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

M. Cemil Arslan: As I have mentioned, we

tivities and adapting them for use of cities

have 12 main themes under the motto of

in Turkey and the Marmara region. I believe

“Cities Developing Solutions”. These themes

that our work is right spot-on in terms of its

will be explored in line with the sustainable

content that closely grasps the agenda of

development goals. Since we are a regional

the region. For example, by organizing four

Local Government Association, we want to

sessions for the issue of migration, we will

contribute to the development of the institu-

be trying to make an in-depth exploration of

tional capacity and sustainability of the mu-

issues ranging from international consen-

nicipalities. We will be having private session

sus to local administration policies on Syr-

where issues specific to Marmara Region and

ian refugees. Within the framework of this

Istanbul will be discussed. Theses issues,

them, there will be a screening of the movie

without a doubt, are matters of concern when

Guest directed by Andaç Haznedaroğlu.

looked at the global agenda, but we are handling them specifically from the perspective of this region, Istanbul and Turkey. Moreover, we are arranging technical visits in Istanbul. We want our participants to see Istanbul’s unique development. We will be employing different means to encourage their contribution. We will be having a special session, PhD Showcase where there will be 3-minute presentations of the dissertations on city and local administrations. We will also have “Play Marmara” where we will be handling environmental and special problems of the Marmara Region and create solutions form them by using gaming method in cooperation with Amsterdam-based “Play the City” whose one of the founders is a Turkish architect. Ezgi Küçük: I think “Play Marmara”, designed to handle fundamental issues relating

infrastructure,

transportation,

housing, agriculture and tourism through a model, could be more meaningful than other local, regional and global activities. Through gaming method, mayors and experts will be able to develop strategies, discuss planning decisions and keep track of them until the next forum. I think MARUF will be developing unique methods for generating solutions for the problems in the cities and coming up with diverse means to ensure the interaction of cities with each other as well as the interaction of the urbanites with the city itself by following international ac-

M. Cemil Arslan: Another point is that MARUF will be a biennial event, so feedbacks and criticisms we will be receiving during this forum will guide us in determining the agenda of the next forum. Most probably, mayors will be sharing some major criticisms. Perhaps we will not be able to meet each and every one of their needs, but our aim is to deal with their criticisms in a positive and productive way and position ourselves accordingly. What we do here in this region has the possibility of creating a great resonating impact around the world. A considerable number of Turkish people live in almost all the principal cities around the world. One of the goals of this forum is to develop and sustain a meaningful relationship with these people and the administration of the cities they live in. We will be proceeding on our way by giving an ear to what people has to say, renouncing and recovering from our mistakes while reinforcing what is right as well as discovering new means that is based on respect and knowledge. Alim Arlı: Thank you and we sincerely hope that your efforts and hard work will pay off and be of great benefit for the cities and their dwellers.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Marmara Urban Forum (MARUF) Team General Coordinator Dr. M. Cemil Arslan Program Coordinator Ezgi Küçük International Affairs Coordinator Burcuhan Şener Media and Communications Coordinator Hatice Çetinlerden Logistics and Sponsorship Coordinator Salih Döğenci Financial Affairs Coordinator Mustafa Kabil Deputy Coordinators Büşra Yılmaz Emrehan Furkan Düzgiden Merve Ağca Kocakoç Özge Sivrikaya Samet Keskin

Curator of Exhibitions Mustafa Kocakoç Field Trips Gamze Güler IT Yunus Demiryürek Kerem Ulusoy Human Resources Yusuf Kara Logistics Mustafa Şahin Sefa Şahin Ahmet Cihat Kahraman Burak Arlı Data Başak Atan

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

MARUF Steering Committee: Alim Arlı, Assoc. Prof. Istanbul Şehir University, Department of Sociology, Faculty Member Aslı Ceylan Öner, Assoc. Prof. İzmir University of Economics, Department of Architecture, Head of Department Burcuhan Şener

M. Murat Erdoğan, Prof. Dr. Turkish-German University Political Science and International Relations Department, Head of Department / Turkish-German University Migration and Integration Research Center TAGU, Director M. Onur Partal Istanbul Development Agency (ISTKA), Expert / Invest in Istanbul, Project Director

Marmara Municipalities Union, International Cooperation Coordinator Eda Ünlü Yücesoy, Assoc. Prof. Istanbul Şehir University, Department of Cinema and Television, Faculty Member Erbay Arıkboğa, Prof. Dr. Marmara University, Department of Political Science and Local Governments, Faculty Member Ezgi Küçük

Mahmut Kocameşe Zeytinburnu Municipality, Deputy Mayor Merve Akı WRI Turkey Sustainable Cities, Urban Mobility Director Mikdat Kadıoğlu, Prof. Dr. Istanbul Technical University, Department of Meteorological Engineering, Faculty Member

Marmara Municipalities Union, Urban Planning Coordinator Gülden Erkut, Prof. Dr. Istanbul Technical University, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty Member Halil İbrahim Düzenli, Dr. Istanbul Şehir University, Department of Architecture, Head of Department Hatice Ayataç, Assoc. Prof. Istanbul Technical University, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty Member

Murat Şentürk, Assoc. Prof. Istanbul University, Department of Sociology, Faculty Member Mustafa Kabil Marmara Municipalities Union, Director of Financial Services Rifat Ünal Sayman The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) Turkey, Director Salih Döğenci

Hatice Çetinlerden

Marmara Education and Organization,

Marmara Municipalities Union, Corporate

General Manager

Communications Coordinator Kaan Yıldızgöz International Association of Public Transport (UITP), Senior Director M. Cemil Arslan, Dr. Marmara Municipalities Union, Secretary General

Selim Karabulut, Computer Engineer Tarkan Oktay, Prof. Dr. Istanbul Medeniyet University, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Faculty Member

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Ulaş Akın, Dr.

Carl Nightingale,Prof. Dr.

UN HABITAT The Global Future Cities

University at Buffalo, The State University

Programme / Lecturer and Thesis Advisor,

of New York

IGLUS Innovative Governance of Large Urban Systems Executive Master’s of EPFL Switzerland Yunus Uğur, Dr. Istanbul Şehir University, Department of History, Faculty Member, Head of Center for Urban Studies

Christopher John Webster, Prof. Dr. The University of Hong Kong Coşkun Yılmaz, Dr. Director, Istanbul Culture and Tourism Provincial Directorate Emin Özdamar, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Program Officer, JICA

MARUF Advisory Board: Abdullah Güç Secretary General, South Marmara Development Agency Ahmet İçduygu, Prof. Dr. Koç University Alain Thierstein, Prof. Dr. Technische Universität München Ali Osman Öztürk, Prof. Dr. Hitit University

Enver Salihoğlu Former Governor Fatih Pişkin, Dr. Secretary General, Istanbul Development Agency Fikret Toksöz Public Governance Expert, ARGUDEN Governance Academy Fuat Keyman, Prof. Dr. Director, Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Center

Allan Watson, Assoc. Prof. Dr.

Gökhan Özertan, Prof. Dr.

Loughborough University

Boğaziçi University

Ayhan Kaya, Prof. Dr. Istanbul Bilgi University Ayşe Güner, Prof. Dr. Marmara University

Görgün Taner General Director, Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) Güneş Cansız, Dr. Director, WRI Turkey Sustainable Cities

Ayşe Sema Kubat, Prof. Dr.

Güven Sak

Istanbul Technical University

Managing Director, TEPAV

Ben Derudder

Hasan Taşçı, Dr.

Prof. Dr., University of Ghent

Deputy Mayor, Esenler Municipality

Beşir Ayvazoğlu

Hatice Hümanur Bağlı, Prof. Dr.

Writer

Istanbul Şehir University

Bilal Eryılmaz, Prof. Dr. Istanbul Medeniyet University

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

Hilmar Tevrüz v. Lojewski

Mesut Özcan, Prof. Dr.

Head of Urban Development, Building,

Diplomacy Academy Director, Ministry of

Housing and Transport, Association of

Foreign Affairs

German Cities Mesut Pektaş İlhan Tekeli, Prof. Dr.

Zorlu Real Estate Group Head, Zorlu

Middle East Technical University

Holding

İskender Pala, Prof. Dr.

Mohamed Mezghani

Deputy President, Presidency Culture and

Secretary General, International Associa-

Art Policy Unit

tion of Public Transport (UITP)

İsmail Gerim

Murat Gül, Prof. Dr.

Secretary General, Bursa Eskisehir Bilecik

Istanbul Technical University

Development Agency Murat Ali Yülek, Prof. Dr. Khaled Omar Tadmori, Prof. Dr.

Rector, Ankara Ostim Technical University

Kelmend Zajazi

Murat Güvenç, Prof. Dr.

Secretary General, Network of Associations of

Kadir Has University

Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS) Musa Eken, Prof. Dr. Kemal H. Karpat, Prof. Dr.

Sakarya University

University of Wisconsin Mustafa Dikeç, Prof. Dr. Kemal Kirişci, Prof. Dr.

École d’urbanisme de Paris (EUP) and

Turkey Project Director, Brookings Institute

LATTS, France

Kerem Kınık, Dr. President

Mustafa Çöpoğlu

Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay) Koray Velibeyoğlu, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İzmir Institute of Technology Korel Göymen, Prof. Dr. Sabancı University Lakshmi Rajendran, Dr. Anglia Ruskin University Mahmut Şahin Secretary General, Trakya Development Agency Mehmet Güllüoğlu, Dr. Head, Disaster & Emergency Management Authority (AFAD)

Secretary General, East Marmara Development Agency Muzaffer Baca President, Tuana Consultancy Ömer Faruk Gençkaya, Prof. Dr. Marmara University Paul Knox, Prof. Dr. Virginia Tech Rafet Bozdoğan, Prof. Dr. Yalova University Richard J. Grant, Dr. University of Miami

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Rosemary Wakeman, Prof. Dr.

is possible throug MARUF mobile app.

Fordham University Social Media: MARUF will be available for Ruşen Keleş, Prof. Dr.

ctact though social media:

Ankara University Selahattin Yıldırım Former Secretary General, Marmara Municipalities Union (MMU) Serdar Yılmaz, Dr.

Twitter: @MarmaraUrban Instagram: @marmaraurban Youtube: Marmara Urban Forum

Local Development Expert, World Bank Talja Blokland, Prof. Dr. Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin Uğur Ömürgönülşen, Prof. Dr. Hacettepe University Uğur Tanyeli, Prof. Dr. Istanbul Şehir Üniversitesi Ülkü Arıkboğa, Assist. Prof. Dr. Marmara University Vedat Akgiray, Prof. Dr. Boğaziçi University Yılmaz Çakır Member of Board, Başakşehir Living Lab

Web Site: marmaraurbanforum.org Mobile App: Following the forum program

Facebook: @MarmaraUrban Translated by Lamia Kabal

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the member states of the United Nations in 2015, is a call made to all countries to work in partnership for all and the planet, for the assurance of piece and prosperity in the future. At the centre of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and 169 targets that are developed in line with these goals. In order to end all forms of poverty, strategies to improve health care and education should be developed in harmony with each other; inequality should be reduced and economic growth should be encouraged. In the meantime, by taking precautions against climate change, the oceans and forests should be protected.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Cities and Local Governments on The Global Urban Agenda: United Nations Habitat Conferences

the population resides in urban areas, Europe, where 74 % of the population resides in urban areas and finally Australia, where 68% of the population resides in urban areas. On the other hand, Africa, where 43% of its population resides in urban spaces and Asia, where 50% of its population resides in urban spaces, are comparatively characterized by rural areas. However, the rate of urbanization is still high in both continents and it is estimated that % 90 of the overall urban growth will take place on these two continents and the population will increase by 2.5 billion people in the urban spaces by 2050. It is estimated that India, China and Nigeria will be the three countries that will be responsible for the 35% of the overall global increase in the urban population between 2018 and 2050. It is expected that India will be responsible for adding 416 million, China for 255 million and Nigeria

P R O F. G Ü L D E N E R K U T *

for 189 million of urban population to the world urban population. Table 1 exhibits a ranking of world cities in accordance with the size of their population.

INTRODUCTION

Cities with 10 or more millions of population

a global scale, medium-sized cities have

revision of United Nations World Urbaniza-

a population of 1-5 million and 1 of every

tion Prospects (WUP, 2018), 55% of human

5 people in the world lives in those cities.

population resides in urban areas and this

The ranking of the cities with a population

percentage is expected to reach 68% by

of 500.000-1 million can be seen in the

2050. When the continents on the face of

table below. Almost half of the world pop-

earth and the rate of urbanization of coun-

ulation lived in urban areas that had less

tries are considered, imbalanced distribu-

than a population of 500.000 in 2014. Cit-

tion is noted. Currently, the regions with the

ies whose population is between 100.000

highest rate of urbanization are the North

and 500.000 accommodates % 60 of the

America (USA and Canada), where 82 % of

world’s urban population and these cities

the population resides in urban areas, Latin

have the highest population growth rate.

America and the Caribbean, where 81 % of Prof. Dr.,Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Istanbul Technical University

ISBN:

5 -10 million are defined as big cities. On

on the face of earth. According to the 2018

978-605-80307-0-1

are defined as megacities while cities with Human habitats take up a very small space

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

TABLE 1

1990

2014

2030

Megacity

Big City

Medium-sized City

239

417

558

City (500.000-1 million)

294

525

731

As exhibited in the table below, growth of urban population is projected to take place in all the cities of each rank: Whereas developed regions were the largest urban agglomerations 30-40 years ago, today the largest urban agglomerations are located in the southern hemisphere. The highest growing urban agglomerations are the cities in Asia and Africa and the cities that have a population of less than 1 million. The World Cities Report (Jin ve Liu, 2011) points out an unlikely pattern of urban growth in the world. According to the report, the world population has increased by 1.2 people per week for the last ten years. In

other words, the growth of world population is below the rate of population growth in the urban areas of Europe per year. In this vein, Asia, with an increase by 0.88 million of urban dwellers per week, has the highest rate. The second highest growth rate takes place in Africa which has an increase of 0.23 million urban dwellers per week. Latin America and The Caribbean has an increase of 0.15 million per week. When the likely pattern of urban growth in the developing world is examined, cities are projected to continuously expand and sprawl beyond their administrative borders with a low density in an unsustainable manner with the help of automobiles and real estate speculations. Jin, L and Y. Liu, in their research on 120 cities, conclude that urban space growth is twice as much as the rate of urban population growth.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

UN-HABITAT MEETINGS FOR LIVABLE

plement the objectives of this programme

AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES

on a national, regional and local scale with the aim of preserving the eco-systems,

As a result of the on-going rural-urban mi-

meeting fundamental needs and bettering

gration and the growth of the world urban

life standards. They also agreed to work

population led to various social, economic

both individually and cooperatively on the

and environmental problems. United Na-

mechanisms of technology and financial

tions Habitat-Human Settlements Organ-

resources transfer and participate in the in-

ization aims to reduce these problems by

ternational projects. Run by UN for a shared,

enabling sustainable urban growth and de-

livable future, Agenda 21 is a comprehen-

velop cities that are socially inclusive, pro-

sive global action as well as a “to-do list”

ductive and livable through organizing Sus-

designed to be completed throughout this

tainable Urban Development Conferences

century to fight the global problems experi-

every 20 years since 1976.

enced in 21st century. (IULA-EMME, 1996)

UN- HABITAT I CONFERENCE ON

UN-HABITAT II CONFERENCE THE CITY

HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

SUMMIT

‘Habitat: United Nations Conference on Hu-

The implementation and localization of

man Settlements’, organized between 31

Agenda 21 objectives was adopted in Hab-

May and 11 June 1976 in Canada, Vancouver,

itat II, organized in Istanbul in 3-14 June

has been named Habitat I due to the meet-

1996. Two main themes were determined:

ings that has followed it in years. After this

“Housing for all” and “Sustainable human

conference, United Nations made some ad-

settlements in an urbanizing world”. Within

ditions to it structure in order to give more

this framework, the aim was to reinforce ex-

place to the issues of human settlement and

isting partnerships and build new partner-

housing. “United Nations Centre for Human

ships at an international, national and local

Settlements” (UN-Habitat), based in Nairo-

level for the betterment of human settle-

bi, Kenya, was established in 1978.

ments and the living spaces characterized by safety, health, equality, sustainability and

UN - ENVIRONMENT AND

productivity. Differing from Habitat I which

DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

sought solutions for urban problems under the leadership of states, Habitat II includ-

Organized in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992,

ed and aimed at reinforcing and enabling

United Nations Conference of Environment

numerous participants that could possi-

and Development (UNCED) aimed at bring-

bly have strong claims and power. To that

ing new perspectives to the global issues

end, prior to Habitat II Conference The City

such as ecological imbalance, increased

Summit in 3-14 June 1996, forums were or-

poverty, imbalanced development and it

ganized starting from May 20, 1996. These

adopted Agenda 21. Focusing on social

forums are ‘Assembly of Cities and Local

and economic objectives, preservation and

Authorities’ and ‘Academies of Science

management of resources, reinforcement

Forum’ where local authorities and unions

of the role of major groups, implementation

were brought together, ‘Private Sector Fo-

techniques, Agenda 21 was adopted by 170

rum’ where representatives of private sector

countries at the Earth Summit. Member

were brought together, ‘Foundations Forum’

States of the United Nations agreed to im-

where non-profit public and private founda-

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

tions were brought together, ‘Non-govern-

Adopted for enabling sustainable urbaniza-

mental Organizations Forum’ and ‘Parlia-

tion on a global scale for the period between

mentarians Forum’ which was organized by

2016 and 2036, ‘New Urban Agenda’ was

parliamentary organizations (Mimarlık Der-

created with a comprehensive agreement

gisi, Haberler, 1996/269). On the last day of

and participation. ‘New Urban Agenda’ is

the official meeting, 1996 Istanbul Declara-

universal and it is designed both for the de-

tion was adopted.

veloped and developing countries. The aim is to create outcomes geared towards ac-

Following the Habitat II Conference, ‘The

tion. Essential ingredients are set out under

Project of encouraging and developing Lo-

five main categories in ‘Action Framework

cal Agenda 21 in Turkey’ was signed and

for Implementation of the New Urban Agen-

put into effect by United Nations Develop-

da’ (AFINUA):

ment Programme (UNDP), the government of Republic of Turkey, International Union of

1. National urban policies

Local Authorities, Assembly of the Eastern

2. Urban legislation, rules and regulations

Mediterranean and Middle East Region (IU-

3. Urban planning and design

LA-EMME). Initiated by the implementation

4. Urban economy and municipal finance

of sample activities, the project widened its

5. Local implementation

scope later. It is stated that Habitat III conference is an UN- SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

opportunity for central governments to re-

GOALS (2015)

consider urban agenda and for the development of urban development models that

Prior to Habitat III Conference, ‘The 2030

will be characterized by such aspects as

Agenda for Sustainable Development’ was

equality and prosperity with an integrated

adopted in 2015. In Habitat III Conference,

approach.

‘New Urban Agenda’ was adopted for the implementation process of ‘The 2030 Agenda

WORLD URBAN FORUM

for Sustainable Development’. World Urban Forum is a technical forum orUN-HABITAT III CONFERENCE ON

ganized and run by UN-Habitat Assembly

HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN

and UN- Human Settlements Programme.

DEVELOPMENT

The forum is a biennial event that has been hosted by a certain city that is positively as-

Revolving around 1996 ‘Istanbul Declara-

sessed by a visiting country since 2002. It

tion’, Habitat III Conference took place in

is an international meeting where opinions

17-20 October 2016 in the capital city of Ec-

on urban problems and potentials are ex-

uador, Quito. The rural-urban migration had

changed and urban agenda is discussed by

been growing increasingly in the developing

the governments, international institutions

countries in particular for the last 40 years

and non-governmental organizations. When

since Habitat I. Cities had kept expanding

the forum was first organized in Nairobi,

by sprawling and forming new settlements

Kenya in 2002, its aims and objectives were

on their peripheries. Unplanned irregular

agreed upon. The second meeting took

settlement areas had continued to increase

place in Barcelona, Spain in 2004. The third

as the survival strategy of the low-income

meeting took place in Vancouver, Canada

dwellers in the cities.

in 2008 while the fourth took place in Nan-

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

jing, China in 2008. The fifth meeting was

cient, low-carbon, and increasingly reliant

organized in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2010.

on renewable energy resources.

The sixth meeting took place in Napoli, Italy in 2012, the seventh in Medellin, Columbia

4. ‘The City We Need’ is economically vi-

in 2014. The ninth took place in Kuala Lum-

brant and inclusive. The City We Need en-

pur, Malaysia in 2018. The tenth meeting

courages local economic development from

of World Urban Forum will be held in Abu

smallest entrepreneur to the largest corpo-

Dabi, United Arab Emirates in 2020.

rations. It recognizes the special needs of the informal sector within economic devel-

By bringing Habitat partners together,

opment strategies.

World Urban Forum responds to the changing dynamics in the implementation of

5. ‘The City We Need’ has a sense of iden-

Habitat Agenda, its original definition and

tity and space. It recognizes culture as key

the responsibilities it brings. Organized

to human dignity and sustainability. There

during the preparation process for Habitat

are cultural actors that unleash the creative

III, World Urban Forum in 2014 was an im-

potential of the city dwellers.

portant meeting for re-assembling the sustainable urban developments for the next

6. ‘The City We Need’ is safe. It is welcom-

twenty years. The global conference, which

ing night and day and all people can use its

convenes every twenty years, examines the

streets, parks, and transit without fear. Pub-

urban agenda and re-defines it.

lic officials, police, firemen, health and environment services and non-governmental

An outcome of ‘World Urban Campaign’,

organizations engage in constant dialogue

the principles of ‘A New Urban Paradigm’,

with each other and have a common under-

defined in a document titled ‘The City We

standing.

Need’ are as follows: 7. ‘The City We Need’ is healthy. Local flora 1. ‘The City We Need’ is socially inclusive:

and fauna, and local biodiversity are pre-

It provides all segments and age-groups of

served in the city’s parks and gardens.

the urban population with spaces to socially and culturally express themselves. It elimi-

8. ‘The City We Need’ is affordable, acces-

nates physical and social forms of segrega-

sible and equitable. Land, infrastructure,

tion and discrimination.

housing and basic services are planned with special attention to low-income groups.

2. ‘The City We Need’ is well-planned, walk-

Public services are designed with the par-

able and transit-friendly. Schools are with-

ticipation of local communities and include

in walking or biking distance from homes.

the needs of women, youth and persons

Offices are a few transit stops away from

with disabilities.

homes. Shopping for daily necessities is within walking distances of residential

9. ‘The City We Need’ is managed at the

buildings and near transit stops. Open spac-

metropolitan level. It coordinates sectori-

es for recreation are near schools, work and

al policies and actions, (economy, mobili-

home.

ty, housing, biodiversity, energy, water and waste) within a comprehensive and co-

3. ‘The City We Need’ is regenerative. It is

herent territorial framework. Groups and

designed to be energy and resource effi-

neighbourhoods actively participate in the

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

decision-making process at the metropoli-

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,

tan level.

adopted by the member states of the United Nations in 2015, is a call made to all coun-

10. ‘The City We Need’ is the political and

tries to work in partnership for all and the

legal frame we need. It is a road map for the

planet, for the assurance of piece and pros-

new urban paradigm.

perity in the future. At the centre of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are

In conclusion, ‘The City We Need’ should

17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

be socially inclusive, well-planned, resilient

and 169 targets that are developed in line

prosperous. Each country, in determining its

with these goals. In order to end all forms

national agenda that will orient its regional

of poverty, strategies to improve health care

and local urban policies, should consider the

and education should be developed in har-

main principles of ‘A New Urban Paradigm’.

mony with each other; inequality should be

They should work in collaboration with the

reduced and economic growth should be

private sector and non-governmental stake-

encouraged. In the meantime, by taking pre-

holders to ensure the implementation of the

cautions against climate change, the oceans

politics of precaution.

and forests should be protected.

By using citizen observatories that are open to public, it should follow up on the issues

17 Sustainable Development Goals are as

relating to urban expansion, urban biodi-

follows:

versity, affordability and accessibility of housing as well as public services and city

1. No Poverty

safety. Through agreed indicators, it should

2. Zero Hunger

monitor the progress made in the aforemen-

3. Good Health and Well-being

tioned issues and inform the decision-mak-

4. Quality Education

ers accordingly.

5. Gender Equality 6. Clean Water and Sanitation

HOW WILL THE GLOBAL AGENDA BE

7. Affordable and Clean Energy

IMPLEMENTED IN CITIES?

8. Decent Work and Economic Growth

HUMAN

PROSPERITY

PLANET

SDG 1 No Poverty

SDG 2 Zero Hunger

SDG 1 No poverty

SDG 4 Quality Education

SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

SDG 3 Good health and well-being

SDG 5 Gender Equality

SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth

SDG 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure

SDG 12 Responsible consumption and production

SDG 13 Climate Action

SDG 10 Reduced inequality

SDG 16 Peace and justice strong institutions

SDG 10 Reduced inequality

SDG 12 Responsible consumption

SDG 14 Life below water

SDG 15 Life on land

SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

SDG 17 Partnerships to achieve the goal

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Cultural and natural heritage, 11.5 Climate

10. Reduced Inequality

change, Resilience to natural hazards and

11. Sustainable Cities and Communities

resulting disasters, 11.6 Adverse impacts

12. Responsible Consumption and

of cities on the environment, 11.7 Access to

Production

green and public spaces, 11.a Links between

13. Climate Action

urban and rural areas, 11.b. Resilience and

14. Life Below Water

disaster risk reduction measures, 11.c. Un-

15. Life on Land

derdeveloped countries.

16. Peace and Justice Strong Institutions 17. Partnerships to achieve the Goal

‘The Urban Development Initiative’ has been developed as a tool to localize and

As it can be seen in the table below, 5 of

measure the broad, global sustainable de-

the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are

velopment goals. The aim is to inspect and

related to environment while 7 goals are di-

monitor cities with a systematic approach

rectly related to social and 3 goals are relat-

through the development of inclusive and

ed to economic sustainability.

participative mechanisms. The first meeting of UN-Habitat Assembly took place in

SDG-11 is directly about the issues of city

Nairobi in May 2019 and The Strategic Plan

and urban planning.

for the period 2020–2025 was voted and approved. UN-Habitat, whose vision is “a

SDG-17 underscores the improvement of

better quality of life for all in an urbanizing

administration and participation mecha-

world”, specifies the development of sus-

nisms.

tainable urbanization and its major role in making progress and peace, bettering the

In ‘Localizing the UN Sustainable Develop-

quality of life for all as the goals of The Stra-

ment Goals in Baltimore’,

tegic Plan for 2020–2025.

SDG 1,2,3,5,10,16 are considered to be relat-

The implementation of the goals of ‘The

ed to human,

Strategic Plan’ is directed towards making changes in the following domains:

SDG 1,4,8,9,10,12 are considered to be related to economy and prosperity,

• Reducing poverty and spatial inequality in urban and rural communities

SDG 6,7,12,13,14,15 are considered to be related to environment and the planet

• Enhancing shared prosperity of cities and regions

SDG 11 is directly about ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’. Among 17 goals, it is the only goal that is related to space and it puts

• Strengthening climate action and improving urban environment

emphasis on the spatial aspect of development. It consists of 10 targets and 15 indicators. (https://unstats.un.org/) . Among

• Effective urban crisis prevention and response

these targets are 11.1 Housing and basic services (aiming at upgrading slums and

‘Social inclusion’ involves the issues of

obsolete settlements), 11.2 Transport sys-

human rights, gender, age and disability.

tems, 11.3 City and settlement planning, 11.4

Cross-cutting thematic areas of resilience

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

and safety provide a transversal connection through all the domains of change. In conclusion, local authorities and other stakeholders should create a road map in order to implement 2030 agenda at a local level and they should include it in their own institutional strategic plans within the framework of their needs and priorities. The implementation of Sustainable Development Goals by increasing the awareness of local actors will help us come close to the city that we will need in the future. REFERENCES 1. Jin, L. and Y. Liu (City Report on Shenzhen, Unpublished UN-Habitat background study for the report UN Habitat, 2011, p. 50 2. UN, State of the World’s Cities, 2012/2013 3. Roadmap for Localizing the SDGs: Implementation and Monitoring at Sub-national Level Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments, UN-Habitat & UNDP, 2016 4. UN(2015), Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 5. IULA_EMME, Yerel Gündem 21 Planlama Rehberi,1996 6. Mimarlık Dergisi, Haberler, 1996/269 7. UN (2018) World Urbanization Prospects, The 2018 Revision Translated by Lamia Kabal

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

The main outcomes of HABITAT I Conference I have been the need to address housing and urbanization together and the establishment of UNCHS UN Centre for Human Settlements. The main outcomes of HABITAT II Conference are the raised global awareness about the role of cities in the global economy, urbanization, the role of local governments and participation. When it comes to HABITAT III Conference, as the relationship between economy and urbanization differs from the previous conference that urbanization is an internal source of economic growth, the effects of the redefinition of the role of urbanization in climate change, social equality and integration are the main outcomes.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Global Coordination Function for Sustainable Urbanization of United Nations Habitat Conferences

1. FIRST STEP ON THE ROAD TO HABITAT CONFERENCES: STOCKHOLM CONFERENCE (1972) The road to the first HABITAT Conference in 1976 began in 1972 with the “United Nations Conference on the Human Environment” in Stockholm, Sweden. The focus of this conference was to deal with perceived threats of human activities to the environment. The conference, which was held on 5-16 June 1972 and is also known as the “Stockholm Conference” in short, is the first major conference organized by the UN on international environmental issues and is considered a milestone in the development of international environmental policies. As a result of the conference, where 26 main principles were declared, it was decided to organize international events such as World Environment Day. The Conference Final Report includes the Action Plan for Human Environment supported by the accession

ULAŞ AKIN*

process, preparatory work, and other activities. This action plan is the 2nd chapter of

The first part of this action plan is called

ferences have been organized periodically

“Framework for Environmental Action” and

at twenty-year intervals and have global

consists of three interactive components:

impacts that aim to coordinate the sus-

Environmental Assessment, Environmental

tainable urbanization agenda on a global

Management, and Supporting Measures.

scale and are different from all other inter-

The second part of the action plan is called

national conferences. The road to HABITAT

“Recommendations for the Action at the

Conferences was firstly taken in 1972 in

International Level” and includes 108 rec-

Stockholm, Sweden. The first one of HAB-

ommendations under certain titles. These

ITAT conferences was held in 1976 in city of

recommendations are listed under the ti-

Vancouver, Canada; the second was in 1996

tles: Planning and Management of Human

in Istanbul, Turkey and the third was at the

Settlements for Environmental Quality, En-

end of 2016 in Quito, Ecuador. In this study,

vironmental Aspects of Natural Resource

the structural information about these men-

Management, and Identification and Con-

tioned conferences and processes are gath-

trol of Pollutants of Broad International Sig-

ered together with reference to the primary

nificance. The third part of the action plan

source UN archives and documents.

is the action plan itself and it combines 108

* Dr., École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne, IGLUS Programme (Innovative Governance of Large Urban Systems)

ISBN:

The United Nations (UN) HABITAT Con-

978-605-80307-0-1

the final report and consists of three parts.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

Overview of the

recommendations in the second part with

2. FIRST HABITAT CONFERENCE:

Stockholm Conference

the framework in the first part.

VANCOUVER (1976)

1972 (UN Photo / Yutaka

Chapter 3 of the Stockholm Conference

In 1976, the UN organized the International

Nagata).

Final Report covers the “Resolution on In-

Conference on Human Settlements (HAB-

stitutional and Financial Arrangements”.

ITAT Conference), which was attended by

According to this; the steps to be taken for

131 country-representatives in Vancouver,

the Executive Council for Environmental

Canada. At the end of the conference, “Van-

Programmes, the Environmental Secretari-

couver Declaration on Human Settlements”,

The Opening Day of

at, the establishment of the Environmental

which was approved by UN General Assem-

the HABITAT Forum,

Fund and the Coordination are included in

bly Circular 31/109, was published together

Han van Putten, first

the resolutions adopted at the 17th session

with the action plan which includes 64 pro-

Chairman of the

of the conference. These steps will then pro-

posals for national actions.

International HABITAT

vide the basis for the UN Environment Pro-

Committee, May 31,

gramme (UNEP) and HABITAT conferences.

Anfera Session, June 5,

A year later, it was decided to establish the

1976 (Erol Baykal / City

United Nations Center for Human Settle-

of Vancouver Archives).

ments (UNCHS) by the General Assembly Resolution 36/162. This center, which was shortly known as HABITAT, was founded in 1978. While the official sessions were held, on the other hand the HABITAT Forum was organized with the participation of social groups and activists. This feature of HABITAT meetings will continue in other meetings, and the capacity to work together at all levels of central and local government with civil society will be developed as a fundamental philosophy. The Vancouver Declaration, which has been made public, has included the needs relat-

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

ed the subject of fundamental human rights and also a number of rules on the protection of environmental values, at the same time. Improving the living quality of settlements is among the main objectives of the declaration. It is in the basic principles of the declaration that everyone can enjoy all of the basic requirements such as nutrition, shelter, clean drinking water, health, education, social security and working conditions as indispensable elements of quality of living in terms of gender, social origin, race, language and religion. In the declaration, the importance of land in terms of human settlements were also emphasized, and the attention of the States was drawn to the necessity of being careful about the ownership and use of the land, and the use of land plans for this purpose. The declaration emphasizes that the necessary housing and services are fundamental human rights. The necessity of supporting local administrations by governments and ensuring their participation in national development/ improvement is included in the declaration as an important message. Another distinctive recommendation was the fact that the authority to control plot/land management was in the public sector. This declaration is in the first part of the final report of the first HABITAT Conference. The second main outcome of the conference is the Action Plan, which has a full name “Vancouver Action Plan: Proposal for 64 National Actions Approved in HABITAT” and is also known as “Recommendations for National Action” in short. 64 recommendations of the five-part action plan, which constitutes 2nd part of the final report, were listed under the titles of: • Settlement Policies and Strategies, • Settlement Planning,

• Shelter, Infrastructure and Services, • Land • Public Participation While listing the various components of human settlements policies in the Action Plan, the focus was on specifying the steps for harmonious integration as reducing the development disparities between rural and urban areas. The issues about minimum urban living standards, regular urbanization and community participation also form the framework of actions at national level. In the third and last part of the HABITAT Conference Final Report, there are proposals for the required international cooperation, documentation and reports concerning the preparation and execution process of the conference, closing ceremony and annexes. 3. “CITY SUMMIT” HABITAT II CONFERENCE: ISTANBUL (1996) Twenty years after the first HABITAT Conference in 1976, the second UN Conference on Human Settlements was held in Istanbul in 1996. The international event, hosted by ITU Taşkışla Campus and Maçka Congress Valley, was held with the main themes of

Some of the posters prepared for 1st HABITAT Conference (Source: UN)

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

adequate shelter for all and sustainable hu-

that can benefit from basic services and

man settlements.

facilities. The Istanbul Declaration considers cities and towns as centres of civiliza-

Official Logo of HABITAT II

The commitments of the Istanbul Declara-

tion that create economic development

tion are grouped under seven titles. These

and social, cultural, spiritual and scientific

are: Adequate Shelter for All, Sustainable

progress. It also emphasizes the need of

Human Settlements, Enablement and Partici-

benefiting from the opportunities offered by

pation, Equality Between Genders, Financing

our settlements and preserving diversity to

Shelter and Human Settlements, Internation-

develop solidarity among people. In addition

al Cooperation, and Assessing Progress.

to improving urban living environments, it is stated that rural development has been

In the Istanbul Declaration, it is emphasized

linked to increasing the attractiveness of

that economic improvement, social develop-

rural settlements, establishing an integrat-

ment and environmental protection should

ed network of settlements and expanding

be handled with a holistic approach in order

adequate infrastructure, public services

to make peace, justice and democracy pre-

and business opportunities to minimize ru-

vailed everywhere.

ral-to-urban migration.

In the Istanbul Declaration, it is included

In the Istanbul Declaration, the necessity of

the fact that urban and rural development

concentrating on meeting the needs such

cannot be separated, which was also em-

as having access to safe and healthy living

phasized in the first HABITAT Conference.

conditions for women, children and young

It has been proposed to slow down the pop-

people in society, the elimination of poverty

ulation influx from villages to cities, while

and discrimination, the defence of human

encouraging the growth of medium-sized

rights and fundamental freedoms, educa-

cities at the same time.

tion, fundamental health services and adequate housing are emphasized (AkÄąn, 2016).

Article 39 of the action plan called â&#x20AC;&#x153;HABITAT Agendaâ&#x20AC;? includes the necessity of

It is one of the commitments that the right

Opening of the

ensuring that everyone has payable and

to housing will be improved with pluralistic

HABITAT II Conference

adequate housing that is suitable for health

and developable facilities and with interna-

in Istanbul (UN)

conditions, safe, reliable, accessible, and

tional instruments, and efforts will be made to expand the supply of affordable housing. The issues about improving sustainable production, and

consumption,

settlement

transportation

opportunities;

pollution

protection; protecting ecological balance and seeking future opportunities for future generations come to the forefront. Another commitment group is that an importance to be given for preserving, maintaining and repairing the settlement textures, buildings, monuments, open spaces and landscapes with historical, cultural, architectural, natural, religious and moral values. The strategy of enabling can also impose responsibili-

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

ties on governments to implement specific

holders from different geographies and cat-

measures for disadvantaged groups.

egories at global scale practised networking by producing content in various titles and

On the road to the Istanbul Conference, the

frameworks. The stakeholders and main

UN HABITAT Programme started collecting

process actors of HABITAT III Conference

and publishing data on housing indicators,

are The Preparatory Committee, The World

housing ownership, illegal housing, hous-

Urban Forum, Global Virtual Meetings,

ing need, housing supply and demand and

Global Documentation, regional documen-

homeless people in 1991. The “HABITAT

tation, national documentation, UN-HAB-

Indicators Programme”, which has been

ITAT Executive Council and UN General

transformed into an urban indicators pro-

Council. Collective contents produced dur-

gramme to measure the performance of

ing the preparation process of HABITAT III;

human settlements since 1993, provides

Declaration of New Urban Agenda,

comparable standard data for “National Reports” at HABITAT conferences and pre-

• 22 Issue Papers,

paratory meetings. It publishes guidance

• 4 Regional Meetings: Declarations,

documents containing standard formats

• 7 Thematic Meetings: Declarations,

and formulas for the collection and calcula-

• 10 Policy Unit Papers,

tion stages to obtain comparable indicators

• 27 Urban Thinkers Campuses,

(Ministry of Environment and Urbanization,

• 9 Urban Dialogues,

https://habitat.csb.gov.tr/habitat-konfer-

• 5 National Reports (prepared in 5 differ-

anslari-i-5746).

ent continents)

Two new Global Indicators Databases

The New Urban Agenda, which is the main

(Global Urban Indicators Database I and

outcome of HABITAT III, was published

II) were created to prepare the national re-

after the stages: Zero Draft Document,

ports published in the HABITAT II Istanbul

officially terminated feedback on Zero

Conference in 1996 and to shed light on the

Draft Document, the first revision, Draft

Istanbul+5 Action Plans. By this way, urban

New Urban Agenda and Surabaya Draft

development and urbanization trends of the

of New Urban Agenda. The New Urban

member states were determined at region-

Agenda, whose full name is Quito Decla-

al and global scale with comparable data for the first time. In the final declaration of the HABITAT II Conference, member states committed to keeping the database upto-date and regularly monitoring by complying with the programme of indicators (Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, https://habitat.csb.gov.tr/habitat-konferanslari-i-5746). New Urban Agenda

4. HABITAT III: QUITO (2016)

(UN) Cover (left) Action Framework for

The third HABITAT Conference was held

Implementation of the

at the end of 2016 in Quito, Ecuador. In the

New Urban Agenda

preparation process of HABITAT III, stake-

(AFINUA) Logo (right)

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

ration on Sustainable Cities and Human

The second stage, Effective Implementation,

Settlements for All, is a 165-item declara-

is elaborated as “building the urban gov-

tion. Following the introduction of 8 items,

ernance structure: establishing a support-

Our Shared Vision section of 3 items, Our

ive framework”, “planning and managing

Principles and Commitments of 2 items,

urban spatial development” and “means

Call for Action of 7 items are included.

of implementation”. The third stage of the implementation process of the New Urban

The implementation process of the New

Agenda is defined and detailed as Follow-up

Urban Agenda is described in three stages.

and Review.

The first stage, Transformative Commitments for Sustainable Urban Development, is eval-

5. CONCLUSION: FROM THE GLOBAL

uated under three sub-headings. These are:

AND LOCAL ACCUMULATION TO THE FUTURE

• Sustainable urban development for social inclusion and ending poverty,

During the three international HABITAT Conference periods from 1976 to 2016, the

• Equal opportunity and sustainable inclusive urban prosperity,

world urban population increased from 37.9% to 54%. At the fourth Habitat Conference to be held in 2036, it is estimated that

HABITAT III World Mayors Summit (UN

• Environmentally sustainable and resilient urban development

this rate will exceed 70%. This has never been seen before in world history, and new situations such as global warming and climate change with increasing migration and injustices make sustainability compulsory across the world. The main outcomes of HABITAT I Conference have been the need to address housing and urbanization together and the establishment of UNCHS UN Centre for Human Settlements. The main outcomes of HABITAT II Conference are the raised global awareness about the role of cities in the global economy, urbanization, the role of local governments and participation. When it comes to HABITAT III Conference, as the relationship between economy and urbanization differs from the previous conference that urbanization is an internal source of economic growth, the effects of the redefinition of the role of urbanization in climate change, social equality and integration are the main outcomes. Unlike other HABITAT conferences, the HABITAT III Conference has introduced new

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

means and processes in global coordination by taking the HABITAT Agenda in the HABITAT II Istanbul Conference forward with the New Urban Agenda document. The New Urban Agenda is an important outcome due to the coordination with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the fact that the 11th SDG has a cross-cutting dimension comparing to other 17 global goals. For the implementation, the document Action Framework for Implementation of the New Urban Agenda-AFINUA was published

REFERENCES Akın, U. (2016) Third United Nations Housing and Sustainable Settlements Conference: HABITAT III and the New Urban Agenda, City & Society, Journal of Urban Policies Center of Union of Marmara Municipalities, Istanbul, 25-36. Ministry of Environment and Urbanization Website,

https://habitat.csb.gov.tr/habi-

tat-konferanslari-i-5746)

by UN Habitat in 2017 and enabled the ini-

United Nations (1972) Report of the United

tiation of various studies on the local scale

Nations Conference on the Human Environ-

after HABITAT III. AFINUA consists of five

ment, Stockholm

components, outlined by the principles and principles. These are: • National urban policies • Urban legislation, rules and regulations • Urban planning and design • Urban economy and municipal finance • Local Implementation

United Nations (1976) Report of HABITAT: United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, New York United Nations (1996) Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Settlements (HABITAT II), Istanbul United Nations (2016) The New Urban Agenda, UN HABITAT III Conference, Quito UN HABITAT (2017) Action Framework for Implementation of the New Urban Agenda Translated by Erdem Gürsu

Comparative table of HABITAT Conferences prepared by UN for HABITAT III (https://www.habitat3. org/the-new-urbanagenda/about)

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

We could say that one the most important strengths of MUF resides in the strong support it receives from Moscow Metropolitan Municipality. Its effects could be observed in the way private sector firms take place in the forum as its complementary element, in the consistent and through interest personally shown by Moscow Municipality Mayor, and in the presentation and content of the forum.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Moscow Urban Forum: from Glasnost to Globalism

gion called the former Eastern Bloc (though it’s questionable whether or not it’s in the past) is not exactly convenient for a debating ground that would include different opinions and that a uniform idea is being “injected” to masses by way of “propaganda”. The long and broad history of censorship is usually subject to more tolerant assessments when the liberal West is the object of analysis, while the socialist East faces much firmer criticisms on the other end. All of these might have a valid and understandable background. The history however, is a river flowing; the color of the water might change in time, as might its flow rate or even the riverbed. It seems that the pains of the socialist East, having reached its peak with the fall of the Berlin Wall, “glasnost” and “perestroika”, did not bring about “the end of history”, but instead, cross-worlds appeared on the stage of history in a new competition, yet with the

M. CEMİL ARSLAN* H AT İ C E Ç E T İ N L E R D E N * *

same old ambition. Whether this is just another prejudice, we will see. For now, this is what we regard as the current fact. In this context, it became an exciting approach for the East as well as the West to look for solutions for a “better possible world” by

Prejudice is one big obstacle keeping hu-

bringing together the ideas of people fed by

mankind from obtaining the truth. Yet, we

different worlds. This might not be a climate

do still carry many prejudices that leave

suitable for us to meet new Dostoyevsky’s,

their indelible marks on us while making

Pushkin’s, or Tolstoy’s, but it’s quite favora-

sense of the world, as well as the everyday

ble for those who would like to have the

living. Usually, when there’s a discrepancy

pleasure of enjoying different and novel

between “the fact” and “the judgment”, we

sensations. Moscow has been a quite vibrant city for

prejudices instead of taking the fact into

some time now with regards to issues like

account as data.

urban planning or urban living. Earlier, the Soviet-style, largely centralized structure of

It has been the conviction of many, also re-

the city had focused on production aimed

ferring to a general context of freedom of

at fulfilling the needs of the state, instead

opinion, that the geographical/political re-

of a people-oriented urban planning. As a

* Dr., Secretary General, Marmara Municipalities Union ** Corporate Communications Coordinator, Marmara Municipalities Union

ISBN:

ments that would justify our judgments/

978-605-80307-0-1

tend to develop socio-psychological argu-

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

result, vivacious and stunning as it may be,

the process, it has become an important

in a process that is yet as complicated and

event that brings together not only local

challenging, the city is struggling for the

administrators, but also various partners of

shift from a socialist economy into market

the city such as urban planners, architects,

economy.

financiers and investors. In the last forum in 2018, the number of the participant coun-

Moscow is evolving in the course of be-

tries has reached to 68, while the number

coming a dynamo-city that builds organi-

of speakers was 418. It has become a whole

zations like urban forums out of collabora-

seven-day event with the addition of a festi-

tions between academic institutions such

val organization along with the panels held

as City Architect and Strelka Institute and

for three days. Moreover, prizes are awarded

the private sector. One of the most power-

to those who contribute to the urban devel-

ful indicators of this transformation is that

opment of the city of Moscow exclusively on

Moscow, a city among a few others alike

an individual or group basis, and with an in-

that comes to mind upon hearing the word

ter-disciplinary approach.

“ideology”, now hosts discussions and approaches in a way that is “on the surface”

We could say that one the most important

indistinguishable from a Western metrop-

strengths of MUF resides in the strong sup-

olis. And Moscow Urban Forum is an im-

port it receives from Moscow Metropolitan

portant means to it. The annually held fo-

Municipality. Its effects could be observed

rum keeps consistently expanding to bring

in the way private sector firms take place in

together various actors who can reveal the

the forum as its complementary element, in

ever-evolving character of the city in order

the consistent and through interest person-

to create a process of information exchange

ally shown by Moscow Municipality Mayor,

within its body that would be enriching for

and in the presentation and content of the

both Moscow and the rest of the world.

forum.

The second gathering of Moscow Urban Fo-

In contrast to those urban forums, which

rum (MUF) held in 2012 by Moscow Metro-

choose different cities and locations, MUF

politan Municipality, after its first introduc-

has made the Zaryadye Park right next to

tion in 2011, hosted 127 speakers and 1800

Kremlin Palace its permanent forum loca-

participants from 35 different countries. In

tion. Thus, it could be said that the practically well-planned park has assumed also the function of mediating the “production and distribution of information”. Within the first week following the official opening, more than 1 million people visited the park, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R), the architecture practice which also designed High Line in New York City. While the park has become one of the most important contemporary spaces of Moscow, it stands out with its quality infrastructure and landscape, as well as its exceptional scenery which accompanies Red Square and Kremlin. Daliya Safiullina, who chaired the international competition of architec-

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

ture and landscape concept opened for Zaryade Park, stated in an interview that since there has been no construction of this scale and kind in Russia since 1958, the goal in the planning process was to build a contemporary park for Moscow, and the main idea was to offer the visitors a platform to enjoy the beauties of Moscow, in the form of an outdoor-museum, where the main exhibition would consist of the city skyline. At this point, the idea of a flying bridge introduced by the winning architects underpins the design of the park.1 The fact that MUF is organized every year, and that it is a whole 7-day event, prove

developments and knowledge on a global

there is tremendous support and a faithful,

scale, but also as a diplomatic tool.

dedicated team behind it. Considering that people from various regions and with vari-

UN-Habitat was the global partner of the 8th

ous opinions participate in the forum, that

MUF in 2018, while OECD (Organization of

quite popular ideas could found themselves

Economic Co-Operation and Development)

a ground, and that novel discussions and

and PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) were

ideas are included within MUF’s content

also among the partners. The main theme of

show us that MUF is efficiently utilized not

the forum in 2018 was designated as “Con-

only as a space to be introduced with the

nect Generations”. Renowned architects,

1 ArchDaily https://www.archdaily.com/882624/moscows-zaryadye-park-sees-more-than-one-million-visitors-in-less-than-amonth

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

emergence of a world-class entertainment industry, urban development projects introduced by some of the world’s best architects — all of this has been realized in less than a decade. Many changes have taken place at such a speed that the city has not yet fully realized what has occurred. The discussions at this year’s forum are focused on recording the achievements made by Moscow and other major megacities, on considering their effects, on understanding the essence of a modern metropolis that has experienced a wave of transformations, and on defining the determinants of its viability. The renovation economists, scientists, and representatives of the business world, both Russian and foreign, came together at the speeches and discussions within the scope of the festival to search answers for important questions with regard to urbanization. In the other part of the forum, which consists of culture, entertainment, and sports programs; there were film screenings about the world’s megacities, competitions for city start-ups, theatre shows, and musical performances. Moreover, participants of the forum had the chance to taste the delicacies of street food presented by the best restaurant and café initiatives of Moscow, to join the tours in the capital, to waltz in the amphitheater, to enjoy the experimental music concert by various artists from all over the world, and to do exercise in the park. Declaring the motto of “Megacity of the Future. New Space for Living,” MUF 2018’s manifesto goes as follows: “In terms of the speed and decisiveness of changes aimed to modernize the urban environment, Moscow has shown itself to be an undisputed leader. Transportation reforms, the development of public spaces, the

of the urban zones most of which were created during the Soviet era is undoubtedly a task of high importance. However, life does not stand still. The world’s awareness of the scale and depth of environmental challenges and social problems including population aging, migration, inequality, increasingly stressful life rhythm, the unprecedented impact of technology on all spheres of life, and international tensions, all demand that major cities adapt to the current realities and, ideally, become leaders in resolving mankind’s most pressing problems. Megacities already play a disproportionately large role in the economies of individual countries and the global economy as a whole. Their size and economic and political power are likely to continue to grow. They will have to get a better sense of their role in the context of a rapidly changing world and adapt to the new reality.”2 In 2018, in addition to the 8th MUF, Russia had also hosted World Cup in 11 cities. Having joined the Moscow Urban Forum 3 days after the World Cup tournaments had ended, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin celebrated Moscow as “a real trendsetter” in urban development in his speech given at the end of the second day of the forum.

2 https://mosurbanforum.com/upload/iblock/e80/e80663c35d01e0e46438f8ba31435586.pdf

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Underlining that the strengthened streets and squares of the city serve as a point of attraction, friendship, and communication for the tourists from all over the world, Putin called for an urban renovation that will unite nature and culture. He expressed that the whole country is changing, and this is not merely a virtual, short-term showcase that is concerned with the appearance, but as part of a long-term process of change, the investments are designed to increase the quality of life for the citizens and to allow them each to realize themselves individually. In relation to Moscow’s urban transformation, Putin emphasized the need to expand this achievement by modeling other cities of the

and foreign architects, and professionals

country on the lessons taken from here.

dealing with the city.

Three quarter of Russia’s population live in

Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, who de-

the urban areas and it seems that other re-

signed the Garage Museum of Contempo-

gions than Moscow also have a high poten-

rary Art in Gorki Park in Moscow and the

tial in terms of carrying out efficient practic-

New Tretyakov Gallery, was also among the

es. Considering that 30 cities in Russia have

outstanding speakers of the forum.

a population over 500 thousand people, it is quite possible for smart cities, the Internet

The main theme of MUF 2019 on the oth-

of things, and the creative industry to have

er hand was designated as “Quality of life.

a bright future in Russia. On the other hand,

Projects for a better city.” The participants

with regards to 900 districts with a popu-

discussed the notion of quality of life in de-

lation below 100 thousand people, it could

tail during the forum, which put an empha-

be predicted that technology and transpor-

sis on the idea that improving the quality

tation might offer opportunities for these

of life is considered as a priority for urban

areas to become a center for tourism, arts,

development. Accordingly, they sought an-

and science, as well as for an increase in the

swers around the question of how quality

quality of life. Of course, this vision poses

of life could be made an essential goal for

a challenge, both creatively and profession-

urban development projects and programs.

ally, for the economists, architects, and city

Among other topics tackled in the forum

planners. Against the anger of preservation-

were housing, infrastructure, urban planning

ists who claim that Kremlin is indifferent

and architecture, transportation, health, ur-

to the architectural legacy, and plunders

ban environment, ecology, and sustainable

the city instead, Putin praised Municipali-

development. In 2019, the forum hosted the

ty Mayor Sergey Sobyanin’s efforts. While

Urban Health Congress for the first time,

Putin expressed a strong determination in

and it was discussed within the scope of the

his speech, in the case of correspondence

congress how the indicators of urban health

between what’s being said and done in the

could feed the policies of city administration

near future, it could be possible to foresee

from housing to transportation, from urban

many opportunities to appear for both local

planning to social infrastructure.

Departing from the earlier content in its ninth year, MUF focused on cities like Ankara, Kuala Lumpur, and Tel Aviv besides the Russian cities. Discussions over those cities are distinctly different from discussions over cities like Vancouver, Kopenhag, and Curibita. Moscow Municipality Mayor Sergey Sobyanin summed up the motivation for his city to host the event as follows: “When the economic strategy was attracting investors in sectors like oil and gas extraction, cities frankly didn’t matter. Today, investors in technology and service sectors care about cities because of the access to workers. Stemming the Russian ‘brain drain’ is a particular preoccupation of officials here.” Sobyanin stressed that as a global city, Moscow competes with Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Shanghai, not necessarily cities within Russia. At a time when chants of “global village” are sung, and the historical conflict between East and West continues, sometimes implicitly, sometimes in a quite explicit and bloody fashion as seen in the Syrian Civil War, and by definition involving an aspect of forging an image or a way of perception, we will all see whether Moscow Urban Forum could mediate a lasting relationship between Russia, the “official representative” of the “Eastern bloc” and the liberal West over the issues of city and urbanization, or whether this interaction could evolve into something that will inspire the liberal West. It is apparent however, from its content, continuity, and diversity of the topics and speakers, that Moscow Urban Forum is already a significant indicator that Moscow decided to assume an active role in the global scale with regards to urban issues. Translated by Deniz Gedizlioğlu

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

It can also be said that Urban Age Project provides a space for reconciliation within the current global and local urbanization studies by reading the urban population data with the interrelated areas that constitute the physical and social structure of the cities and examining the concept of urban justice. Urban Age Project also contributes to developing cities in a way. It presents the increase in the population density in the Asian megacities in the last twenty-five years and the increase in the population density in the metropolises of developed countries, the environmental and urban form changes created by this result, transportation solutions, strategies and results in areas such as social health, inclusion and governance, housing policies, the understanding of public space and economic balances as a holistic report in the context of this project.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Understanding Urban Age: Urban Age Conferences

Considering all of our needs such as accommodation, nutrition, communication, education, production and consumption, we can see how important the cities we interact with in our lives. Even though the main reason why human communities prefer to live in cities is the ease of their lives according to the various opportunities provided by the cities and the creation of a more prosperous life, all these comforts bring new challenges and dilemmas with them. Especially in residential areas where the urbanization rate is high, since infrastructure problems cannot be provided at the same rate of increase, these problems are encountered more frequently and it is important that the steps to be taken and the measures to be taken in order to solve these problems must be specified in advance and acted quickly. For this reason, various studies are being carried out in the field of urbanism all over

EZGİ KÜÇÜK* SAMET KESKİN*

the world and when the urbanization process is examined, it is predicted that the urban population, which exceeded the rural population very soon in 2007, will reach 68% in 2050. As the urban population increases, in some of the world cities the

pressed to a year (a cosmic year), in the range of 8000-6000 BC., the time when people began to adopt into settled life, the cosmic time would show December 31, 23:59:42. Although there are different views and opinions among researchers and historians about the emergence of cities, it is certain that when we look at the world-wide population, the urban population passed the rural population for the first time in 2007 and this is corresponding to the last 20 milliseconds of the cosmic time of 31 December 23:59:59. This time is even shorter than our blink time, as well as 20 times…

creasing population, the geographical and social structure of these cities is getting complicated and it is possible to say that the urban form is transformed into absorbing, fringing or multi-centred forms. There were only two megacities of more than 10 million people in the world in the 1970s, then it was seen that the number of megacities reached ten in the 1990s and twenty-eight in 2013. In this process, all countries try to use and manage their own resources in the most effective and efficient way to complete and / or improve this process with maximum benefit, minimum damage.

* Urban Planning Coordinator & Urban Policy Center Director, Marmara Municipalities Union ** Urban Policy Center Expert, Marmara Municipalities Union

978-605-80307-0-1

the formation of the universe had been com-

population exceeds 10 million. With the in-

ISBN:

If the time period of 13,8 billion years since

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

In this context, Urban Age conferences

concept of ecumenopolis, which means no-

organized by LSE Cities within London

end city covering the entire planet, is also

School of Economics are undoubtedly one

evaluated by many urban researchers and

of the most internationally respected and

theorists in terms of the scary consequenc-

comprehensive studies that try to under-

es of destruction of natural resources, un-

stand and contribute to the position of cities

controlled growth and consumption. Since

in the global agenda in the field of urbanism.

continuous and rapid urbanization depletes

These London-based conferences focusing

natural resources in an uncontrolled man-

on the world-leading cities are represent-

ner and urban inequalities lead to spatial

ing a quite professional work product both

and sociological divergences, there has

in content and in presentation, in respect

been an intellectual activity that concur-

of their subjects, approaches to urbaniza-

rently creates the grounds of tension and

tion and urban development, an informed

reconciliation between city managers and

discussion base between academia and

civil initiatives.

practitioners and the management of conferences. In this article, the Urban Age con-

On the other hand, the fact that cities are

ferences will be examined by considering

directing the world with their unique iden-

the academic background, conceptual per-

tities and powers that extend beyond the

spective and other studies integrated with

nation cannot be denied. The cities, where

the conferences.

people from different cultures can live together and nurturing each other by connect-

ARE WE IN URBAN AGE?

ing with other cities in the world, as well as their economic and social potential, must be

The concept of “urban age”, which is given

constantly monitored to remain accessible

as the name of the conferences, emerged for

and sustainable for all. In this age which

the first time in the history of humanity be-

the mayors who govern the big cities are

cause more than half of the world’s popula-

the potential governors of the country, it is

tion lives in cities. This theory was developed

necessary to understand the urban dynam-

with the world population and other urban-

ics and to address the problems and solu-

ization data analysed by the United Nations

tions with the rest of the world in order to

(UN) since the 1950s, with a structure that

see the future. “Urban age” is based on the

addresses the situation of modern global

idea that urbanization is physical and legal

cities.

in terms of economy, policy and market. The fact that the future of humanity in the urban

As the subject that the whole urbanization

age depends on the fate of cities and the

of the planet since the 21st century (Mad-

value of ensuring the efficient, sustainable

den, 2012) forms the basis of the concept of

and fair management of cities in urban and

“urban age”, there are also opinions claim-

inter-city dialogue should be considered.

ing that it examines the concept of urban-

While Florida (2014) states that today, more

ization processes in the world empirically,

than half of the world’s population lives in

defenceless (artificial results) and theoreti-

cities, although it is cliché, it doesn’t lose its

cally meaningless (chaotic concept). (Bren-

accuracy, he also underlines the fact that

ner, Schmid, 2013). On the other hand, as

we are now dragging millions of people of

Lewis Mumford once emphasized, the world

future generations to live in cities and em-

now has urban residents rather than country

phasizing the fact that in the coming years

residents. This situation, which evokes the

we will spend billions of dollars only on re-

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

building old cities and building new cities.

tion to city education, research and pub-

Population growth

licity. One of the most important of these

rate projection of

BACKGROUND OF CONFERENCES: LSE

is the “The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for

cities for 2012-2030

CITIES

2016-2018”, which is deemed worthy of

(Source: https://

LSE Cities’ efforts to “education, research

urbanage.lsecities.

London School of Economics Cities Pro-

and policy-making for future cities and

net/data/populations-

gramme - LSE Cities

next-generation city leaders”. In addition to

of-the-largest-urban-

this award, members of the Advisory Board

agglomerations Access

Under the London School of Economics and

of the Centre, Prof. Richard Sennett, re-

Date: 23.07.2019)

Political Science which founded in London

ceived “2018 New Year Honours”, Prof. Ricky

in 1895, LSE Cities is a centre that conducts

Burdett received “2017 New Year Honours”

international research, offers graduate and

and in 2017, Assoc. Suzanne Hall received

executive education, produces publications

“Philip Leverhulme” awards.

and manages a variety of additional activities. The Centre’s work mainly focuses on

The working areas of LSE Cities can be ex-

the changing physical form of cities in a rap-

amined under three headings:

idly urbanizing world and examines human communities and how cities interact with

• Research

each other as a result of changes and de-

• Education

velopments within the framework of society,

• Urban Age Project

culture and environmental relations. One of the most important works of LSE Ricky Burdett is Professor of Urban Studies

Cities is researching. The studies mainly fo-

at LSE and the director of the LSE Cities.

cus on space and society, urban governance

Philipp Rode, who has significant work and

and environmental issues. Together with the

experience on urbanism, is Executive Direc-

studies carried out in these areas, it is aimed

tor and Suzanne Hall is the director of the

to improve urban development with theoret-

Cities Programme.

ical and interdisciplinary knowledge.

LSE Cities has received many prestigious

The highlights of these researches can be

and high-profile awards for its contribu-

listed as “Precarious Homes”, “Incremental

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

Infrastructure”, “Experiencing Density” and

• Greater London Authority

“Metropolitan Melancholia” in space and community; “New Climate Economy: Coalition

• Hong Kong University

for Transitions”, “RAMSES”, and “Resources Urbanism” in the field of environment; “Gov-

• Indian Institute of Technology

erning Infrastructure Interfaces”, “New Urban Governance”, “Metropolitan Indicators” and

• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

“Towards Urban Growth Analytics for Yangon” in the field of urban governance.

• La Città di Torino

LSE Cities cooperates with many national

• LSE Kuwait Programme

and international individuals, institutions and organizations who have experience in

• MacArthur Foundation

related fields while also carrying out the above-mentioned projects and other activ-

• Metropolis

ities. These are listed below: • National Institute of Urban Affairs, India • 100 Resilient Cities • Netherlands Ministry of Housing, Spatial • African Centre for Cities

Planning, and the Environment

• Ajuntament de Barcelona

• Olympic Park Legacy Company

• Alan Baxter Associates

• Ove Arup Foundation

• Bay Area Council Economic Institute

• Rogers, Stirk and Harbour + Partners

• Bloomberg Philanthropies

• Seoul Development Institute

• Buro Happold

• Stockholms stad

• C40

• The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

• Centre for the Analysis of Social Exclu-

• The Brookings Institution,

sion, LSE • Cisco Systems

Washington DC • The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment,

• Deutsche Bank Research

LSE

• Distrito Federal, Mexico City

• The New Climate Economy (NCE)

• European Commission

• The State and City of São Paulo

• European Institute for Energy Research (EIFER)

• The State of Bavaria and the City of Munich

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

• Transport for London • UN-Habitat • United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) • University of Cape Town • University of São Paulo • World Health Organisation • World Health Summit • World Resources Institute (WRI) In addition to its research activities, LSE Cities has city-wide educational programmes. The Master’s Programme in Urban Design and Social Sciences is an interdisciplinary program in which research-based projects and field studies are conducted in the urban area. Students conduct independent research under the supervision of academicians and practitioners who are experts in their field of study. As well as academics and practitioners, the other group of actors that direct cities are executives. In addition to graduate education, LSE Cities offers education programmes for professionals and executives. The Executive Master of Science, presented as “Executive MSc”, is a part-time programme that lasts for two years. In addition to these programmes, various training programs are organized by LSE Cities for organizations such as private companies and

URBAN AGE CONFERENCES IN THE CONTEXT OF URBAN AGE PROJECT The Urban Age Project, organized by the London School of Economics, can also be considered as a multidimensional and interdisciplinary workshop. Various activities are carried out together under the Urban Age Project, which is supported by Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft of Deutsche Bank. The main activities of the Urban Age Project, which aims to examine the development of cities in rapidly urbanizing countries and to shape their future accurately, include conferences, statistics and data collection studies, researches, reports and publication activities. Within the scope of the Urban Age Project, thirteen cities are thoroughly explored under nine main themes in an interdisciplinary manner. These cities are Addis Ababa, Berlin, Delhi, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, New York, Rio de Janiero, São Paulo and Shanghai. Themes consist of the following headings: • Environment • Economy • Public Space • City Form • Housing • Health • Social Inclusion • Transportation • Governance

municipalities.

1 http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/avrupa-da-iki-buyuk-baskent-var-biri-londra-digeri-istanbul-12281762

Urban Age logo.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

Border and urbanization area maps of some global cities for 2009 (Source: https://issuu.com/lsecities/docs/urbanageistanbulnewspaper Access Date: 23.07.2019)

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

1. Urban Age Conferences

• July 2016 / Venice Biennial • November 2018 / Addis Ababa

By Urban Age Conferences, a relationship is

Border and urbanization area maps of some global cities for 2009

established with the social and spatial dy-

Urban Age Conference 2009 – Istanbul:

namics of the global network of cities.

City of Intersections

(Source: https://issuu. com/lsecities/docs/ urbanageistanbulnews-

Urban Age has organized conferences in 15

The Urban Age conference series, which

paper Access Date:

cities across four continents to understand

started in 2005, was held in Istanbul in

23.07.2019)

the complex dynamics of contemporary

2009. Beside its trade potential that unites

urbanization better. The year and cities in

the Arab countries, the Caucasus and Eu-

which the conference was held from its start-

rope and being a city with a spirit, Istanbul’s

ing year 2005 to 2018 are as follows:

strength in the global context is one of the factors that led the conference committee

• February 2005 / New York

to turn its attention to this city.1 The series

• July 2005 / Shanghai

of conferences, in which the urbanization

• November 2005 / London

process of Istanbul and its possible future

• February 2006 / Mexico City

problems were discussed, is important in

• July 2006 / Johannesburg

terms of both being a seminal for Istanbul’s

• November 2006 / Berlin

urbanization process and entering Istanbul

• November 2007 / Mumbai

into the world urbanization debates litera-

• December 2008 / São Paulo

ture. It is noteworthy that after the United

• November 2009 / Istanbul

Nations HABITAT II meeting held in Istan-

• December 2010 / Chicago

bul in 1996, this accumulation gradually in-

• November 2011 / Hong Kong

creased, and the name of Istanbul was men-

• December 2012 / London

tioned frequently among the world cities.

• October 2013 / Rio de Janeiro • December 2014 / Delhi

Urban Age, held in Istanbul, was dealt with

• November 2015 / London

the name of “Istanbul, the City of Intersec-

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

Economics in partnership with Alfred Herrhausen Gessellschaft was held on 29-30 November 2018 in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, under the title of “Developing Urban Futures”. Either the fact that Addis Ababa is one of 2018 statistics on African cities (Source: https:// lsecities.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/FinalDeveloping-Urban-Futures-Urban-Age-conferencenewspaper.pdfAccess Date: 23.07. 2019)

the focus cities within the scope of the Urban Age Project or the fact that the event was held in Addis Ababa last year is not a coincidence or search for a difference, but directly related to the rapid urbanization

tions” as the 9th conference of the series.

of Africa. Estimates reached as a result of

In addition to names such as Phlipp Rode,

the researches show that by 2050, approxi-

Sasski Sassen, Richard Sennett and Dey-

mately 2.5 billion more people will be added

an Sudjo from the Urban Age team, Tur-

to the current population of cities. Moreover,

key’s important academics and experts

almost 90% of this increase is foreseen in

such as İlhan Tekeli, Ömer Kanıpak, Sema

cities in Asia and Africa. Consequently, with

Erder, Çağlar Keyder, Murat Güvenç, Haluk

the population increase in the region and

Gerçek, Asu Aksoy, Orhan Esen and Eda

the increasing urbanization trend, the cur-

Ünlü Yücesoy presented their experiences

rent figure of 500 million will rise to 1.4 bil-

on Istanbul urbanization. Detailed data on

lion in the African continent, which has an

Istanbul’s governance, transport, labour,

urbanized population of 40% today.

urban fabric and regional dynamics are reported by comparative studies with other

In the light of these developments, not only

world cities.

the Addis Ababa, but also the current situation, problems, policies and future city

Urban Age Conference

Urban Age Conference 2018, Addis

visions in the sub-Saharan African cities,

Ababa: Developing Urban Futures

such as Lagos, Nairobi, Kampala, Accra, Dar es Salaam and Cape Town, were addressed

2018 - Addis Ababa: Developing Urban

The 17th edition of the Urban Age confer-

by city experts, researchers, administrators

Futures

ence organized by the London School of

and practitioners in the event. These cities have been evaluated in terms of important topics such as urban change, planning, labour force, finance, governance, transportation, productivity and innovation. On the first day of the conference, the main problems of Africa, urban development, production and creativity, planning and housing issues were discussed. On the second day, transport and technology, urban transformation of Ethiopia, urban investments and inclusion were discussed. LSE professors, public experts responsible for urbanism in Ethiopia and Addis Ababa, municipal senior

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

“The Endless City” book cover

“Living in the Endless City” book cover

project consist of three books published by London-based Phaidon Publishing. These include The Endless City (2008) and Living in the Endless City (2011) by Ricky Burdett and Deyan Sudjic; and Shaping Cities in an Urban Age (2018) by Ricky Burdett and Philipp Rode. In the Endless City, within the contributions from 34 different names from Europe, South America, China, Africa and the United States, data-related situations that address problems in 21st-century cities has been shared. Living in the Endless City, a sequel to the first book, examines the challenges and gains of nine cities, including Mumbai, Sao Paulo and Istanbul, with “The Endless City” book cover

the contributions of mayors, architects, city planners, academics and policy makers. In

executives and professors from cities such

the book Shaping Cities in an Urban Age,

as Paris, Karachi, Seoul, Leipzig attended to

published in 2018, the changes in the cities

the conference, which was coordinated by

such as Addis Ababa, London and Delhi and

LSE Cities and Urban Age Director Ricky

the development patterns, inequalities and

Burdett.

energy consumption in global cities such as New York, Hong Kong and Rio de Janeiro

2. Publications

since 1990 were compared by policy makers, practitioners and academics with 37

Reports of Urban Age conferences are

different articles. The current trends that

published along with the conferences and

make cities more fragmented and uneven,

presented on the website. The books they

causing environmental damage in cities

produced with the leading names of the

have been put forward, and discussions

City comparison (Source: https://lsecities.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Final-Developing-Urban-Futures-Urban-Age-conferencenewspaper.pdf Accessed on 23.07.2019).

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

have been held for a more integrated social,

global GDP is produced in cities. It is obvi-

environmental and spatial approach to pro-

ously seen that the importance of cities in

vide inspiration and information to the city

global GDP will increase gradually in pro-

founders who shape the urban world.

portion to the urban population expected to rise to 68% by 2050. That is why Urban Age

It can be said that the numerical data and

has shifted its direction to developing cities

symbols of the world urbanization popu-

or the cities have already completed their

lation included in the cover design of the

development of the 21st century. It is pos-

books are considered as part of the brand

sible to say that there are social democratic

work of the programme (Brenner, Schmid,

themes that Urban Age emphasizes behind

2013).

the monitoring of the fast-growing cities of developing countries such as Mumbai, Delhi

3. Data

and Addis Ababa, in addition to the big cities of developed countries such as London,

Urban Age, where comparable data and

New York and Berlin.

visual information of global cities were presented with basic spatial, social, eco-

It can also be said that Urban Age Project

nomic and environmental indicators, has

provides a space for reconciliation within the

made these works accessible on the web-

current global and local urbanization stud-

site as well as through publications and

ies by reading the urban population data

conferences. From the growth data of cit-

with the interrelated areas that constitute

ies to housing density, labour force data

the physical and social structure of the cit-

to transportation data, it is possible to

ies and examining the concept of urban jus-

observe the change of cities in the focus

tice. Urban Age Project also contributes to

of the centre according to certain years.

developing cities in a way. It presents the increase in the population density in the Asian

By enabling various filtering operations on

megacities in the last twenty-five years and

the website, quick access to the desired

the increase in the population density in the

information, data and visualization studies

metropolises of developed countries, the

have been simplified. Related studies can

environmental and urban form changes cre-

be filtered by content type (data, articles,

ated by this result, transportation solutions,

conferences, newsletters, speeches, etc.),

strategies and results in areas such as so-

theme, city, year and contributors.

cial health, inclusion and governance, housing policies, the understanding of public

4. Other Contributed Activities

space and economic balances as a holistic report in the context of this project. Urban

With its different works, the Urban Age has

Age Project, which focuses on urban sprawl,

also contributed the Venice Biennial, the

urban morphology, urban mobility, climate

United Nations HABITAT conference and

and environment, economy, quality of life,

the events dealing with urbanism issues on

social equality and demography in its last

a global scale.

studies, takes the analysis of governance seriously to solve the problems in these areas.

AN ASSESSMENT ON URBAN AGE On the other hand, Urban Age, which conToday, where urban population accounts for

ducts its research with an interdisciplinary

55% of the total world population, 70% of

point of view, provides a participatory plat-

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

form for learning urban development to-

Paul Knox (Ed.), Atlas of Cities. UK: Prince-

gether, managing and monitoring in select-

ton, 2014.

ed cities by meeting with the effective local and central managers, researchers, experts

Urban Age Report (2009) https://lsecities.

and practitioners of the country and city

net/ua/conferences/2009-istanbul/

where the program is organized, rather than staying at the academic level.

Urban Age Report (2018) https://lsecities. net/publications/conference-newspapers/

Urban Age’s steady effort to analyse and

developing-urban-futures/

benchmark cities on a data-based approach, keeping the relationship of the academic

LSE official website: https://lsecities.net/

studies of the London School of Economics and Political Science continuous with

Urban Age Project official website: https://

the actors in the world of practice, focuses

urbanage.lsecities.net/

concurrently on the problems and potentials of existence of both the developing and the

Urban Age Youtube page: https://www.you-

developed cities. The Urban Age Project and

tube.com/user/UrbanAge

its conferences, which are aware of the current challenges and facilitators of humanity

Urban Age Conference 2009 – Istanbul:

with its structure that is monitoring, observ-

City of Intersections videos: https://www.

ing, discussing and following them, seem to

youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99C66F-

continue to determine the direction of the

917607C7F8

urban age while monitoring it. City comparison (Source: https:// lsecities.net/wp-content/upREFERENCES

loads/2019/07/Final-Developing-Urban-Futures-Urban-Age-confer-

Brenner, Schmid (2013) The ‘Urban Age’

ence-newspaper.pdf Accessed on

in Question, International Journal of Urban

23.07.2019).

and Regional Research, DOI: 10.1111/14682427.12115. Burdett, R., & Sudjic, D. (2007). The endless city: An authoritative and visually rich survey of the contemporary city. Phaidon Press. Burdett, R., Sudjic, D., & Cavusoglu, O. (2011). Living in the endless city. Phaidon. Burdett, R., Rode, P., & Press, P. (Eds.). (2018). Shaping cities in an urban age. Phaidon. Madden, D. (2012) City becoming world: Nancy, Lefebvre and the global-urban imagination. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 30.5, 772–87.

Translated by Erdem Gürsu

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

In the event called FuckUp Night, city leaders from Ghent, Oslo, Stockholm, Vancouver and Vienna always gave speeches about how they turned their failures into learning experiences when they are not successful. The conference brought this pre-existing format to the public sector and showed that it is not only natural that mistakes are made, but also that these mistakes can act as catalysts to trigger change in reaching sustainable cities.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Urban Future Global Conference: from Graz to Oslo Via Vienna Transfer

and science world, the real estate sector, non-governmental organizations and startups all over the world. The topics that the conference focuses on vary slightly each year, and themes are identified by considering the urban issues that local and international stakeholders consider as priority. The conference, which was held in Graz, Austria in 2014 and 2016, took place in Vienna in 2018 and in Oslo, the capital of Norway in 2019. It was announced that the conference will be held in Lisbon in 2020 and in Rotterdam in 2021. In the first year of the conference, which was held in cooperation with the UN Economic Commission for Europe in 2014, it was positioned as the leading smart city event of Central Europe. In the sessions organized jointly with the United Nations, states and city administrations discussed in roundtable and question-and-answer sessions on how national states can sup-

H AT İ C E Ç E T İ N L E R D E N *

port local smart city initiatives and success factors in smart city transformation in large and medium-sized cities. The two-day conference was attended by 1014 participants and 187 speakers. Four main themes were

Since 2014, the Global Urban Future Con-

identified: smart mobility, smart energy,

ference, which is one of Europe’s largest

smart life and city planning and smart

events relating to sustainable cities, has

communication. Under the theme of smart mobility, public

visionary decision-makers who are pas-

transport, electro mobility, how to provide

sionate about what they do as “City Chang-

a change in the mobility patterns of citi-

ers” and aims to bring together people who

zens, optimization of traffic flow and how

can work to make cities more sustainable.

to reduce the traffic caused by individual

The conference, which organizes its pro-

vehicles in cities are discussed. Within the

gram depending on the idea that cities are

scope of smart energy theme, strategic en-

at a key point for the sustainable future of

ergy options for cities, energy generation

the planet, brings officials from national

from renewable sources, urban energy in-

and local authorities, urban planners and

frastructure and urban energy conservation

architects together from municipalities, the

initiatives were discussed in order to make

business world, the research, innovation

cities energy efficient.

* Corporate Communications Coordinator, Marmara Municipalities Union

ISBN:

city. The conference defines effective and

978-605-80307-0-1

been held every year in a different European

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

On the theme of smart living and city plan-

the scope of the conference, brought tech-

ning, city planners, architects, real estate

nological solutions, sustainable projects

experts have focused on the latest trends in

and researches together on an area of 2000

urban planning, the challenges of creating

square meters. In the speech series titled

sustainable zones, green buildings, intelli-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Graz Talksâ&#x20AC;?, Benjamin Barber, professor

gent building technologies, and the poten-

of political science, Kent Larson, director

tial impacts of connected life on cities and

of City Science research group at MIT Me-

urban planning. Finally, considering the fact

dia Lab, and American futurist Alex Steffen

that a change will not be possible if there

gave inspirational speeches.

is no proper communication, it is examined how the communication process should be carried out in relation to the controversial issues with smart communication theme, and the impact of big data on cities and the effects of social trends in urban decision-making processes. In the 43 sessions designed within the framework of these four themes, examples of good practice and case studies were presented from cities, regions and technology providers around the world. The fair, Urban Future EXPO, which was organized within

The second conference was held in 2016 and it brought 1600 participants and 200 speakers together from 51 countries. In this conference where the emphasis on smart city was replaced by the concept of sustainability, the focus was again on the themes of mobility, life and city planning, communication and resources. The European Commission, World Bank, Euro Cities, Urban Land Institute and WWF became prominent among the partners in this conference which 100 mayors, 200 speakers, 40 sessions and workshops, and 60 stand holders in the fair takes place in.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

After a period of one year again, at the third

partnership with FutureBuilt, an innovative

Urban Future conference in Vienna in 2018,

project that supports climate-friendly urban

the number of participants has doubled,

development in the Oslo region.

compared to the previous conference and 3000 participants followed 230 speakers

Considering that today’s decisions will have

in 57 sessions. 42 different technical trips

a major impact in the future and mobility is

were organized in Vienna and 50 different

a critical component for sustainable cities,

stands were opened in the foyer area. Sup-

mobility experts, city planners, public trans-

porters of the conference were LSE Cities,

port experts have focused on motor-free,

Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy

bicycle and pedestrian-friendly cities. The

and Ernst & Young.

importance of cooperation between private sector and city administrations for sus-

In the event called FuckUp Night, city lead-

tainable economy was emphasized, both

ers from Ghent, Oslo, Stockholm, Vancou-

individual preferences and social priorities

ver and Vienna always gave speeches about

for sustainable cities and the attitudes of

how they turned their failures into learning

leaders to trigger change were exemplified.

experiences when they are not successful.

Sessions were held to convey the message

The conference brought this pre-existing

that authority is a concept of the past and

format to the public sector and showed that

that new decision-making processes and

it is not only natural that mistakes are made,

a common city vision are key to change.

but also that these mistakes can act as cat-

Land use has been widely questioned from

alysts to trigger change in reaching sustain-

the carbon dioxide amount of constructions

able cities.

to the energy consumption of the existing building stock.

EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL IS HOSTING IN 2019

Within the scope of the program held in Oslo, which was selected as the 2019 Euro-

When it comes to 2019, Urban Future

pean Green Capital, 40 technical trips and

brought 300 speakers together with 3000

20 side events were organized to show how

participants in 85 sessions in Oslo, the cap-

the green capital award was won. At the

ital city of Norway. Ola Elvestuen (Norway’s

conference, which included a wide range

Minister of Climate and Environment),

of cyclical economics, the managers of cit-

Raymond Johansen (Mayor of Oslo), Erion Veliaj (Mayor of Tirana), Anna König Jerlmyr (Mayor of Stockholm), Frank Jensen (Mayor of Copenhagen), Dagur B. Eggertsson (Mayor of Reykjavik), Arno Bonte (Vice Mayor of Rotterdam) and Pierfrancesco Maran (Vice Mayor of Milan) attended as speakers to the conference which was held on 22-24 May, 2019. The

conference

organized

around

the

themes of urban mobility, Built Environment and Architecture, Leadership, Green Business and Innovation, was carried out in

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

ies such as Oslo, Copenhagen and Helsinki

In Oslo, which aims to reduce greenhouse

shared the methods of combating climate

gas emissions by 95 percent by 2030, it is

change and their action plans and projects

seen that the municipality has meticulously

to reduce emissions. Covenant of Mayors,

cared about the carbon dioxide account to

C40 and EUROCITIES took their places

the extent it keeps its money account. The

among the more than one hundred partners

statistical information was given that 76%

of the conference.

of the cars sold in Oslo in March 2019 were electric vehicles. In addition, the entire bus

Oslo is seen as an ideal city for organizing

fleet of Oslo in 2028 is intended to be com-

a conference that focuses on sustainability.

posed of zero emission vehicles.

Oslo, as the European Green Capital, has taken the responsibility of being a model

In the last 30 years, despite the addition

for other cities. This responsibility can be

of 200 thousand new inhabitants to Oslo’s

seen as an incentive to achieve climate and

population, air and water quality, transpor-

environmental objectives more quickly. Fast

tation, schools have improved, and a more

growing Oslo will become a hosting city

active urban life has emerged. The capital

with an additional 100,000 people in 2030.

city of Norway is not only climate-friendly,

Roughly half of the world’s population today

but also stands out for its spectacular ar-

lives in urban areas, with this worldwide

chitecture and accessible nature and for-

population growth trend it will increase to

ests, as the New York Times points out. The

two-thirds in a few decades. At this point,

conference shared the charm of city life

Oslo is an ideal city for realizing and imple-

with the participants by sharing a map of

mentation of new solutions.

the city’s homelike warm and comfortable cafes, modern restaurants and cool graffiti areas.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

The spread of the conference to six differ-

from Dublin, Madrid from Spain, Padova

ent venues within walking distance of each

from Italy, Velika Gorica from Croatia, Bu-

other among the city gave participants the

daörs from Hungary and Leeds from the

opportunity to take a stroll through the

United Kingdom are the eight pilot cities.

city and experience the city in all its details. Sessions and events were held at the

FROM LISBON TO ROTTERDAM

newly designed hotel Clarion Hotel The Hub which is very close to Oslo Terminal,

It is announced that the Urban Future Glob-

the theatre Folketeateret with a large hall,

al Conference (UFGC) will be held in Lisbon

Kulturhuset which is Norway’s most active

in 2020 and in Rotterdam in 2021. The main

and diverse cultural home, the Kulturkirken

themes of 2020 were specified as mobility,

Jakob church which has turned into an ex-

water, regions and leadership. In the sessions

traordinary cultural space, the Norwegian

where creative and economic solutions will

Centre for Design and Architecture DOGA,

be discussed at the point of re-planning of

and Salt which is right next to the fjord and

urban logistics, an answer to the question

home to several activities from music to art,

of how public transport can be made more

eating and drinking.

attractive will be sought. The importance of new decision-making and collaboration pro-

Oslo is easy to explore on foot because the

cesses between departments, disciplines and

city centre is not very large. Moreover, it pro-

various business lines in water management,

vides convenience for cyclists with its 250

more efficient use of water and making cities

stations that offers bicycles to the citizens.

resistant to flood waters will be one of the fo-

The Oslo Bysykkel app provides a map of

cal points. Experiences provided by success-

the city’s bicycle stations and provides in-

ful examples that make a connection with the

formation on occupancy, vacancy and avail-

neighbourhoods and revitalize, enliven and

ability. The public transport system Ruter

green these places will be shared with the

includes city buses, trams, subways, trains

participants. As in previous years, successful

and ferries in one ticketing system. Tickets

city leaders will tell how they inspired their

can be purchased through the Ruter mobile

teams, gained trust and triggered change.

app. Ferries provide access to the islands of the Oslo Fjord.

Urban Future says that people play a key role in solving important problems in the

EUROPEAN LOW CARBON BUILDING

city and continues to discuss issues with

RENOVATION

the actors of the change process.

Together with the Urban Future in Oslo, the

VISUAL REFERENCES

World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) announced the BUILD UPON2 project

https://geiranders.pixieset.com/urbanfu-

in collaboration with eight cities and part-

ture2019/

ners. This project, which will accelerate the building renovation of European cities,

https://www.irista.com/gallery/tqyowsqc-

is supported by the European Union and

qbmx

aims to complete the decarbonisation of the building stock by 2050 by combining the strengths of cities with national states and industry. Eskişehir from Turkey, Ireland

Translated by Erdem Gürsu

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

In a world characterized by international mobility and broad regional displacements, the International Metropolis Conferences, which have been organized in order to respond for the requirements to exchange scientific knowledge about migration and diversity and to share experiences, challenges and good practices in process management, intermediate in producing output for the benefit of all involved parties.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

International Metropolis Conferences: Migration Agenda from 1996 to Present

veloped countries. According to 2018 data, half of the refugee population consists of children under the age of 18. The number of asylum-seeker children who are separated from their families and unaccompanied is 26,600 and the number of refugee children in the same situation is 111,000. An average of 37,000 people, in other words 25 people per minute, are being displaced on a daily basis. The notion of immigration, which has existed since the beginning of human history and has maintained its importance, has been the focus of discussions on a global scale especially in the recent period. In this context, the International Metropolis Conference is one of the most important issues of our age and it is an apolitical international conference with the largest network of the world in the field of migration and population diversity which intensely affects society, economy, politics, culture, development, in short all areas of life and administration.

BURCUHAN ŞENER*

ABOUT METROPOLIS: WHO IS

M E RV E AĞ CA KO CA KO Ç *

ORGANIZING? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE? The International Metropolis Project (Me-

curred from Syria in the last 4 years to-

in 1996, includes researchers, academics,

wards Turkey, Turkey came to the position

migration experts, government officials,

of the country hosting the most refugees in

representatives of international organiza-

the world by 2011. With the Syrian-based

tions and non-governmental organizations.

migration movement, the role of local gov-

In 2012, with the agreement of the Cana-

ernments in process management has in-

dian Citizenship and Immigration unit and

creased, and studies on migration have be-

Carleton University, Metropolis, which was

come essential in line with the requirement.

headquartered at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada and has secretaries in Am-

According to the United Nations High

sterdam, the Netherlands and Asia; aims

Commissioner

(UNHCR),

to develop policies and support institutions

70.8 million people were displaced by the

that will manage the effects of migration

end of 2018. While 16% of refugees live in

by research, international conferences and

developed countries, 33% live in underde-

joint projects.

for

Refugees

* Migration Policy Center Director & International Cooperation Coordinator, Marmara Municipalities Union ** Migration Policy Center Expert, Marmara Municipalities Union

ISBN:

migration unit of the Canadian government

978-605-80307-0-1

tropolis), created by the Citizenship and ImAs a result of the mass migration that oc-

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

The International Executive Board, which is

es, which have been held continuously and

the main decision-making body of Metropo-

regularly in different countries since 1996,

lis, consists of people who specializes in mi-

in which more than 70 countries and all

gration and diversity including Prof. M. Mu-

continents are represented and nearly 800

rat ErdoÄ&#x;an and Prof. Ahmet Ä°Ă§duygu from

migration experts attended every year. With

Turkey among them. The International Ex-

the activities ahead, the conferences also

ecutive Board meets twice a year to shape

cover a comprehensive preparation process.

the strategic roadmap of Metropolis. In this context, Metropolis is working to identify,

Since the mid-1990s, the events organized

understand and respond to developments in

within the scope of Metropolis has played

the field of migration and diversity. The aim

an active role in bringing together research-

of these studies is to build the policy pro-

ers, experts, key decision-makers and prac-

cess based on a realistic understanding and

titioners around the world, by providing the

to create beneficial cooperation between re-

basis for sharing knowledge and experience

search, policy and civil society.

on a global scale. In this context, the International Metropolis Conferences aim to de-

Metropolis, which has a global network of

velop policies in areas such as migration,

68 partner organizations in 23 countries,

international mobility, social cohesion, eco-

works in collaboration with universities,

nomic integration, growth, multiculturalism,

think tanks, governments, service providers

social stability, to produce knowledge, to

and international organizations, adopting a

ensure effective communication processes

collaborative approach that brings together

between stakeholders and to establish in-

research, policies and practices on migra-

ternational collaborations.

tion and diversity. Metropolis has a growing network of partners in North America,

In a world characterized by international

Europe and Asia-Pacific as well as in Africa

mobility and broad regional displacements,

and Latin America.

the International Metropolis Conferences, which have been organized in order to re-

INTERNATIONAL METROPOLIS

spond for the requirements to exchange

CONFERENCES

scientific knowledge about migration and diversity and to share experiences, challeng-

Panels, workshops, technical trips and side

es and good practices in process manage-

events are organized within the framework

ment, intermediate in producing output for

of the International Metropolis Conferenc-

the benefit of all involved parties.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

A. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Cities of Migration EUROCITIES European Commission International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) International Organization for Migration (IOM) IOM Research and Training Centre Gyeonggi-do, Goyang-si, Korea (ROK) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) B. AMERICA B.1. ARGENTINA Centro de Estudios Migratorios Latinoamericanos (CEMLA) B.2. CANADA Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) FOCAL: Canadian Foundation for the Americas Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles Metropolis Canada B.3. MEXICO Centre for Research on North America, CISAN, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM

B.4. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Columbia University Department of Homeland Security Migration Policy Institute North American Centre for Transborder Studies (NACTS)

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

C. ASIA-PACIFIC, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST C.1. AUSTRALIA Australian Multicultural Foundation (AMF) Centre for Asia Pacific Social Transformation Studies (CAPSTRANS) Settlement Services International (SSI) University of Melbourne University of Technology Sydney C.2. NEW ZELAND International Migration, Settlement and Employment Dynamics (IMSED) Asia Pacific Migration Research Network (APMRN) Department of Labour Massey University National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis, Waikato University C.3. CHINA Center for China & Globalization (CCG) C.4. ISRAEL Ruppin Academic Center Ministry of Immigrant Absorption Department of Sociology, University of Tel Aviv C.5. SOUTH AFRICA Southern African Migration Project (SAMP), Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

D.EUROPE D.1. AUSTRIA Municipality of Vienna International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) D.2. BELGIUM Centre for Ethnic and Migration Studies (CEDEM) The Institute for European Studies Migration Policy Group D.3. DENMARK Academy of Migration Studies in Denmark Copenhagen Business School Danish National Institute of Social Research Ministry of Integration D.4. FINLAND Centre for Research on Ethnic Relations and Nationalism (CEREN) Institute of Migration D.5. GERMANY Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Max Planck Institutes (MPI) Migration Research Group, Hamburg Institute of International Economics Ministry of Intergenerational Relations, Family, Women and Integration D.6. ITALY Multi-Ethnicity Initiatives and Studies Foundation (Fondazione ISMU)

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

D.7. NETHERLANDS Municipality of Rotterdam Ministry of Justice Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies (IMES), University of Amsterdam Ministry of Interior D.8. NORWAY Department of International Migration and Ethnic Relations, University of Bergen Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs D.9. PORTUGAL Center of Geographical Studies, Faculty of Literature, University of Lisbon Luso-American Foundation Observatório da Emigração D.10. SPAIN Instituto de filosofía D.11. SWEDEN Department of International Migration and Ethnic Relations, Malmö University D.12. SWITZERLAND Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies, University of Neuchâtel D.13. UNITED KINGDOM Centre for Migration, Policy and Security (COMPAS), Oxford University Home Office Science, Migration and Border Analysis Unit Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford University

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Conferences and Themes

• 2007 - Melbourne, Australia Theme: Migration, Economic Growth and

• 2019 - Ottawa, Canada

Social Cohesion

Theme: Inclusion, Economic Growth and Global Cooperation

• 2006 - Lisbon, Portugal Theme: Paths & Crossroads: Moving

• 2018 - Sydney, Australia

People, Changing places

Theme: Global Migration in Turbulent Times • 2005 - Toronto, Canada • 2017 - The Hague, Netherlands Theme: Migration and Global Justice • 2016 - Nagoya, Japan

Theme: Our Diverse Cities: Migration, Diversity and Change • 2004 - Geneva, Switzerland

Theme: Creating Trust through Wisdom

Theme: Co-operative Migration Manage-

in Migration and Integration

ment: International, National and Local Answers

• 2015 - Mexico City, Mexico Theme: Migrants: Key Players in the 21st Century

• 2003 - Vienna, Austria Theme: Gaining from Migration: A Global Perspective on Opportunities for Eco-

• 2014 - Milan, Italy

nomic and Social Prosperity

Theme: Migration, Energy and Wealth • 2002 - Oslo, Norway • 2013 - Tampere, Finland

Theme: Togetherness in Difference

Theme: The Global Economic and Financial Environment

• 2001 - Rotterdam, Netherlands • Migration Policies: Balancing Admis-

• 2012 - Auckland, New Zealand

sion and Restriction

Theme: Pathways to Metropolis in the

• Citizenship, Equality and Diversity

21st Century

• Local Integration Policies • Migration and Cultural Transformation

• 2011 - Ponte Delgada, Azores, Portugal

of Cities

Theme: Migration Futures: Perspectives on Global Changes

• 2000 - Vancouver, Canada • Key Issues in Governments and Other

• 2010 - The Hague, Netherlands

Stakeholders

Theme: Justice and Migration: Paradoxes

• Building Social, Cultural and Economic

of Belonging

Capital Through Migration • Creating Opportunity: Growth, Access,

• 2009 - Copenhagen, Denmark

Equity

Theme: Migration and Mobility: National

• Managing Gateways and Managing

Responses to Cultural Diversity

Change • Investing in the Future: The Changing

• 2008 - Bonn, Germany Theme: Mobility, Integration and Development in a Globalised World

Face of Youth

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

• 1999 - Washington D.C., USA

• 1997 - Copenhagen, Denmark

• Community Building: Civil Society and Citizenship

• 1996 - Milan, Italy

• Neighborhood Development: Housing

Focus on: Bringing together experts

and Labor Markets

working on migration, immigration, social

• Governments and NGOs in Partnership

cohesion and diversity and organizing the first leg of the conference series.

• 1998 - Zikhron Ya’akov, Israel • The Role of Non-Governmental Organi-

WHAT HAS TURKEY SHARED WITH THE

zations in the Integration Process of New

WORLD IN METROPOLIS 2018?

Migrants in Search • Immigration and Education in Divided

Numerous researchers, academics, immigra-

Cities and Societies

tion experts, government officials and repre-

• Citizenship Policy and the Problem of

sentatives of international organizations and

Integration

non-governmental organizations from all

• Strategies for Developing Urban Areas

around the world attended at the 2018 Inter-

Dominated by Immigrants in Metropoli-

national Metropolis Conference held in Syd-

tan Regions

ney, Australia with the main theme “Global

• Political Participation Across Immigrant

Migration in Turbulent Times” from 29 Octo-

and Ethno-Racial Communities: Compar-

ber to 2 November 2018. The sub-themes of

ison of World Cities

the 2018 conference were:

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

• Enterprise, Innovation and Employment: Catalysts for social change • Migration and Mobility: The dynamic shifts in the Asia-Pacific region

• Australia, a multicultural paradise: Myths and realities Within the scope of the International Metropolis Conference, which has the world’s largest network in the field of migration and

• Displacement and Asylum: New dimensions driving an old phenomenon

population diversity, a session titled “Refugee and Host Community Participation in the Global Compact on Refugees: The Case

• Visible and Powerful: Migrant voices in a connected world

of Turkey” was held in collaboration with Marmara Municipalities Union and Turkish German University. Within the scope of the

• Conflicting agendas: National, local, region-

conference, Prof. M. Murat Erdoğan, Head

al and global responses to the governance

of Department of Political Science and In-

of migration

ternational Relations of Turkish German University and Director of Center for Migra-

• Religious Diversity: A bridge or a barrier to belonging?

tion and Integration Research (TAGU), informed about the situation of migrants and refugees in Turkey. With the statistics and

• Migration and Inequality: Complex challenges under the microscope

numbers received from his study “the Syrian Barometer”, Erdoğan discussed social and economic dimensions of Turkey’s Syria policy. Pointing out the Turkey’s very special place after the crisis faced in 2011, Prof. M. Murat Erdoğan emphasized the importance of Turkey’s extraordinary effort as a country hosting more than half of 6.5 million Syrians alone. Referring that the number of Syrian babies born in Turkey exceeds 325 thousand and the daily average of more 305 new Syrian babies born in Turkey, Erdoğan mentioned the legal background by sharing of data on migrants and refugees in Turkey. In the session, in addition to the works on migrants and refugees carried out by the local governments in Turkey, the works Migration Policy Center of Marmara Municipalities Union and the report titled “Urban Refugees from ‘Detachment’ to ‘Harmonization’ - Syrian Refugees and Process Management of Municipalities: The Case of Istanbul” published by Marmara Municipalities Union were relayed.. The role of the municipalities, which as one of the institutions closest to both the settled community and

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

the refugees, was shared with international

fects on the economy. Since the number of

participants. The involvement of Migration

immigrants who want to emigrate is much

Policy Center and municipalities in the pro-

higher than the number of immigrants that

cesses of migration management and pol-

the countries want to receive, the confer-

icy development at the local level was dis-

ence focused on the roles of the actors in-

cussed interactively with the participants.

volved in the process and how the rights of migrants and refugees can be protected. In

Hosted by Canada: Metropolis 2019

Metropolis 2019, where also the impact of technology on migration processes and mi-

This year’s International Metropolis Con-

gration management is brought to the agen-

ference was held on 24-28 June 2019 in

da with an innovative perspective, the issues

Ottawa, Canada with the theme of “The

such as the use of algorithms in the selec-

Promise of Migration: Inclusion, Econom-

tion of migrants and their possible risks;

ic Growth and Global Cooperation”. At the

better management of immigrant identities

conference, in which migration, integration,

and mitigating public security concerns; the

population diversity and their impact on

use of social media in the integration of im-

societies were held, the issues such as the

migrants and the mobilization of anti-immi-

impacts of documents accepted by United

grant feelings were held. Another important

Nation (UN) on migration management and

issue covered by the conference was the ad-

governments, South-South mobility, eco-

aptation of refugees to the city, the majority

nomic impact of migration, non-state actors

of whom live in cities. In this context, the key

of migration industry, refugee definitions

roles of non-governmental organizations

on Geneva Convention, effects of technolo-

and local administrations in the successful

gy on migration and integration, cities and

acceptance of immigrants by the society

migration phenomenon and public concern

were emphasized. In particular, the percep-

about migration were discussed. As well

tion of threats that emerged from a point of

as being discussed the issue that how the

view based on border security and causing

migration phenomenon has a potential on

the production of anti-immigration policies

achieving the UN Sustainable Develop-

and the reflections of this perception on the

ment Goals, what has been achieved with

public were discussed and how public trust

the agreements “Global Compact For Safe,

towards immigrants could be strengthened

Orderly and Regular Migration” and “Global

was emphasized.

Compact on Refugees” adopted by the UN in December 2018 was critically evaluated

In order to better understand the oppor-

at the conference. In addition to focusing on

tunities and problems that migration can

how and by whom the flow of migration be-

create, this year, as well as every year, with

tween the countries of the South should be

the presentations, round-table discussions

managed and the challenges faced by coun-

and hands-on trainings, new strategies to

tries in the Global South in hosting a large

understand and measure the impacts and

number of refugees, the effects of migration

consequences of migrations on society in

on national income, living conditions, labour

economic, social and cultural terms were

market, production, innovation, trade and in-

brought to the agenda. Within the scope of

vestments were also discussed. In this con-

the program, study visits were organized to

text, the economic benefits and risks of mi-

the institutions conducting migration and

gration were discussed while examining the

integration activities in Canada.

link between migration policies and their ef-

Ĺ&#x17E;EHÄ°R & TOPLUM

CONCLUSION: DETERMINING MIGRATION POLICIES The notion of migration is increasingly gaining importance by taking new forms with wars, crises between countries and at regional level, climate change and many new dynamics. While the role of nation-states is shared with sub-national and transnational stakeholders depending on the acceleration of globalization, on the other hand the flow of nationalism is also rising again by reawakening the issues such as border security due to the migration processes. Due to the permanence of the phenomenon of migration, the issues such as adaptation and integration remain at the centre of the debate. All the actors of the city play an important role in all stages of adaptation in this process. In this context, the International Metropolis Conferences intervenes to provide the right information, policies and strategies for the migrations from past to present and which will continue in the future, to develop a culture of living together and to prepare the ground for the sharing of knowledge and experience on a global scale. On the other hand, it supports the formation of global cooperation on migration, which is a cross-border phenomenon. The Migration Policy Center, which has been operating since 2015 within the body of the Marmara Municipalities Union, serves for the common goals with Metropolis in areas such as migration, asylum, social cohesion and belonging to the city, which are also the main working areas of Metropolis. The Migration Policy Center conducts various activities to establish a common working environment and cooperation with the relevant stakeholders on a local, national and global scale and to provide the basis for sharing knowledge, experience and good practices. It aims to contribute to the determination of common policies at the local

level with scientific studies and researches and to develop solutions by identifying the demands and needs of local governments. It also represents local governments in the international arena, as in the International Metropolis Conference in Sydney in 2018. In this sense, since Turkey played host both as a target and a transit country to the ongoing migration flows during the years, the studies conducted within the body of the Migration Policy Center are important in a global sense. With the awareness of sharing the responsibility on the issue of migration at local, national and global scale, Turkey also comes to the fore among the countries that will be able to play host for the coming years to International Metropolis Conferences which hosted many practitioners and academics who are experts on their fields since 1996 in order to mediate for transferring abroad of both knowledge and experience in Turkey as well as for sharing the current approach, policy and implementations abroad. Translated by Erdem GĂźrsu

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

Perhaps more than a city-themed game, an environment that can be modified by the players â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that can host a wide range of players and not focus on winning or losing, but on building experience and partnerships as reward.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

Play the City: The Architectonics of Game Spaces

chance to restart? Can games teach them about communication and avoiding jargon, with their effective visual environment and simple language? From IBM’s CityOne to Will Wright’s SimCity, and from Richard Duke’s Metropolis to Buckminster Fuller’s World Game, a long list of games relate to cities in their staging, or directly these games take place in real urban areas. Some as single-player games run on predefined algorithms and quantitative feedback loops; Some provide a multiplayer environment. Rules for the organization and composition of cities emerge from the negotiations among multiple actors; an open system where new rules can be invented or unused rules abandoned, rather than a closed game with a predefined algorithm, promise more for spatial designers. Perhaps more than a city-themed game, an environment that can be modified by the players — that can host a wide range of players and not focus on winning or losing,

E K İ M TA N *

but on building experience and partnerships as reward. Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), a role-playing and story-building adventure game, that at first glance says little about

Games are as old as society, yet when a

urban development, might become most

spatial designer enters the world of games,

relevant for a game system trying to under-

a new world opens, bright with novelty and

stand and develop cities. Such was the case

possibility as a relatively unexplored in-

for the game method invented, evolved and

strument for shaping spaces that are more

implemented since 2009 by Play the City,

meaningful to humans. How much can an

a serious gaming company focusing on the

architect or an urbanist learn from games?

research and development of urban spaces. No one controls urban development pro-

rules valid for everyone with common goals?

cesses, but many ‘players’ influence them.

Can games teach them about learning and

In Dungeons and Dragons, there are numer-

engagement, providing fun with strangers

ous characters with unique properties. They

while constantly being challenged individ-

come together to build a collective adven-

ually and collectively? Can games teach

ture and carry out careful research before

them about training and strategizing for the

they meet to play; about, for instance, the

real world, as they fail but are allowed the

era and location of the adventure, about

Dr., Founder, Play the City

ISBN:

ownership, as platforms with transparent

978-605-80307-0-1

Can games teach them about trust and

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

Circular Amsterdam

their character’s powers, and who they need

apply an evolving understanding of their

Game, 2016

to supplement to reach their goals. Building

roles in an interactive, creative setting with

several unique, personal stories that can be

other players.

based on data and players’ knowledge is the most striking property of Play the City’s

After reaching to a meta game structure,

games. Similar to D&D’s setup, we introduce

Play the City method has been adapted for

a wide range of citymaker roles and particu-

not one but dozens of city challenges; urban

lar influences to our city-game. Both usual

renewal in Rotterdam, circularity in Amster-

and unusual suspects of urban development

dam, township development in Cape Town,

become included, with powers ranging from

urban transformation in Istanbul, economy

unlocking legal rules or finding investments,

transition in Shenzhen, affordable hous-

to mobilizing crowds, shaping streets and

ing in Dublin, urban safety in The Hague,

squares, vetoing speculations, calculating

mass-migration in Europe, mobility in Mar-

CO2 reduction and so forth. As the game

mara Region and the list goes on.

system matures, we observe that more realistic and applicable outcomes are reached

Just a Game, Is It?

when players keep their daily, real-life roles in the game. As in D&D, play becomes much

As Play the City team, just many other archi-

more advanced when players already know

tects experimenting with games as a design

about their mission and conditions, but are

method, we are thrilled at having discovered

given the chance to develop, expand, and

a world with many new avenues to explore.

ŞEHİR & TOPLUM

But we do know we had entered a risky ter-

do not comprehend the real motivation of

Affordable Housing

ritory. Conservative decision-makers preoc-

a game for such serious matters.’ Was it

Game, 2018

cupied with securing predictable results in

purposeful enough to spend their time on

the field of urban planning pose a particular

a game, when no one knew what the out-

threat. I won’t forget the first meeting we

come would be? The confrontation with our

managed to schedule — a meeting with the

colleagues at the city hall proved to be a

alderman in Amsterdam’s Noord borough.

real challenge over the years. Was it really a

Looking back, I realize that he was doing his

good idea to call our method a game? While

best: spending time with young urbanists

diving into the world of games had been

arguing that they will help him reactivate

enriching and eye-opening, we were facing

a masterplan on hold through a city-game.

an image barrier. While ‘playing games with

Listening to our city-gaming pitch left him

someone’ is considered as being manipula-

pretty puzzled, but still he decided to fi-

tive, ‘playing the game’ refers to someone

nance and join the game. Yet, convincing his

who acts the part. Not only in English, but

project office, thus or designer colleagues,

in most languages, you can find similar, sus-

was even more difficult. Responsible for

picious phrasing about games. As we are

creating the plan, the office’s technical advi-

introducing our method to world cities such

sors refused to join the game and to discuss

as Istanbul, Cape Town, Brussels, Dublin,

alternatives outside the walls of project of-

Mersin, Shenzhen, Amsterdam we are sur-

fice. At the time, it was not uncommon for

prised to see how comparable the jokes

planners to think: ‘It is just a game, and we

cracked about gaming are, every time.

100

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

Games in Reality, Reality in Games

4. Games can be constructed on alternate realities to help initiate real life challenges. This

The roots of the matter expose the tension

can be done by taking real-life quests like

between reality and gaming. How close and

global warming, migration, inequality, and so

distant are the ‘game world’ and the ‘real

on, and changing some of their conditions to

world’? Could they influence each other’s

generate what-if scenarios. Recalling Buck-

progress? I believe the key to explaining

minster Fuller’s World Peace Game, where

how games can perform as real-world prob-

all nation-state borders disappear, players

lem solvers lies in the particular ways that

can trade world resources and move freely.

games and reality connect. There are sever-

By altering the condition of country borders,

al ways the two relate:

the game is able to show that the deadlock is not scarcity but rather unfair distribution of

1. The most common form is when games

resources; hence a more equal and peaceful

run their fictional narrative in an environment

world becomes not only visible but also possi-

the player recognizes from real life; for ex-

ble through testing alternatives.

ample, when the popular video game Grand Theft Auto III and IV visualize New York City.

5. Last but not least, a real-life challenge can

Thanks to its realistic rendering, a New York-

be introduced into a game (the reverse of

er notices particular details about their city,

number three). This way, in safe game envi-

while a teenager from Amsterdam would be

ronments, testing and mastering collabora-

able orient himself upon first arrival in New

tive solutions becomes possible. Real actors

York. Today, gaining familiarity with complex

can play through out-of-the-box solutions,

subjects without even being conscious of it is

while mistakes can be made and learned from

effectively used as an entertaining learning

to eventually reduce risks.

mechanism. Games can be placed in reality and reality 2. A more direct form of linking to reality is

in games. Whether games are built from

using gaming to fix a real problem, while ex-

an aspiration to resemble the real world, or

ploiting its very escapism. Games can remain

to escape from it or fix it, they are a reality

fictional, but the very act of playing the game

for those who play them and influence lives

will change aspects of reality. A telling exam-

in the various ways elaborated above. New

ple for this form comes from the old Greek

theories of play, such as that in the perva-

era, where, in order to survive a severe famine

sive and ambient gaming literature, bring

that lasted 18 years the king of Lydia ordered

games right into the heart of the real world,

everyone to indulge in games on one day and

blurring the boundaries of Johan Huizinga’s

eat and work on the next.

‘magic circle’. In her ground-breaking book Reality is Broken, Jane McGonigal invited

3. Game dynamics can be introduced to real

everyone to design games to repair reality.

life, as Nike’s running app does: a digital inter-

Almost every day, a new game emerges for

face encouraging users to exercise regularly

education, the health sector, the defense

to improve their health, and then congratulat-

industry, entertainment business, person-

ing them for it. Thus, the game is introduced

al development, and also for making more

through feedback loops into individual’s lives.

open and collaborative cities.

It can also connect these players with each other to make the daily workout more fun and

Among

engaging, and less tiring and boring.

games to reality, Play the City’s gaming

the

five

mechanisms

relating

101

Ĺ&#x17E;EHÄ°R & TOPLUM

method stands closest to the last catego-

Today, while still not a mainstream practice,

ry. All city-games are modeled from real

cities are inviting game designers through

urban challenges and are played by their

their doors and coming up with their own

very stakeholders. In this model, by play-

urban challenges for city-gaming to tack-

ing, responsible actors train for reality by

le. Since 2010, various cities in the Neth-

considering and testing various options, or

erlands, Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague,

by making mistakes in the game environ-

Almere, Eindhoven, and others, have in-

ment so they can avoid these and articulate

creasingly been applying this city-gaming

wiser decisions for widely negotiated ur-

method to their own contextual challenges.

ban processes in the real world. The game

Apart from Play the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work, talented

helps generate collaborative solutions to

young designers are working on developing

collectively defined questions. During this

new city-gaming techniques and champi-

process, the understanding of games as es-

oning the method with clients unfamiliar to

capism is slowly shifting towards a playful

gaming, such as encouraging large conserv-

confrontation with reality.

ative construction companies to guide early design processes with city-games. Another

New Horizons for City-gaming

striking exemplar of this is that city-game designers are now hired full-time by strate-

A simple design experiment with students

gic planning departments of governments

slowly evolved into a mature and authentic

at the local, provincial and national lev-

citymaking method, practiced daily at the Play

els. Besides Dutch government attention,

the City office. Today, city-games are increas-

well-respected academic institutions in

ingly prevalent in the daily work of policy-mak-

the Netherlands have also been integrating

ers, regulators, urban designers, smart city ex-

gaming into their curricula and their archi-

perts and architects. A decade ago, many local

tectural design methods, such as at the Why

governments in the Netherlands would have

Factory at the Technical University of Delft.

been puzzled when they were advised to work with games. Using applied city-games as a

Academic institutions abroad have been

tool for resolving complex urban development

exploring the potential of game-based

processes was simply too unfamiliar.

research and design in their education-

Play the City gaming method

102

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

al curricula, such as ETH Zurich, and MIT

interpreting knowledge from all involved

Media Lab, developing their own city-game

players, the expertise involved will be able

methods and interfaces. Beyond the more

to carry proposals forward, transforming

well-known objectives of learning and ed-

collective ideas into tailored solutions.

ucation, cities now implement games for tackling complex and pressing urban chal-

An interesting future step would be linking

lenges, channelling solutions that are highly

games of distinct topics to one another as

emergent. In November 2016, the Mayor of

an interoperable platform of games with

Hamburg hired a game called ‘finding.plac-

each tackling their own citymaking ele-

es’ to respond to a large and rapid influx of

ments in a system and plugging into one

refugees in the city, engaging residents via

another. Imagine if the circular economy

a hybrid game interface towards develop-

game could feedback into the affordable

ing a strategic settlement plan proposal for

housing game and could receive input

approval by the City’s planning department.

from the urban transformation game, and

City-gaming methods are emerging and

so on. A number of players active in the

evolving with increasing frequency, often

flood game will be be relevant in the circu-

alongside technological advances, employ-

lar economy game, and stakeholders that

ing the collective intelligence of experts and

focus on urban development in the circular

non-experts towards more informed and

economy game could provide input to game

sustainable citymaking solutions. A com-

sessions ensuing in the affordable housing

prehensive world-overview of implemented

arena. A connected and layered set of city-

city-games are mapped on the ‘Games for

games could drive exponential increases to

Cities’ platform. From Boston to Bangalore,

creativity and collective solution-making. I

Moscow to Istanbul, Shenzhen to Sydney,

believe there is high potential in future at-

and Cape Town to Nairobi, city-games are

tempts that try build a circular system of

tackling complex urban issues through ac-

games where players and their decisions

tive engagement people.

in one game can serve as inputs to another game, increasing the complexity of each

The challenges that these games cover

game (and its topic of enquiry) as inputs

overlap greatly with the questions of ur-

become more nuanced.

ban planning departments in government. This includes delivering affordable housing,

Just as the challenges tackled by city-gam-

providing quality public spaces, prevent-

ing diversify, the technologies that sup-

ing water scarcities and floods, develop-

port game interfaces vary greatly and

ing ports sustainably, maintaining urban

evolve rapidly. City-games running on dig-

safeties, adapting to a circular economy,

ital game engines provide 2D and 3D ge-

mitigating climate change, and accommo-

ographic visualizations and allow real-time

dating increased migration flows. Across

data-driven software simulations to be run.

the spectrum of city-game subject matters,

This property is superior to conventional

they share two common properties: all re-

analog games in terms of the quantity of

quire a combination of multiple expert and

data able to be processed before and during

tacit knowledges to tackle them, and all

game sessions. However, fully digital game

concern a highly diverse set of stakeholders

environments come under scrutiny for their

with their effective communication and co-

individualist nature of play and their limited

operation needed for successful outcomes

capacity for building trust, due to a lack of

to emerge. While capable of distilling and

interaction between players and the conse-

103

Ĺ&#x17E;EHÄ°R & TOPLUM

quent emergent qualities of such interac-

for responsive real-time feedback on player

tions. Individual players are alone in analyz-

moves.

ing and interpreting the large sum of data they are interacting with, unable to remold

Technology is also transforming the perva-

their own perspectives based on others, or

siveness of city-games, accessing players in

to contribute towards shared narratives.

public spaces, or even in their own homes.

This divide need not be so black and white.

For example, in a playful public space ex-

Hybrid games employ both analog and digi-

periment in Istanbul RFID scanners trans-

tal components, formulating an optimal mix

formed local public transport cards into

of attributes from either format, as appro-

digital voting devices in a public poll. When

priate to the specific challenge and context.

used correctly, technology can increase the

While analog 3D environments, modeled

social, economic and political inclusivity of

with game blocks on real urban geogra-

active engagement strategies. On top of

phies, help players to interact face-to-face

this, digitally integrated gameplay deci-

and negotiate on solutions, 3D scanners

sions can be embedded within social media

and software tailored to urban simulations

platforms to engage a wider community, as

read the color and height information from

well as to support the systematic recording

physical model units that carry information

of game outcomes. Engaging online com-

about land use, square meter price, density,

munities not physically present during the

parking, and so on. This technology fosters

game, can generate valuable external com-

increased and accelerated opportunities

mentary and discussion regarding a gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

for making sense of complex datasets and

outcomes, and potentially even trigger face-

If I were the Mayor of Istanbul

A collection of city-games worldwide

106

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U R B A N F O R U M S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S

to-face meetings between interested par-

city-gaming goes beyond traditional plan-

ties. Hybrid systems that link digital and

ning methods when intense and effective

analog game elements have the potential to

communication is called for, where com-

achieve a better integration between game

plexity is high due to the involved parties,

interfaces and real-world planning and cit-

or where there is a conflict that needs to be

ymaking.

taken into account while planning and designing. For technically complicated cases

The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Games for Citiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; database provides

- such as urban development according to

the necessary evidence for city-games as an

circular economy logics - or for integrating

effective working method for collaborative

different disciplines, games prove to be ef-

citymaking. While city-gaming is becoming

fective as a common language that all disci-

more a widely accepted method of engage-

plines can relate to and appropriate to their

ment, we expect its instruments to spread,

own ends. Inaccessible jargons are removed

variate and mature. While it would not be

from the debate, and relayed to players as

wise to claim any guaranteed solutions,

tangible and tractable logics to be played

107

Ĺ&#x17E;EHÄ°R & TOPLUM

with. Knowing the strengths of games, as

New horizons for city-gaming as a meth-

well as appropriate combinations of digital

od will continue to expand as long as the

and analog components, and using them

need remains for involving urbanites in

accordingly, is key to successful applica-

conversations about their city. But the ex-

tions of the method. Empirical research on

pansion also relies on more young and

implementing games as tools for address-

innovative design agencies joining in this

ing citymaking challenges is rather sparse,

movement, doing their part to convince

as it is a relatively new field of inquiry. Sim-

more open-minded cities globally to im-

ply put, more research is required here,

plement the method towards tackling their

with careful and continuous observations

own urban challenges, and applying the

of game implementations and analyses of

right combinations of analog and digital

their outcomes, in order to become more

elements, suitable to the cases they are

accurate and assertive regarding the bene-

working with and the objectives hoped for.

fits that games hold for urban development

This is also an imperative step towards

processes.

challenging preconceived notions of gaming as not serious enough a method for intervening in serious urban issues. While there is some progress in this regard, with city officers today being increasingly likely to embrace gaming as a relevant, interactive, fun but serious, and effective planning tool. While it may be too early to declare city-gaming as an established method for urban development inquiry, there is no doubt that the method is gaining ground. We need to adapt our methods of inquiry to fit a new generation of regulators and policymakers that are born into a world that not only contains, but is re-shaped by, the likes of Minecraft, Pokemon Go and Foursquare on a daily basis. Interactive digital maps, 3D virtual environments, and multiplayer settings are simply the new mediums and technologies through which an entire generation perceives the urban world. Imagine a future where cities are modeled, tested, designed, and reshaped through interactive, collaborative games. At Play the City, we are working towards creating this future. This generationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s City officers will not need convincing: they will speak the language of games and they will play to plan their cities.

INTERNATIONAL URBAN FORUMS AND CONFERENCES Making Sense of Urban Forums and Conferences

Alim Arlı Marmara Urban Forum (MARUF): An Interview with M. Cemil Arslan

Alim Arlı, Ezgi Küçük, Samet Keskin Cities and Local Governments on The Global Urban Agenda: United Nations Habitat Conferences

Gülden Erkut Global Coordination Function for Sustainable Urbanizatıon of United Nations Habitat Conferences

Ulaş Akın Moscow Urban Forum: From Glasnost to Globalism

M. Cemil Arslan, Hatice Çetinlerden Understanding Urban Age: Urban Age Conferences

Ezgi Küçük, Samet Keskin Urban Future Global Conference: From Graz to Oslo Via Vienna Transfer

Hatice Çetinlerden International Metropolis Conferences: Migration Agenda From 1996 to Present

Burcuhan Şener, Merve Ağca Kocakoç Play the City: The Architectonics of Game Spaces

Ekim Tan