Cittaslow is a growing international network
of over 140 towns
in 20 countries across the world that have adopted a set
of common goals and
principles to enhance their quality of life for
residents and visitors.
Cittaslow
movement in Turkey
started back in 2009 with Mr. Tunç Soyer's
efforts and initiative as the mayor
of Seferihisar. Seferihisar was soon followed by 4
other municipalities: Akyaka
(Muğla), Gökçeada (Çanakkale),
Taraklı (Sakarya) et Yenipazar (Aydın)… Mr.
Soyer carries the honor and heavy responsibility of
managing and developing
Cittaslow, that has been getting more and more
attention in Turkey.
In simple terms, Cittaslow
towns aim to be great places to live, work and visit.
They aim to support local
businesses, foster local traditions, protect the
environment, welcome visitors,
and encourage active participation in community life.
Each Cittaslow town commits
to working towards a set of over 50 goals and principles
that aim to improve
its quality of life. These goals and principles provide
tangible benchmarks
against which a town can measure its progress and act as
a mechanism to bring
local people from all walks of life together to work
collectively for the good
of their town.
However, Cittaslow is about
more than a set of 50 goals and principles. It is a way
of thinking. It is
about caring for your town and the people who live and
work in it or visit it.
It is about celebrating and promoting diversity and
avoiding the ‘sameness’
that afflicts too many towns in the modern world. It is
about finding a place
in a changing world where values are often uncertain and
the needs and
aspirations of local communities can often be
overlooked.
The
Cittaslow Philosophy
Cittaslow promotes quality
of life.
‘Living Slow’ involves hastening slowly – “festina
lente” as the Romans used to
say. The Slow lifestyle respects tradition and quality,
and seeks to use the
best aspects of the modern world to enhance, preserve
and enjoy the old ways of
doing things, but not to the exclusion of progress and
not for the sake of
avoiding change.
Living in and managing a Cittaslow, or Slow City,
requires an attitude of mind
that is open to opportunities presented by modern
approaches to communication,
transportation, production and selling. The aim of a
Cittaslow is to encourage
people to live and enjoy life at a
human pace, and to provide an infrastructure
that helps people savour and enjoy life and what it has
to offer. It is all too
easy to get lost in a permanent rush, driven by
technological imperatives.
As the world becomes more globally
connected, with international brands and
values being marketed, the Slow approach to life aims to
respect the small
realities of daily life and encourages people along a
less frantic path. The
Cittaslow approach involves living life at a human
scale, respecting and
supporting the environment and local traditions and
preserving them for current
and future generations to enjoy.
Collective well-being is at
the heart of the Cittaslow philosophy.
