Izmir Culture Policy Workshop, organized by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, was held at the Izmir Historical Gas Factory on May 7-8, 2026. UCLG-MEWA was represented by Secretary General Dr. Mehmet Duman and Beyza Çetin, Focal Point of the UCLG-MEWA Culture and Tourism Committee.
The opening program included speeches by Izmir Metropolitan Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay and Muğla Metropolitan Mayor and UCLG-MEWA Culture and Tourism Committee Head Ahmet Aras. Following this, the session titled “Global Trends in Culture Policy and Turkey” was moderated by UCLG-MEWA Secretary General Dr. Mehmet Duman. Speakers included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erman Demir, Member of the UNESCO Turkey Expert Committee on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Koray Güler, Secretary General of the ICOMOS Türkiye National Committee. In the session featuring Koray Güler and Jordi Pascual, Coordinator of the UCLG Culture Committee, the evolving structure of cultural policies on a global scale, the responsibilities of local governments in the field of culture, and the perspective of cultural rights were discussed.
In the “International Culture Management Plans” session held within the scope of the workshop, participants from Zagreb and Athens shared their experiences in their respective cities; the importance of data-driven studies, accessibility, and participation in cultural policies was emphasized. Thematic table discussions held throughout the program addressed topics such as access to culture, cultural management and institutional capacity, cultural heritage, and creative industries. UCLG-MEWA participated in the “Culture Management and Development of Institutional Capacity” thematic table, where Dr. Mehmet Duman highlighted the importance of city councils in local cultural policies. During the workshop, the “Draft Cultural Policies Document” prepared by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality was shared with the participants, with the aim of contributing to the document through the discussions held.
