Kartepe Summit was held for the third time under the auspices of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, between 25 and 27 October 2019, under the theme of “Urbanization and Happy Cities.” The Summit consisted of an opening special session, four special sessions, fourteen panel-conferences, thirteen academic sessions, two forums and a workshop on “Urban Economy: Work and Employment.” The event was held with the participation of academics, intellectuals, representatives of NGOs, regional and international organizations.
A number of academics, press representatives and politicians from different countries gathered in the three-day event that tackled the most important issues of cities, including transportation, employment, environment, sanitation, social services, culture and arts, healthcare, sports, urban crimes, climate, disasters, and security. Discussions mainly served to the development of a discourse on different solutions for policymakers and decision-makers.
Within the framework of the Summit, Prof. Dr Dilek Demirbaş from Istanbul University moderated the session of “The United Nations and the Future of Cities,” which was held the second day of the Summit and attracted the attention of the participants. Mehmet Duman, UCLG-MEWA Secretary General, and Emre Üçkardeşler, UNICEF Head of Department of Social Policy, took part in the session giving their presentations on the topic. The speakers delivered their speeches within the framework of the New Urban Agenda and the Bogota Commitment.