The renewed Presidency of the UCLG-MEWA Committee on Culture and Tourism gathered from 21 to 23 November 2019 in Kyrenia, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, to discuss the three-year program of activities. Within the context of the official visits held before the meeting, the UCLG-MEWA delegation came together with Prof. Dr. Kudret Özersay, TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mahmut Özçınar, President of Union of Turkish Municipalities of Cyprus (KTBB), Mayor of Güzelyurt and country representative of UCLG-MEWA; Mehmet Harmancı, Mayor of Nicosia and Deputy Chairman of KTBB; Nidai Güngördü, Mayor of Kyrenia and President of UCLG-MEWA Committee on Culture and Tourism; and Ali Murat Başçeri, Ambassador of Republic of Turkey to TRNC.
In these meetings, Secretary General Mehmet Duman underlined that it is important for TRNC municipalities to take on active roles under the UCLG-MEWA umbrella for the development of local governments. It was also stated that a possible UCLG-MEWA Project on Mapping the SDGs in TRNC, which has been carried out before in Turkey and Iran, would be helpful to underscore the works done in the TRNC.
The Committee held its Presidency meeting on 23 November 2019 at the Kyrenia Municipality Art Gallery under the presidency of Nidai Güngördü, the Mayor of Kyrenia and the President of the UCLG-MEWA Culture and Tourism Committee. The meeting started with the opening speeches followed by the introductory video on the Presidency prepared by the Committee. Later, a video conference was held with Jordi Pascual, Representative of UCLG Committee on Culture, where UCLG’s activities in the field of culture were shared with the members.
Afterwards, the Committee’s 3-year program of activity, the roadmap of the Committee for the new term, was shaped with the opinions and suggestions of the President and Co-Presidents of the Committee. In addition, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality has undertaken the task of the “Intangible Cultural Heritage Task Force” which was established as a pilot task force within the Committee. The meeting, during which the Committee’s policy paper was also presented, concluded with the comments and suggestions of the participants.