Muğla Joined the World Metropolises Union: Mayor Aras Received the Membership Certificate

Speaking at the General Assembly of the World Metropolises Union (Metropolis), which brings together the world's most important metropolitan cities and was held in Tangier, Muğla Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras said that Muğla's receipt of the Metropolis membership certificate was an important step in terms of the city's visibility in international local government networks.

In line with the "World City Muğla" vision, Muğla Metropolitan Municipality continues to strengthen international collaborations in the fields of climate, equality, tourism, social policy, local democracy, and sustainable development. Most recently, the Metropolitan Municipality strengthened its presence in global city diplomacy by receiving the Metropolis membership certificate. The Metropolis General Assembly, held under the theme "Urban Leaders Shaping A Future For All," brought together cities such as Beijing, Istanbul, São Paulo, Barcelona, Turin, Buenos Aires, and Seoul. Along with Muğla, Manchester, Belém, Sejong, Nairobi, and Geneva were also among the new members. Thus, the Metropolis Network reinforced its status as a strong international platform developing common solutions to shared problems with its extensive reach across the globe.

Mayor Aras; "Inclusive cities need participation, data-driven management, and strong partnerships"

Muğla Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras emphasized that inclusive city policies are at the center of Muğla's governance approach in his speech as a panelist in the session "Inclusive Cities Work For Everyone" during the General Assembly.

Mayor Aras stated,

"For us, inclusivity begins with equality. A city where women, children, elderly people, or disabled individuals are left behind cannot succeed. In Muğla, equality is not just a policy; it is the foundation of our governance model. Inclusive cities require participation, data-driven management, and strong partnerships. Our citizens need to play an active role in shaping local policies. Collaborations conducted with international partners like the EBRD and global networks such as Metropolis strengthen Muğla's institutional capacity. No city can solve today's problems alone on a global scale. However, together we can build more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities."

High-Level Contacts by Mayor Aras at the Metropolis General Assembly

Throughout the EBRD Green Cities Conference, UCLG World Congress, and Metropolis General Assembly, which enhanced Muğla's international visibility, Muğla Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras held intensive and high-level meetings with leading actors of global city diplomacy. Mayor Aras held bilateral meetings with Fatiha El Moudni, Mayor of Rabat, Morocco, and President of Metropolis, Ciprian Ciucu, Mayor of Bucharest, Romania, and many other mayors.

Within the program, Mayor Aras also held talks with Dr. Aziza Akhmouch, Head of the Cities, Urban Policies, and Sustainable Development Department at the OECD; Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of the World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG); Jordi Pascual, Coordinator of the UCLG Culture Committee; and Jordi Vaquer, Secretary General of World Metropolis. During the meetings, the work Muğla carries out in the fields of economy, culture, tourism, climate action, inclusive urban policies, and sustainable local development was shared, and cooperation opportunities were discussed to enhance Muğla's role more actively in international networks. These high-level contacts demonstrated Muğla's progress toward a more visible, effective, and stronger position among global cities, in line with its "World City Muğla" vision.