Beşiktaş Once More Qualifies as a European 12 Star City!
Beşiktaş Once More Qualifies as a European 12 Star City!
For the second time in a row, the Beşiktaş Municipality has been awarded with the ’12 Star City’ title, one of the most prestigious awards granted to cities every year by the Council of Europe.
The annual ordinary general assembly and the certificate ceremony of the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) was held in Paris this year on February 5th, 2018.
More than 30 local governments from 20 different countries took part in the event, which was held this year under the theme of “Citizens’ participation, consultation and commitment: for a thriving local democracy” and shared the projects and practices they performed in 2017.
Participating the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) event with the “Women’s Human Rights and Social Diversity” seminar presented by our Foreign Affairs Directorate, our Municipality was awarded for the second time by the Council of Europe with the tittle of ’12 Star City’, which is the symbol of the European Union. The presentations and projects presented by the representatives of our Municipality gained a huge appreciation from the participating members and the Council. At the close of the meeting, Gaye DOĞANOĞLU (Turkey, EPP/CCE), Congress Vice-President of the Congress and Thematic Spokesperson on the ELDW, awarded the ”12-stars” partners of the 2017 edition with certificates, on behalf of the Congress President, as an expression of gratitude for their participation and commitment.
Apart from the Beşiktaş Municipality; the municipalities of İzmit, Karşıyaka, Edremit, Kahramankazan, Lüleburgaz, Kadıköy, Büyükçekmece and Rize attended the event from Turkey and were awarded with the ’12 Star City’ title.
The European Local Democracy Week (ELDW), launched in 2007 as an initiative of the Council of Europe and its Congress, is held annually around October 15th by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, with the purpose of commemorating the European Charter of Local Self-Government signed on October 15th, 1985 and raising citizens' awareness of and participation in local democracy in Europe.
During the week, local elected representatives and citizens across the 47 member states of the Council of Europe are brought together at public events and discussions to meet and engage with their citizens on issues of current interest and are fostered to develop targeted programs and activities according to their own priorities. The local governments attending the event are awarded with the tittle of ’12 Star City’, which is the symbol of the European Union, by the Council of Europe. The organization also aims to promote and support democratic participation on local level.
