The launch for the Culture Summit to be hosted by İzmir from September 9 to 11 was carried out online from studios established in İzmir and Barcelona.

At the event organized online from studios in Ahmed Adnan Saygun Art Centre and Barcelona, İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer expressed his gratitude for hosting the summit in İzmir.

We will create a common future
Expressing that world cities will work together for establishing a cultural and urban bond of endurance at the UCLG Culture Summit in İzmir, Soyer added, “In addition to your expertise and speciality, we need active engagement from your societies for this change.  We will discuss the open management of culture at local, national and international levels. We will encourage human creativity, human experience, progress and innovation. Thus, we will strive to activate cities and local governments to implement the 2030 Agenda. From local governments to culture associations, from experts to citizens, we are inviting all actors related to culture to the 4th UCLG Culture Summit this September. See you in İzmir.”

Boudra: We need to use it as an antidote.
Stating that İzmir is the pearl of the Mediterranean, UCLG President Dr. Mohamed Boudra said, “We perceive our summits as the gathering point of all cities, regions, local governments and main actors engaged in this field from all around the world. Various efforts are exerted for sustainability and culture. We need to use culture as an antidote of the pandemic in some way.” 

“You ensured that we experience the soul of İzmir. We are looking forward to seeing you as well. I have very sincere feelings about the summit. I hope Mayor Soyer shares them too,” said UCLG General Secretary Emilia Saiz.

Agenda is the cultural impact of Covid-19
Former General Secretary of United Nations Culture and Development Commission, UNESCO Culture Assistant General Manager Lourdes Arizpe, OECD and Harvard metaLAB Senior Research and Rectorship Delegate for European Projects and International Networks at IULM University Pierluigi Sacco and Bilgi University Arts and Culture Department Chair, Culture Politics and Management Research Centre Director Ass. Prof. Serhan Ada got together for a talk titled “Cultural Impact of Covid-19”. The main discussion points of the talk was how culture is to shape the future, the importance of culture and possible outcomes of culture, how culture enables social intelligence and how our ability to adapt ensures social skills.
Messages of Bilbao Mayor Juan María Aburto, Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong, Buenos Aires Minister of Culture Enrique Avogadro, Lison Culture Assistant Mayor Catarina Vaz-Pinto and UCLG-MEWA Culture and Tourism Committee Chairman Nidai Güngördü regarding the Culture Summit were included at the launch. UCLG-MEWA General Secretary Mehmet Duman closed the launch.