Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and President of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Assembly of Regions Tunç Soyer attended the Bureau Meeting organized at the Paris Office of the Council of Europe. The latest developments in the Russian-Ukrainian war were discussed at the meeting. Mayor Soyer will also make a speech at the High-Level Group meeting where the President and executives of the European Union Committee of the Regions will attend.
Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyer attended the meeting celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe as the Deputy President of the First Congress. During the meeting, amendments to the procedures and principles of the Congress were discussed. In addition, the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine War, which is an important agenda item of the Congress, were discussed and preparations for the 46th Session of the Congress to be held in Strasbourg, France on 26-28 March were discussed. On the other hand, preparations for the United Nations Future Summit to be held on 22-23 September 2024 were evaluated. Finally, the political developments in the Belarusian context and the cities and local authorities that have been recognized as partners of the European Local Democracy Week were identified.
Mayor Soyer will also attend the Congress of the Council of Europe and the High-Level Group Meeting of the Committee of the Regions of the European Union and deliver a speech.
One of the most important authorities in Europe
Founded on 5 May 1949, the Council of Europe protects the fundamental human rights of 700 million citizens of 46 member states, such as the fight against discrimination, democracy, the rule of law, the defense of cultural diversity and gender equality. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CALGARY) is one of the political organs of the Council of Europe. Composed of elected representatives from local or regional authorities, the Congress consists of 612 members representing more than 130,000 local and regional authorities in 46 member states. The decision-making processes of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities are carried out in two separate assemblies, the Assembly of Local Authorities and the Assembly of Regions. Metropolitan municipalities, councils and special provincial administrations from Türkiye are represented in the Assembly of Regions. Districts and municipalities have representation in the Local Government Council of the Congress. The President of the Congress and the presidents of both chambers are among the three most important actors in the management of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. These three presidents have joint responsibility for the decision-making and management of the Congress. The Presidency of the Congress of the Council of the Regions, which has an invaluable role in the European political dialogue to represent and defend regional and urban development, acts as a platform for political dialogue that is important for solving problems in the face of global crises that are not only regional but also deeply affect cities and local governments, such as wars, climate crisis, epidemics, extremism, social injustice and the decline of democratic values all over the world.