HALFETI (TR) CITTASLOW: THANKS FOREVER TO YOU NIHAT

An armed ambush against Nihat Özdal, poet and writer as well as public administrator and Cittaslow world promoter who issued a demolition order for the real "eco monster" hotel on the hill of the ancient city of Halfeti.

The well-known novelist and poet Nihat Özdal, who lives in Halfeti town in Turkey, was attacked by gunmen. Özdal has long started a campaign for the demolition of a hotel built in the district because it creates a frightening landscape pollution and destroys the beauty of a place forged over the centuries. For this reason its demolition was authorized. Writer Nihat Özdal was attacked with guns and fortunately survived the attack unscathed. The police teams with an investigation and a fast operation captured the attackers, the director and an employee of the hotel to be demolished. Nihat explains directly with a message to Cittaslow headquarters: “Half of Halfeti, the city where I live, was flooded by a dam in 2000.

Halfeti is a city that offers the most beautiful views of Mesopotamia and attracts more than a million tourists every year with its history and nature. The construction of a hotel completely opposite and alien to our architecture began in 2010 in our historic city. From the very beginning, I have personally been a pioneer in proposing opinion campaigns and signature collections to prevent the construction of this hotel. The hotel was then built and 10 years later, the Regional Cultural Heritage Conservation Authority found our campaign justified and decided to support us and then demolish the hotel. Last day after sharing this good news on my social media account, I was violently attacked by gunmen. I'm fine now. I will continue to be in favor of the nature and history of Turkey or anywhere in the world “.

Özdal, which has long been fighting against environmental and architectural pollution, in favor of animal rights, nature and ecological problems, has launched an awareness campaign against the hotel “eco monster” that is truly a "visual provocation" and contrary to every Cittaslow principle. Following his mobilization, the regional administration accepted Özdal's reasons by authorizing the demolition of the hotel. Özdal writes on social media: "We have conducted many campaigns to prevent the construction of the hotel which inevitably ruins the silhouette while sailing along the river lake and sticks like a knife into the infinite integrity of the local natural and cultural architecture, made of stone and steppe. In keeping with the principles of Cittaslow so, the Regional Council for the conservation of cultural heritage came to the decision to demolish the building (which was not to be built). Thanks to all those who have contributed! "