2009
Monday
December
14

Seferihisar named Turkey's first Cittaslow

Seferihisar

The honor was announced on Saturday after Cittaslow International Coordination Committee meeting held in Italy.

Seferihisar Mayor Tunc Soyer said his town's application to join the "slow city" network was accepted. This small town in Izmir province has become the 121st slow city on earth, Soyer said.

Preserving an overall outlook of a pleasant resort area bearing typical Aegean characteristics, Seferihisar's economy, nevertheless, is still largely based on agriculture, with the production of tangerines and satsumas, and also increasingly on tourism, with the presence of several housing projects or vacation villages, pensioners opting to settle in the region due to its quiet charm.

CITTASLOWCittaslow is a movement founded in Italy in October 1999. The inspiration of Cittaslow was the Slow Food organization that moves against fast-food culture.

Cittaslow organization defines itself as a growing international network of over 120 towns in 18 countries across the world that have adopted a set of common goals and principles to enhance their quality of life for residents and visitors.

In simple terms, Cittaslow towns aim to be great places to live, work and visit. They aim to support local businesses, foster local traditions, protect the environment, welcome visitors, and encourage active participation in community life.

Each Cittaslow town commits to working towards a set of over 50 goals and principles that aim to improve its quality of life. These goals and principles provide tangible benchmarks against which a town can measure its progress and act as a mechanism to bring local people from all walks of life together to work collectively for the good of their town.

Font: http://en.timeturk.com