2025 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

As Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, we have implemented this model to strengthen cooperation with NGOs to enhance democratic participation, and provide citizens with more inclusive and effective services. Mersin is a representation of Turkey, a city shaped by migration, where different cultures coexist, fostering a long-standing culture of solidarity and a multi-layered way of life. This initiative aims to further advance Mersin's deep-rooted tradition of solidarity and transform collaboration between local government and NGOs into a permanent structure.

As part of this approach, 79 stakeholder meetings, held every Monday, have strengthened our municipality's services for women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, refugees, and disadvantaged groups living in rural neighborhoods. The pairing of NGOs with rural communities and their coordinated work with the municipality has enabled faster responses to local needs, expanding education, awareness, and social support services.

Mersin's multicultural and multi-layered structure has allowed this model to reach a broader impact. By integrating NGOs into decision-making processes, public services have become more transparent, accountable, and sustainable.

To ensure the sustainability of this model:

• Long-term cooperation protocols have been established with NGOs.
• Coordination mechanisms within municipal departments have been developed to facilitate NGOs engagement.
• Data and experiences obtained through this initiative have been integrated into future local policy-making processes.

This initiative has significantly contributed to institutionalizing participatory democracy and making local government policies more inclusive. Rooted in Mersin's strong tradition of social solidarity, this model has created a platform for diverse stakeholders to come together and develop joint solutions, emerging as an innovative example that encourages active citizen participation in governance.

For more information: https://www.mersin.bel.tr/ (External link)