Konya Mayor Altay Represents City in New York

Uğur Ibrahim Altay, who is the President of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality, participated in the Local and Regional Governments Forum held within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Action Week.

President Altay, who will also attend President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's speech at the 78th United Nations General Assembly in the United States and participate in discussions, addressed the world municipalities as the President of UCLG during the forum held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

President Altay pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic is not the only crisis disrupting the balance of systems and hindering access to food, emphasizing that the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine have also significantly jeopardized global food security.

President Altay emphasized the need to strongly support the elimination of hunger and poverty, the improvement of healthcare systems, and efforts to combat climate change. He stated, "In addition, to secure access to food and prioritize the well-being of all people, the importance of our role as local and regional governments should be more clearly recognized. It is essential to transform vital ecological systems within and around cities to renew our production and consumption patterns. This can only be achieved by developing a renewed vision for all commons, including our food systems, on which our lives depend. It is also time for all of us to come together and commit to a transformation towards sustainable new production models and food systems."

At the end of his speech, President Altay invited all UCLG members to the UCLG World Council, which will be held in Konya from October 26 to 28, 2023. He stated, "As leaders of local and regional governments, let us meet in Konya to give a strong message of peace and prosperity to the world from the city of tolerance."