Konya Ready for Global Partnerships

Monica Merino Domínguez, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Turkey, and her accompanying delegation visited Konya Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay.

Emphasizing that Konya has always been a significant city throughout history, starting with the settlement at Çatalhöyük, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mayor Altay said, “We are in a city that served as a capital for two hundred years, from 1096 to 1308. Today, Konya is the largest city in Turkey in terms of area and the sixth largest in terms of population. Nearly 130,000 students study at its five universities. It is a major center for both agricultural and livestock production. Recently, it has also made great strides in industrial production. We rank tenth in Turkey’s exports.”

Monica Merino Domínguez also expressed their readiness for new partnerships, saying, “You are not only eager to share Konya’s initiatives as examples within Turkey but also on an international level. We are ready for new partnerships. There are many opportunities here to collaborate with you. I am here to meet you and to see your city. This visit felt like a discovery of the city—I’ve learned a lot. I noticed on the map that Konya is centrally located. You are in a very strategic region.”