Halil İbrahim Yılmaz: ‘The spirit of Ankara is solidarity, everyone is the captain in this city’

9 radio stations joined the broadcast
Halil İbrahim Yılmaz, President of Ankara City Council, spoke in the programme moderated by Serkan Kızılbayır and co-broadcast by Pal Doğa, Hedef Radyo, Radyo Megasite, Radyo Vizyon, İmaj Pop, Pal FM, Radyo Ostim, Radyo Özgür and Radyo Karadeniz. In the broadcast, the topics of ‘Feast in Ankara’, ‘Gastronomy in Ankara’ and ‘Geographically Signed Products’ were discussed.

City Council A structure based on solidarity
Defining the City Council as a philosophy, not just an organisation, Yılmaz said: ‘This structure may be budgetless, but it is not ineffective. Because it draws its strength from social solidarity. We work together with 52 working groups, 48 sub-groups, 12 councils and 3100 non-governmental organisations.

Emphasising that the City Council has turned into a content office that will set an example for all of Turkey, Yılmaz said: ‘It is a poetic organisation when people from different political views, professions and beliefs produce solutions around the same table.

Eid in Ankara is not only a religious but also a cultural gathering
Referring to the meaning of holidays, Yılmaz said: ‘Holidays are peace, treatment, reconciliation. In Ankara, festivals are not only home visits but also an atmosphere where cultural heritage is kept alive again. Giving many examples from the ‘Ebeç’ tradition in Kızılcahamam to the ‘Sinsin’ game in Kalecik, Yılmaz explained the activities that bring rural culture and urban life together.

Yilmaz: ‘Ankara is not just a geographical area, it is the name of independence and hope’
 Yılmaz stated that Ankara, which he recognised from TRT radios during his childhood, has turned into a state of mind today and said: ‘Ankara is not to be a servant to the servant. It is democracy, resistance, rebellion and love. It is not just a city, it is a stage of civilisation in itself. From the water of Midas to the knot of Gordion, this city is moulded with stories.

Economic development with Ankara's registered products
Stating that Ankara has the highest number of registered products in Turkey with 41 geographically marked products, Yılmaz said that this potential can be used as a cultural diplomacy tool. ‘Products such as Polatlı's wheat, Çubuk's pickles, Nallıhan's needle lace, Kalecik Karası grape are not only economic but also cultural values,’ he said.

Examples of social municipalism and solidarity
Referring to the social aid campaigns organised during the month of Ramadan, Yılmaz said: ‘Helping is not only done with the budget, but also with the heart. During the pandemic, Ankara residents helped each other to pay off the debts in pharmacies. Our culture of solidarity has become a way of life, not just a practice.

Remarkable call in the broadcast: ‘Radios should be the main medium of urban communication’
Emphasising the power of radio broadcasts, Yılmaz said that all civil structures in Ankara should make active use of radios. ‘Voice is a more effective medium than sight. Even in the digital age, radio will not lose its influence,’ he said, calling for the development of this field.

Ankara's UNESCO heritage artefacts and cultural role
Yılmaz reminded the artefacts such as Gordion, Ahi Şerafettin Mosque and Augustus Temple, which were included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, and said, ‘This city has the potential to shape the world culture not only with its past but also with its future.

Emotional messages at the end of the broadcast
In the messages received from the listeners who attended the broadcast, it was stated that Yılmaz's speeches inspired them. One listener conveyed his feelings with the message ‘I have never seen a person so in love with Ankara’. Yılmaz said, ‘Ankara is not only my city, but everyone's city. Living in this city is a responsibility'.

Source: CUMHA - CUMHUR NEWS AGENCY