Marmara Urban Forum: An Inspiring Journey Completed with Hope
Under the motto of 'Cities Developing Solutions', MARUF has a gathering place where representatives from the central government, mayors, local authorities, international organizations, NGOs, academia, youth, and all urban thinkers from around the world come together in 2025. The forum offered a space for discussing both local and global urban development challenges.
This year's edition hosted over 500 speakers and thousands of participants from 50 countries at Haliç Congress Center, featuring more than 200 events over three days. Under the conceptual framework of ‘‘On the Shore of All Possibilities’’ MARUF25 provided participants with a journey through four different streams and three interactive modes.
MARUF25 Streams and Modes
MARUF25 aims to generate tangible ideas, innovative solutions, and practical actions to tackle the challenges cities will face in the future. This year’s program addresses four fundamental questions regarding the future of cities:
- How is it possible to have a fair city with participatory, reliable and accountable institutional structures where local democracy is rooted?
- How is it possible to have a city that is resilient to disasters, climate crisis, conflicts and economic crises?
- How is it possible to have a caring city for everyone and all living beings, that is safe and eliminates inequalities?
- How is it possible to have a city that enables co-living in solidarity and embraces social diversity?
MARUF25 provided participants with more than just the one-dimensional forum experience. It offered an interactive and multidimensional space for urban exploration that engaged various senses. Throughout the event, participants were able to choose their own paths, design their experiences, and embark on personal urban journeys, transcending the traditional role of simply attending a forum.
The event featured three essential modes of participation at the forum — “Minds-on,” focusing on idea generation; “Hands-on,” emphasizing production processes; and “Senses-on,” involving participants in immersive, sensory experiences.
A Remarkable Start to MARUF
MARUF25’s opening session began with an introduction by Dr. M. Cemil Arslan, Secretary General of MMU and General Coordinator of MARUF. The session continued with opening remarks from Mustafa Bozbey, President of MMU and Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality; Nuri Aslan, Deputy Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality; Turan Konak, Director General of Local Administrations at Republic of Türkiye of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change; and Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat.
Following these remarks, an opening panel titled “On the Shore of All Possible” was held. The session was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Antonella Contin from Politecnico di Milano, and featured distinguished speakers including Bernd Vöhringer, President of the Chamber of Local Authorities, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe; Prof. Inés Sánchez De Madariaga, UNESCO Chair and UN-Habitat Group Chair from the Polytechnic University of Madrid; Dr. Remy Sietchiping, Chief of Policy, Legislation and Governance at UN-Habitat; and Madhusree Dutta, curator and filmmaker.
Deputy Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Nuri Aslan, who delivered the forum's opening remarks, emphasized that urban problems can be solved through shared wisdom and cooperation, continuing, "Of all possibilities, we choose justice, solidarity, and inclusiveness."
Anacláudia Rossbach, who participated in MARUF25 via video message, highlighted the housing crisis affecting approximately 3 billion people worldwide due to rapid urbanization and shared with the public that the promises of cities can only be realized when they are inclusive of everyone. Rossbach described MARUF as an international platform where, with its multilayered structure, diverse groups share their ideas together, generate concrete solutions, and transform dialogue into action.
Turan Konak, Director General of Local Administrations at Republic of Türkiye of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, stated in his opening remarks, "Our cities and municipalities are an integral part of democracy. In this sense, we place great importance on our municipalities and strive to respond to their demands, complaints, and requests as much as we can. Indeed, in this land where the saying "Let people live so the state can live," flourishes, our municipalities, the closest administrative units to the people, are strengthening their social services and social services alongside basic municipal services such as infrastructure, superstructure, and environmental protection. They are extending a significant helping hand to the elderly, the disabled, and the disadvantaged."
Speaking at the opening of the forum, Mustafa Bozbey, President of MMU and Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, highlighted the significant role of cities in shaping the future, noting that MARUF is not only a platform for discussing problems but also a common ground for developing solutions, joint initiatives, and new visions for the future.
President Bozbey also acknowledged that they did not organize this forum alone. He continued, "I would like to thank over 150 partners, especially the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and the Directorate of Climate Change, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Directorate for European Union Affairs, the United Nations Habitat, the Ministry of Interior Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality for hosting, and my teams from MMU and Bursa Metropolitan Municipality." He thanked everyone for their support.
The opening program concluded with a remarkable performance by the internationally acclaimed polyphonic choir Chromas, conducted by Başak Doğan.
MARUF25 Was a Multidimensional Experience
Following the opening session, the General Assembly of the Marmara Municipalities Union — headquartered in Istanbul and representing over 190 municipalities — took place at MARUF25, which marked the Union’s 50th anniversary. While the Assembly convened, 22 simultaneous sessions and side events kicked off across the forum.
One highlight was "Weaving the New with Waste," a collective project curated by Fırat Neziroğlu in collaboration with Mind Your Waste Foundation. This initiative used waste materials brought by MARUF25 participants along with additional resources provided by the artist. The project was officially launched by President Bozbey. Throughout the day, various workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, talks, a library, and serious games were conducted.
One of the first closed meetings of the day, titled "The Role of Municipalities in National Climate Targets," aimed to inform municipalities about Türkiye’s new “Nationally Determined Contribution” (NDC) and discuss the steps municipalities can take to implement this directive. The afternoon sessions focused on local governments in war-torn regions, including Ukraine and Palestine. For instance, the "MARUF x Forum of Women Mayors in South-East Europe" organized as a closed meeting, addressed the role of women mayors in promoting local governance, inclusive peace, and resilience. Participants also had opportunities to visit various exhibitions, such as "In the Footsteps of Two Little Urbanites: New Stories," "Local Governments and Urbanism in the 100-Year Journey of the Republic of Türkiye," and "Reclaiming Streets".
The first day featured numerous networking examples, including "Resilience and Beyond: Gathering for Disaster Management," " Local Governments Meet International City Networks," and "Coding Tomorrow’s Cities: Robotics and VR for Children".
MARUF25 Paved the Way for Global Cooperation Among Local Governments
President Bozbey signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Norliza Hashim of the Urbanice Malaysia Forum to strengthen the cooperation between MARUF and Urbanice Malaysia Forum. He also discussed collaborative projects regarding the future of cities with representatives from the Croatian Union of Municipalities and the Barcelona Metropolitan Area.
A Well-Attended Second Day at MARUF25
On the second day of MARUF25, sessions, workshops, and collective work focused on various rights, including housing, animals, water, and children, as well as disasters, began simultaneously.
In the workshop titled "Animal Cruelty: Rethinking Intersectionality Together," organized in partnership with Four-Legged City, participants explored the structural similarities between violence against women and animals, the concept of vulnerability, and possibilities for solidarity. Another workshop, "Cities that Shed Light on Children’s Imaginaires," discussed creating spaces for children's dreams amidst the chaos of city life.
One notable session, held simultaneously in different halls, was “Reimagining Local Governance: Social Justice and Public Politics,” organized in collaboration with the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (UMT) and moderated by UMT Deputy Secretary General Dr. Şengül Altan Arslan. This session focused on redesigning local governance models to strengthen social justice and implement inclusive public policies. The session “Digital Future: From Global Agenda to Local Action,” supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), highlighted the crucial role of local development in shaping sustainable and resilient cities. The session titled “Alternative Pathways in Urban Transformation: Housing Cooperatives,” organized with contributions from the Center for Spatial Justice, discussed alternatives to current urban transformation practices in Türkiye.
During the lunch break, the Bird Collective shared its album "Heritage," which brings together the sounds of endangered birds and nearly forgotten traditional instruments, uniting nature and art. MARUF25 participants were invited to join the rhythm and connect their own steps to the rhythm of the city with the performance of "Half Break: Solo Jazz Dance" workshop.
The important issue of the right to water was addressed in the session “Urban Basics: Right to Water,” featuring Dr. Akgün İlhan from Boğaziçi University. Following this, the session “A Tale of Two Inland Seas: The Marmara and the Baltic” discussed inland marine ecosystems using examples from the Marmara and Baltic Seas.
Participants continued to explore examples of the exhibitions: "Woodlife Sweden," organized in collaboration with the Swedish Consulate in Istanbul; "Natural Buildings for Healthy Living Spaces," with contributions from Doğal Yapı Malzemeleri ve Yöntemleri Derneği; and "Reclaiming Streets," organized in partnership with Superpool and Global Designing Cities Initiative.
Furthermore, various collective projects, including "Seeing. Hearing. Narrating, "Would You Like to Talk About the City? Collective City," and "Caught in MARUF’s Net" garnered significant attention across the event.
In collaboration with Altyazı, the recent and distant history of film culture in Türkiye was discussed through examples from Adana, Diyarbakır, and Ankara; the movie " Komm mit mir in das Cinema – Die Gregors" was screened, and a discussion was held on Lior Steinberg's book "The Car That Wanted to Be a Bike" with the support of Humankind.
The second day of MARUF25 concluded with the Peradi Ensemble, which performs folk melodies in approximately 25 languages.
MARUF25 Wraps Up a Three-Day Journey Filled with Inspiration and Hope
“Library Talks: ‘The Quotidian, Quality of Life, and Locality’ with İlhan Tekeli,” and “Creative Reading Workshop with Çiğdem Odabaşı: On Yaşar Kemal’s Novel The Sea-Crossed Fisherman,” the latter organized by Yapı Kredi Culture and Arts Publishing, offered art lovers a new perspective. Throughout the day, various sessions addressed topics such as cultural tourism, heritage management, and sustainable tourism.
The forum's closing session featured speeches from Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General Mehmet Yıldız, UN-Habitat Dr. Remy Sietchiping, as well as members of the MARUF Advisory Network, NALAS Executive Director Kelmend Zajazi, and Prof. İlhan Tekeli. MARUF25's closing remarks were delivered by MMU Secretary General and MARUF General Coordinator Dr. M. Cemil Arslan. In his speech, Arslan emphasized the existence of hope and concluded by thanking everyone who strives to keep this hope alive, including MARUF's creative team, volunteers, and all the teams involved.
Partners Add Value to MARUF25
İSTON, Yapı Kredi Publications, Fellas, Play Strategy, and ALL Smart Waste Solutions not only supported MARUF25 but also actively contributed to its implementation, planning, and development. İSTON provided comfortable street furniture for participants, while Yapı Kredi Publications provided workshops, talks, and film screenings. Fellas distributed healthy snacks to participants. Supporters like Accessible Everything and WeWalk made MARUF25 more inclusive, while ALL Smart Waste Solutions and Mind Your Waste Foundation made it more sustainable. Book publishers such as Ayrıntı, Bilim Akademi, Günışı Kitaplığı, İdealKent, İletişim, Marmara Municipalities Union Publications, Metis, Sel, and YEM contributed to the enrichment of MARUF25 Urban Library and made their publications available to participants.
