Mersin sees worldwide record of development

MERSİN

Sports Minister Kılıç (L) and Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan (R) attend an opening ceremony in Mersin.

Youth and Sports Minister Suat Kılıç said it was a worldwide record to prepare the Mediterranean Games in only 18 months. Kılıç also described the changing profile of Mersin with the newly established facilities for the games.

“With the Mediterranean Games, we are planning to introduce one of the biggest provinces of Turkey to both Turkey and the world heritage as a city of sports and tourism. Mersin’s silhouette has undergone a modern change within the last year. Brand new buildings, projects and works were introduced to Mersin, so it became a center of attraction both in Turkey and the whole Mediterranean region.” Kılıç said.

Egyptian Olympic Committee President Muhammed Tahir Pasha, who is of Turkish origin, played a major role in bringing the Mediterranean Games to the warm coastal cities of Mediterranean region. Muhammed Tahir Pasha’s belief in that sports are a medium for peace and brotherhood came true with Mediterranean Games, three years after his death. The first Mediterranean Games were held in 1951 in Egypt, with the participation of 10 countries.

Since then, the Mediterranean countries are gathering with the uniting power of sports once every four years.

Every four years, the sportsmen of these countries meet in a coastal Mediterranean
city to make a series of competitions, in which Olympic rules are in effect.

Turkey, which has attended the games since 1951, is to host this event for the second time. Turkey first hosted the 6th Mediterranean Games in 1971.