Hasankeyf wants to become Türkiye’s 26th ‘calm city’

BATMAN

The historic district of Hasankeyf in the southeastern province of Batman aims to become Türkiye’s 26th "calm city."

Located 37 kilometers from Batman city center, efforts are ongoing to include the district in the International Cittaslow Network under the leadership of the Hasankeyf Governor’s Office.

The governor’s office, the GAP Regional Development Administration, and the Provincial Special Administration signed a protocol in order to boost the district's recognition, attract more domestic and international tourists, and transform its potential into economic value.

Hasankeyf Governor Mehmet Ali İmrak said that the district, with its 12,000 years of ancient history, is the heart of Mesopotamia.

Noting that the district benefitted from opportunities provided by water, not just its history and culture, after the construction of Ilısu Dam, İmrak stated that Hasankeyf is also making progress toward becoming a water sports center.

He highlighted their goal of hosting 100,000 tourists this year but revealed that the historic district had already surpassed expectations, welcoming 125,000 visitors by November.

"We achieved this goal, but this is not sufficient for us. We believe Hasankeyf has the potential and capacity to host hundreds of thousands, even millions of visitors. We are striving for this," he said.

İmrak, who took office a year ago, observed that the district's defining characteristic is its tranquility.

“For this reason, we thought that one of the best titles that suits Hasankeyf is the ‘calm city’ label,” he said.

Must meet 73 criteria

Stating that they initiated works toward this goal, İmrak added: “Under the leadership of the district governor's office, we signed a protocol with the GAP Regional Development Administration and the provincial special administration, and we started working to meet the membership requirements for the Cittaslow network.”

İmrak noted that 73 criteria must be met to join the Cittaslow network, and Hasankeyf already fulfills nearly 40 of these based on its dynamics.

"We will apply for membership once we complete all the criteria. With some minor adjustments, we will meet the 73 requirements. Our activities will develop in this direction. By fulfilling all the parameters and making Hasankeyf a Cittaslow member, we will contribute to Batman and our country," he said.

The criteria include comparing public drinking water consumption with national averages, segregating and collecting urban solid waste, producing energy from renewable resources for public use, removing architectural barriers for the disabled, supporting family life and pregnant women, ensuring accessible health services, enhancing the city’s resilience through planning, improving urban livability, providing internet access, preserving and promoting handmade, labeled, or branded artisan products, safeguarding local and traditional cultural events, supporting childcare and improving youth employment rates.

Highlighting that they began the candidacy process, İmrak stated that a coordination team has been established for application preparations.

Consulting services were procured to determine the district’s potential and conduct a needs analysis.

“A preliminary report was received from the relevant firm. Following this, training planning was made for areas identified as lacking. In line with participation criteria, mapping, marking, and route determination efforts for traffic safety and a livable city center were conducted with the municipality, the Village Services Union, and the District Police Department. Area designation for bicycle paths in the district has been completed. Necessary reports on youth and sports activities have also been prepared,” he explained.

İmrak emphasized that there are currently 25 places in Türkiye included in the Cittaslow network and concluded by stating their goal to make Hasankeyf the 26th member.