IMM Attended the 40th Anniversary Congress of Metropolis

Due to the 40th anniversary of the founding of Metropolis, the Metropolis 40th Anniversary Congress was held in Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, between September 29 and October 1, 2025. Representing our Municipality at the congress were Advisor to the Mayor, Ambassador (Rtd.) Mustafa Osman Turan; Head of the Foreign Relations Department, Barbaros Büyüksağnak; and Director of the Foreign Relations Branch, Fahri Murat Tuncay.

Bringing together mayors, senior representatives, and urban development experts from leading metropolises around the world, the Seoul congress followed the convening of the Metropolis Board of Directors and was inaugurated by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and President of Metropolis and Mayor of Rabat Fatiha El Moudni. Sessions focused on the key themes shaping the future of cities, including democratic governance and inclusive development.

The second edition of the Megacities Summit, which was first hosted by our Mayor in Istanbul on 8 October 2023 in partnership with Metropolis, was also held during the 40th Anniversary Congress under the theme “Leaving No One Behind.” Ambassador (R.) Mustafa Osman Turan shared the city’s experiences and challenges as a global megacity of 16 million inhabitants, addressing the social, economic, and environmental issues it faces.

During the same session, Mr. Hu Hao, Deputy Mayor of Guangzhou, announced that the city will host the third “Megacities” summit in November 2026 as part of the Global Mayors Forum and the 7th Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation, expressing great pleasure in participating the initiative.

The IMM delegation also participated in the opening program of Seoul Smart Life Week, the Metropolis International Training Institute (MITI) Sharing Forum, and the sessions of the “Megacity Think Tank Alliance (MeTTA),” and visited the booth set up by the Smart City Directorate.

As part of the visit, the delegation met with the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Korea Republic, Mr. Murat Tamer, to discuss bilateral relations and potential areas of cooperation in urban diplomacy.

Throughout the congress, bilateral meetings were also held with representatives from Barcelona, Riyadh, and Toronto. Discussions with Mr. Jordi Castellana Gamisans, Vice President of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area; Mr. Salman Aldahmash, Deputy Mayor of Riyadh; and Mr. Nick Mantas, Member of Toronto City Council, focused on potential collaborations in the fields of municipal subsidiaries, smart city practices, and start-up ecosystems.