Tourexpi
The
2025 Europe Prize has been awarded to the southeastern Turkish city of
Gaziantep, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said
Tuesday.
The
prize is given each year to the city that has been the most active in promoting
the European ideal.
In
a statement, PACE said Gaziantep has 25 sister cities, including Germany's
Duisburg, Slovenia's Celje, the Czech Republic's Ostrava and Portugal's Braga.
"It
is a key economic hub, known for its industrial sector, particularly in
textiles and manufacturing, and is the first city in Türkiye to implement an
action plan against climate change," said the statement.
PACE
said Gaziantep is also focused on sustainability, urban development, smart-city
applications, environmental conservation and the well-being of its inhabitants.
Noting
that the city has previously been awarded the European Label of Excellence in
Governance, the statement said it is a member of 28 international networks
including Eurocities, Energy Cities, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and the
Union of Municipalities of Türkiye.
Established
in 1955 by PACE, the Europe Prize is the highest distinction awarded to a
European city for its actions in the European domain.
The
prize includes a trophy, a medal, a diploma and a grant to be used for a study
visit to the European institutions for young people from the winning city.
Image
Credit: © AA
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