In 2022, Izmir’s achievement of the prestigious European Award marked a significant step towards enhancing local governments’ democracy. Izmir took another step to strengthen local governments’ democracy by becoming a member of the European Capital of Democracy Network.

With the joint effort of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality’s Department of Foreign Relations and Tourism and the Izmir Planning Agency, the city joined the European Capital of Democracy Network, moving towards becoming the European Capital of Democracy in the coming years.

Izmir participated in the European Capital of Democracy Network with various projects that strengthened local democracy, such as the Immediate Solutions Team and the Congress for Future’s Economy, led by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. Having successfully completed the final application stage, Izmir has now become a part of a platform where it can share its experiences with other democracy cities and collaborate for the development of democratic practices.

The European Capital of Democracy Network comprises 21 cities from 13 different countries, including Barcelona, Brussels, Vienna, Leipzig, Gdańsk, Antwerp, Linz, Metz and several others.

The main goal of the European Capital of Democracy Network is to foster and enhance democratic participation and governance on the European scale. It also strives to promote social cohesion and explore innovative democratic approaches, while reinforcing democratic practices at the local level. Izmir's inclusion in this demonstrates the city’s commitment to contribute to achieving harmony with each other, nature, past and change.