Local Development
The main goal of local development is to increase the quality of life and the welfare of the society by increasing economic, social, physical development and institutional capacity at the local level. This approach is an active process in which local governments meet with relevant social stakeholders to maintain or stimulate local production and employment.
A successful local development process is a participatory and inclusive process where the public sector, private sector, civil society and other stakeholders work together to produce solutions at the local level. Determining the development strategies at the local level under a strong local leadership and ensuring their compliance with the values of the local people is the driving force behind the process. In other words, local development stimulates the local economy by creating employment and ensuring the efficient use of local resources by shifting the potential at the local level. It is also very important to gather local small and medium-sized businesses together around a common development vision by encouraging entrepreneurship and to strengthen their coordination and integration.
Marmara Municipalities Union follows innovative ideas for local development of cities in Turkey and in the world, and lays the ground so that the member municipalities integrate these ideas to their planning and policy development processes.
