Conference of the International Journal of Arts & Sciences, cilt.7, sa.3, ss.239-246, 2014 (Hakemli Dergi)
The cities of the 21st century are over against too many problems such as noise, unplanned
urbanization, poverty and illegal activities. These problems in too many cities by both the people of the
region and the visitors reveal the over consumption problem of the sources of the region such as local
values, natural resources, region’s culture and history. This upcoming situation has caused to the start of
being questioned of the habitability of the cities. These risks that the cities are face to face has caused to
declaring alternative views for creating a better urban life. “Cittaslow movement” is one of the
alternative views to the raising the life quality in the cities and creating more sustainable life systems.
Cittaslow movement is an international network set up in Italy in 1999 aiming the small cities’
sustainable development in local features. 177 cities from 27 countries are included in the Cittaslow
International Network according to January 2014 numbers. 9 of these 177 cities are in Turkey. Turkey
has been first included in Cittaslow International Network in 28 November 2009 when Seferihisar has
taken the title of Cittaslow. With the questionnaire form prepared in this study datas about including
Cittaslow International Network in Turkey and the other Cittaslow cities on the world, the goal of cities
being Cittaslow, local people point of view to the network and the organization structures have been
obtained. With these datas obtained the Cittaslow cities on the world and in Turkey the comparative
analyses have been made and the differences and similarities have been put forward.