Today we celebrate the 99th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey - undoubtedly the greatest gift ever to be offered to the people of this country by its revolutionary founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

🇹🇷 Happy Republic Day from Istanbul!

Istanbul continues to invest in sustainable public transport solutions with The EBRD's support. The €75 million deal we signed today will be key for the completion of the Ümraniye-Ataşehir-Göztepe metro line, which is expected to go into service by 2024. #EBRDGreenCities

Istanbul is home to a phenomenal culinary culture built on a deep-rooted legacy that spans millennia. The Michelin Guide's spotlight on Istanbul's cuisine is a timely opportunity to celebrate the vastness and sophistication of this culture.

Congratulations to the winners 🎉

Happy to host The EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso and her delegation at Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality today. As an #EBRDGreenCity , we attach great importance to the Bank's current and future support for Istanbul's green, inclusive and sustainable public transport investments.

I would like to congratulate Denis Becirovic, the new Bosniak member of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s tripartite presidency from the Social Democratic Party, SDP, on his election victory. I hope his term in office will be an important milestone for democracy for BiH and its people.

It was a pleasure to meet with Turkish-German member of the German parliament Serap Güler, and to exchange views on a variety of topics. I would like to thank Ms. Güler for the kind visit.

Many thanks to Kosovo’s Deputy PM Emilija Rexhepi for her visit to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality today. It was a pleasure to speak about the joint projects we can lead with cities in Kosovo as part of the B40 Balkan Cities Network.

I would like to thank Belgium’s newly appointed Consul General in Istanbul Tim Van Anderlecht for his kind visit to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and I am glad to know we are both committed to strengthen the dialogue between Brussels, EU’s capital, and Istanbul, Europe’s largest city.

It was a pleasure to meet with New Jersey's Tayfun Selen, the first-ever elected mayor of Turkish origin in the United States. I wish him the utmost success for the future and I am confident he will work to build bridges of cooperation between the cities of the two countries.

Many thanks to Vice President of Bulgaria Ms. Iliana Iotova for her visit to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. I was particularly pleased to speak about recent activities carried out by the B40 Balkan Cities Network & Istanbul's ongoing cooperation with Sofia and other Bulgarian cities.

On the sad occasion of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, I extend my most heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom.

She leaves behind a legacy of extraordinary devotion to duty, and a deep sense of discipline and self-restraint.

Spent a lovely day at Müze Gazhane with children from Odessa, one of Istanbul’s sister cities. Building a fair and peaceful future for the next generation must be the shared priority of every politician worldwide — our vision in Istanbul is always informed by this necessity.

Many thanks to Canada in Istanbul 🇹🇷🇨🇦 Consul General Brahim Achtoutal for his kind visit today prior to his departure from our city.

I wish him the utmost success in his new post, and I am confident that he will aways remain an ambassador of goodwill for Istanbul 🇹🇷🇨🇦

“Either independence or death”

— Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

#VictoryDay

I would like to thank Italy in Turkey Ambassador Giorgio Marrapodi for his kind visit to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality today 🇹🇷🇮🇹

We had a fruitful meeting full of new and bright ideas — we agree that Istanbul has an important role to play in enhancing the ties between our countries.

This is Istanbul — where concerts, and festivals can be enjoyed by millions, all across the city 🎙

Lovely day with young people from all across the Balkans at the B40 Balkan Cities Youth Summit at Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality 🌍

By getting together to discuss some of the most complex global issues of our times, the youth of our region is setting a great example for us politicians!

Pleasure to meet with Italy's newly appointed Consul General Elena Clemente at the beautiful Emirgan Park today. The firm & warm bonds between Turkish and Italian people span centuries - I am confident that closer ties between our cities will strengthen this relationship 🇹🇷🇮🇹

Dialogue is an essential component of urban diplomacy, to ensure lasting peace and cooperation between cities worldwide. I would like to thank Sergei Cheryomin, Head of International Relations at the Moscow City Government, for paying me a visit with his delegation today.

#BasilicaCistern , one of Istanbul’s most magnificent structures, is re-opening tomorrow after the most extensive renovation work carried out to date ✨