Activities in international relations of local governments: The case of Union of Turkish World Municipalities

Local government units, which have become more visible in the international arena with globalization and are the closest service units to the public; it implements a diplomacy that is based on people, benefits from economic, political and cultural cooperation tools, and where global ideas and practices become effective at the local level. The aim of producing effective services and the cross-border dimensions of the problems experienced at the local level have led subnational government units to cooperate with their own efforts or through local government unions. The main purpose of this study is to examine the reasons for local governments to cooperate internationally and to discuss the social, cultural and economic activities of the Union of Turkish World Municipalities, one of the international cooperation institutions that includes 148 local government units in Türkiye, to increase cooperation between local government units. and to investigate whether these activities contribute to the development of dialogue between cultures and civilizations.