Uluslararası Düzeyde Kardeş Kentlerin Eşleşme Eğilimleri Üzerine Bir Araştırma

Abstract

Sister cities were initially intended to create post-war friendships and cultural linkages. During this period, sister city relationships were mostly formed based on similarities such as names, cultural or historical links. In the 1970s, there was an increase in mutual understanding aimed at sister city relations, as well as a shift in the pattern of friendly relations. Relations are based on the availability of mutually beneficial advantages for a wide range of goals, including trade, investment, economy, tourism, health, and the environment. Issues of trade, economy, and development, which have recently become increasingly essential for cities, have begun to be debated in the context of sister city connections. As a result, municipal cooperation decisions in sister city connections have become increasingly crucial. Especially in the choice of partnership, political or emotional decisions prevent effective cooperation. The purpose of the study is to determine the pattern of municipal sister city relationships in Turkey. This study examined 2051 sister city relationships between 486 municipalities in Turkey at the international level, as well as the effects of population size and geographical distance on the selection of a sister city. According to the study’s findings, geographic proximity and situations requiring the exchange of information and experience appear to be determining factors in city pairings with different population sizes. Cross-border cooperation, which refers to cities that are geographically close to one another by land or sea, is uncommon in Turkey; however, sister city relations are generally strengthened with cities in geographically close countries, especially due to historical and cultural factors. This study’s findings could apply to future research examining the mutual benefits of sister city relationships between cities. Keywords: City diplomacy, Sister city, City-to-city pairings, Population size, Geographical distance.