The thematic platform of the international congress on “International City Councils and Cities Congress” which will be held in Istanbul during April 14-15, 2016 at Istanbul Aydin University announced a competition of best practice for city councils in five categories. City councils fulfilling the requirements of the competition can participate to the competition in one of the six categories below:
1. Citizen rights
2. Green Development
3. Possible Risks with Urban Settings and the Crisis Management
4. Urban Integration of Disadvantageous Group
5. Good Governance in the City
6. Urban problems (poverty, unemployment, substance dependence, refugee and other human problems)


“BEST PRACTICE” CRITERIA OF THE COMPETITION FOR CITY COUNCILS

A best practice is that action which is executed with efficiency in resource management and with a criteria of good governance in its design and development. Moreover, the best practice helps significantly to improve living conditions. Finally, it is expected that a best practice will yield similar results in similar context.
Therefore, best practices are those which:
? Have a demonstrable and tangible impact on improving the quality of life.
? Are the result of collective and effective work between different sectors of society: public, private and civic.
? Are socially, culturally, economically and environmentally sustainable.
? Can be replicated in similar contexts.
Best practices pursue the following objectives:
? Improve the performance of urban projects based on what works and what does not.
? Increase awareness of responsible for the formulation of plans and projects at all levels and of the general public about possible solutions on social, economic and environmental problems.
? Share and transfer knowledge and experience through learning with experts and a networked system.
To consider a project as good practice, we should apply the criteria described below:
1) Innovation ( not have to be absolutly new, it may be new to the area in which it was applied)
2) Strategy
3) Consultation (It contemplates the participation of everyone involved in the project: public-private and public-public cooperation, establishing the powers and responsibilities.)
4) Impact (Impact occurs when observable changes were developed, tangible and positive in the scope of the project.)
5) Evaluation and effectiveness (The initiative or action demonstrates the achievement of objectives by evaluating and documenting the results.)
6) Sustainability (The experiences have been designed and planned to remain over time.)
7) Transfer capacity (Ability to serve as a guide or model to apply the experience in other areas and similar settings).

APPLICATION:
The application form can be obtained from the official web address of the conference which is http://citycouncilscongress.aydin.edu.tr. This form should be submitted to the congress secretariat via e-mail and mail. The deadline for applications is February 29, 2016.
The winners of the competition for each category will be announced on April 11 th, 2016. The city councils awarded for best practices in each will present their projects during the International City Councils and Cities Congress” in workshop session.