Barcelona is a pearl of Spain, with its mild climate, friendly inhabitants, balconies with revelry flowers, shining sun, activities in its streets and with work of arts, each of them worth the world. Words are not enough to describe this beautiful city with all its aspects. For this reason, we will only try to attract your attention by only mentioning certain historic places of this precious city.                                 

Considered as a symbol of the city, “Holy Family Cathedral”, La Sagrada Familia’s construction had been started by Architect Villar in the year 1882. After a year, Architect Antoni Gaudi took over the job but during his life he was only able to finish the Church’s front side and eight towers from the planned eighteen. This Church, as one of the best example of the Gothic style, is also known as “Unfinished Church” because it is not finished till now.  

Las Ramblas Street which resembles like İstiklal Street in İstanbul, is very animated street with its acrobats, florists, cafes, street musicians and painters

Catalonia Square is decorated with statues. Upwards the Catalonia Square, Gracias District is also a place where Gaudi’s structures are frequently seen. Architect Gaudi who gave life to city’s structure, had built pretty buildings to the rich inhabitants of Catalonia. Casa Batllo and Casa Mila which looks like Fairy Chimneys are some of them. Also Park Guell, which is included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, appeared from Count Guell’s own property consisting of 20 hectares being transformed to a Public Garden by Gaudi. In this symbolic garden overlooking to the city, no one can get enough of looking at Gaudi’s work of art arise from mosaics.

Picasso Museum (Museo Picasso) is also one of the places to be seen. Picasso, who gave this museum his name, lived for a period in Barcelona and created his art work which he called de “Blue Period”. It is possible to see more than 2.500 creations of the famous painter in this structure remaining from Middle Age, located on Moncada Street. 

One of the places which mark the city is the Barcelona Seaport, the busiest harbor of the Mediterranean. More than 700.000 ships through the year approaches to this port.

We can advice, who would like to overlook at the city and watch the Mediterranean lengthily, especially to look at the sea side of the city. The ones, who can not feel the taste of the sea from above, should have a walk on the seashore. After these advices, we will leave you with an interview done with the Mayor of Barcelona.

İstanbul and Barcelona are the cities which carry footprints of many cultures, looking also trough the history can we consider it as knowledge exchange between Muslim and Catholic world?

İstanbul and Barcelona are the cities which have been roots of culture. Even not being the capital, they have become first among the economic and cultural values in the region. Both cities have a strategic location. Barcelona has been a connection point between Mediterranean and Europe and also İstanbul has been a connection point of two continents, Asia and Europe. Cultural relations always bring wider aspects. So we can say that it has a positive effect. Two traditions living together brought also intercultural dialog and mutual understanding concomitantly.

In this frame I want to determine that democratic culture is the main fact of intercultural dialog and creates new concepts, like living together of different cultures, social and regional unification models. In Barcelona we want a city model which gives the opportunity of living together and mainly based on intercultural dialog. We want a different and plural Barcelona which respects, shares its identity and becomes wealthy with other cultures.

Some authorities in Turkey say that Barcelona should be taken as a model in town planning domain. Do you agree with them?  

In the recent years, town development of Barcelona was accepted as a model. The urbanization in Barcelona was always mentioned with its humanist, social and technical aspects. All the technical, politic, economic and environmental factors define our town planning model. Barcelona had been proved up till now, with reorganizing its community and town configuration and also improving its transportation possibilities.  In this big project we gathered dynamic factors within all through the city. This is because we know that creating qualified areas/services and sharing reusable/functional public areas respectfully will improve the soul of living together. Barcelona, in this new stage, should look at its true nature. Namely, should look at its districts and environmental surroundings which identify it and should care its public areas, keep them clean and protect.

Can we consider Barcelona as a city which had solved majority of its infrastructural problems?

As being Spain’s industrial city and the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona is growing day by day. So this will show that the current infrastructure will not carry out its work in the future. Already now, we are planning the infrastructure of next 10 years, which will answer the need of Barcelona and its metropolitan surroundings.

What kinds of studies are done to develop the usage of alternative personal transportation (bicycle, motorcycle) means? 

The districts, streets, squares and boulevards are the scenes of the daily life of the city. We, as the Municipality of Barcelona, recently made many initiatives to improve the transportation of the city. For example, “Biking System” started in 2007 and was a great success in the city. This service provides the use of the bicycle in the city as a different transportation mean. This practice reached more than 100.000 subscribers within a year. Thus, Barcelona had become the second largest city in Europe after Rome in motorcycle usage. 

A company which Barcelona Municipality is a shareholder won the bid for improving Fener-Balat, which is planned. What do you think about this?

Restoration and improving Fener and Balat districts is part of a mutual program directed by Fatih Municipality and European Union. This project aims to improve life quality and living conditions of the inhabitants here and also secure the structures histories.

Nowadays the project is in its second stage and the cost is estimated about seven million Euros. In this stage, 84 living areas, 33 commercial buildings and Balat Shopping Center are being restored and social service centers are established. This project also includes some study about the waste management systems of these districts. Foment de Ciutat Vella SA, a company of our Municipality is experienced in studies developed in Fener and Balat districts. This company’s work, which was done in 1990’s, the restoration of the historic Raval District in Barcelona, is enough reference itself.

When was the Brotherhood Bridge, between İstanbul and Barcelona was established?

Following some technical consultations, İstanbul and Barcelona was announced as “Sister Cities”in 1997. Choosing the Municipal Company, Foment de Ciutat Vella SA in the year 2003 for restoration and protecting the above mentioned districts of the city, is a development showing that Barcelona fulfils its promises to its sisterly city on the other side of the Mediterranean.

How are your relations with the Local Councils in Turkey?

Besides the cooperation between İstanbul and Barcelona, Barcelona also enjoys warm and continuous relations with the other cities of Turkey. I specially want to underline the “Marmara Municipal Union” of Marmara which also includes İstanbul. Furthermore, we have relations with Diyarbakır and also with İzmir, which is a member of Mediterranean Cities Network also Barcelona is a member. Last year, I attended a meeting with Bursa Mayor Hikmet Şahin. When he visited Barcelona, he paid special attention to the Raval District restoration among the other problems.

What do you thin about Mayor of Metropolitan İstanbul Kadir Topbaş’s Presidency of UCLG–World United Cities and Local Governments Organization?

I believe that Istanbul’s leadership will be positive among the cities and local governments. We are giving our complete sincere support as the Barcelona Municipality. As being a bridge among west and east, Turkey has a geopolitical importance. With also, Mayor of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Kadir Topbaş’s personal constancy and courage, I believe İstanbul will undertake a leading role within the World United Cities and Local Governments and also will strengthen organizations politic role. During the meetings of World United Cities and Local Governments Organization, which will be held in İstanbul next autumn, I will have the opportunity to meet Mayor of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality personally. Among with the special importance of the regions, the dialog between European cities and municipalities is an important decision mechanism in the future establishment of the Europe. This dialog among the cities is the key to find shareable solutions to the common problems of the cities of the XXIth Century.

Having the biggest seaport in the Mediterranean, how does Barcelona benefit from this advantage?

Barcelona Seaport, with its growing potential in trade and passenger capacity, is an important point of Europe in the Mediterranean. Nowadays in Barcelona Seaport, there are 450 routes operated by 118 ship owner agents. These routes connect Barcelona to 850 destinations in five continents. This situation makes Barcelona the first among the Spain’s ports in international transits. A new terminal which will be finished in 2008 will enable the ships with the biggest capacities and highest equipments to approach the Barcelona Port. With widening the port, opening of the fast train service and developing the railways of the near areas, Barcelona will be located in the center of the economic, commercial, cultural and national commercial circles.

What are the reasons behind Barcelona’s progress in tourism?

Barcelona is a center for congresses, big festivals, commercial surroundings and international exhibitions. Providing the customer good, qualified and variety of services has the key role in our success. Also culture, capability and creativeness have become identical within the character of Barcelona. It is enough to examine the artists, musicians and cooks Barcelona has embraced. This also increases Barcelona’s tourism potential.

Do you have any programs of the Municipality which are planned to organize in Global or Europe’s scale? 

We want to Barcelona to become as a new Davos. The city itself is already attracting foreign investment in different ways. In 2006, Catalonia attracted 30% of the foreign investment from the corporations (IEDE) throughout whole Spain. Some campaigns are organized at international markets to explain the opportunities Barcelona provides for foreign investments. Foreign companies should know that Barcelona supplies consultative services and help all the companies who work or willing to work in the region. For example, we are doing company loyalty studies to the companies working or which had not finished establishing yet to increase their satisfaction. Also we are realizing investment projects in the city. In last four years we contributed in preparing of 32 projects. This means an investment capacity about 40 million Euros.  

Which are the Festivals or Cultural-Art programs that make Barcelona different?

Barcelona hosts international music festivals like Sónar, Primavera Sound and Summer Case. Our studies continue for intensifying the city’s international culture also in cinema, theater, dancing, opera, fashion and performance shows. We are taking special efforts to make each of the ten provinces of the city to become a “Culture Center” as the level of the city center. On the other side, we are organizing the structures which come from the industry history of the city, that constitutes the cultural heritage of the city and reopening them for public use. Our goal is to create additional value and improve the public life.

What is done to develop and improve the relations with the immigrant society?

Barcelona is one of the Spain’s cities which receive many immigrants. Nowadays 16% of Barcelona’s population is immigrants and our city project depends on living together while respecting different cultures and social harmony. This is an understanding we develop day by day for all our districts along with neighboring. Recently we are making important studies with the leaders of the Pakistan, India and Bangladesh communities in the city. Municipality’s Statistics Department is preparing a report annually about the progresses of the immigrant population. In addition to this, we are examining their adaptation process and gathering some indications that achieve integration.     

How Barcelona Municipality does activate the economic growth which leverages the physical enlargement? 

Barcelona is located in a limited area. Rivers (Besòs and Llobregat) and Mediterranean limits and also Collserola and Montjuïc mountains surrounds the city. Barcelona is also a crowded city. So to obtain the regional and social balance, we have to convert the public areas of the city. Nowadays we made some steps toward reconstructing industrial districts as Marina and Vernada. Our goal is to have qualified production activities and to build 25.000 residences in the third areas. We are also doing strategic city planning in technology areas as Marítimo and Sant Andreu-Sagrera. We are benefiting from the synergy of the reaching of fast train to this area, to create and organize living areas and third districts here. However, this technology has an important focal point: We have to also preserve the historical configuration and identity of the city while converting old military and industrial areas for public use.    

What is your opinion about Istanbul’s bid for 2010 European Capital of Culture?  

İstanbul deserves this definition. I believe that İstanbul presented a very attractive and competitive project and should benefit from this historic opportunity to gain international position. This is a trust inoculated to a city and the civil society of the city. However, being the Culture Capital of Europe opens the door for making new things.  Also being the Culture Capital of Europe gives Turkey the opportunity to introduce the traditions and its special cultural heritage of this city located on the two sides of the Bosphorus, to take part in Europe’s culture circle. 

What would you like to say about Turkey’s European Union membership?

I believe that Turkey made a big step in being a member of the European Union with İstanbul’s candidacy for Culture Capital of Europe. This gives an international support to Turkey which it should benefit from to start diplomatic contacts with Brussels. After starting the consultations on 17^th December, I hope that 25 members of the union will adopt a positive attitude for Turkey, being a member as from 2015. Turkey’s European Union accession is very important because Turkey’s accession to European Union, will contribute to the stabilization of the region. Turkey is not a foreign country for Europe. Turkey is a founder member of European Council and is a member of NATO. I hope European Union will respect to the %70 of the Turkish citizens opinion, who are willing the accession. 

Aylin DOĞAN’s interview in 4th Issue of 1453 Magazine