STORY: Mayors from MENA region discuss peace, cooperation in Istanbul
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 13, 2024
DATELINE: Dec. 14, 2024
LENGTH: 0:01:16
LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Istanbul
2. various of the meeting
3. SOUNDBITE (Turkish): EKREM IMAMOGLU, Istanbul Mayor
4. various of the meeting

STORYLINE:

Mayors from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region gathered in Türkiye's Istanbul on Friday to discuss peace, cooperation, and the challenges facing the region.

Over 45 mayors and local government representatives, along with diplomatic missions from regional countries, attended the meeting hosted by Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

SOUNDBITE (Turkish): EKREM IMAMOGLU, Istanbul Mayor
"We can neither prosper nor be safe while there is instability and conflict in our neighboring regions. That is why we must act together."

Imamoglu urged the countries to contribute to restoring peace and stability, as well as reconstructing war-torn cities.

During the session "On the Road to Building Peace: Challenges and Opportunities," Ammar Moussa Kadhim, mayor of Iraq's Baghdad, emphasized diplomacy as a key driver for conflict-ridden regions to restore peace.

Issa Kassis, mayor of Palestine's Ramallah, said he joined the meeting with the Palestinian delegation to express the first-hand experience of the value of working together for the benefit of people under the challenging conditions of the region.

Kassis also called on mayors of the cities to join the calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and justice in Palestine.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Istanbul, Türkiye.
(XHTV)