Evaluation of Imm's City Diplomacy Activities During İmamoğlu's First Term (2019-2024) From the Perspective of Public Diplomacy

Abstract

This research thesis aims to present the city diplomacy activities carried out by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality during the first term spanning from 2019 to 2024 following Ekrem İmamoğlu's election as mayor, and to evaluate them from the perspective of public diplomacy. In this regard, the thesis will consist of five chapters. The first chapter will explain introduction and methodology, the second chapter will explain the conceptual development of public diplomacy and its basic concepts, followed by examples of Türkiye's public diplomacy practices. In the third chapter, the conceptual development of city diplomacy, the growing importance of cities in the globalization process, its reflection on public diplomacy, and the functional approach to city diplomacy and global city organizations will be discussed. In the fourth chapter, along with an explanation of the key elements of IMM's city diplomacy strategy from 2019 to 2024, it will also explain the intersections of city diplomacy and public diplomacy, and some sections of IMM's city diplomacy activities will be interpreted from the perspective of public diplomacy. And lastly, in the fifth chapter the conclusion will be presented.