Slow cities of the fast digitalized world contribution of “Cittaslow Cities” to sustainable local development

Abstract

In the antiquity, we know of its signature motifed to the walls, and in today’s digitizing world of speed, modern technology can be monitored by intelligent communication tools, fingerprint and eye retinas; iot, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, co-robots, integrated with big data, smart house lives comfortably with remote, intelligent autonomous systems like cars, phones, smart factories.

While this is the case, human digital civilization has faced the threat of cyber security and digitization of personal data becoming a hegemony. Nowadays, mankind struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic, fighting climate crisis and scarce resources, is preparing to take another step toward science and humanity by exploring habitable planets thousands of light -years away from the Earth, hoping to continue its generation.

With the acceptance of digital new technologies, capitalist systems trigger the consumption perception of the masses with quickly accessible information independent of time and space, and with the marketing and advertising strategy create Global Markets in many production and service sectors, such as finance, health, education, tourism, social media, agriculture, industry, food and logistics.

In this context, “Cittaslow Towns”, which is referred to as the Slow Cities of the digitalized fast world, offers a sustainable local development model with the concept of “produce locally - consume locally” that serves actual tourism with the philosophy of slow life, calm city, calm neighborhood, slow food, slow movement, slow tourist. More productive, peaceful, slow, calm, quiet with Cittaslow Towns, he’s very aware, hospitable, thoughtful, helpful, crafts, The Cittaslow logo, with its nature and traditions, is intended to spread social societies with high levels of prosperity, where people who have the history and cultural heritage of the past, such as the tracks the snail left behind.

The Cittaslow movement based in Orvieto, Italy was founded in October 1999, and today there are 287 city members from 33 countries around the world. Turkey joined the Cittaslow international network of Seferihisar in 2009 and today there are 22 members in 18 cities which is accepted last one Finike. In June 2022, Izmir, Cittaslow Metropol Project, Cittaslow International Union and Izmir Metropolitan Municipality were entitled to become the world’s first Cittaslow metropolis.

This study focuses on the Cittaslow movement’s contribution to sustainable local development as an actual tourism with ecosystem co-operation of global organizations such as Local Governments, Cittaslow International Union, World Municipality Association.