Cittaslow (Slow City) Movement in Turkey and a Suggestion: Gümü？hane Central District

With the effect of the globalization the change and transition in cities making them become same and making life in cities faster. This fast life style effects locality by economic, social, political and cultural aspects. Extinction and assimilation of local culture and concrete products emerging from it with the effects of globalization, local production diminishing because of being more expensive than mass production, handcraft products being hard and tedious to produce, decline in care for protecting the local dishes, handcrafts, natural beauties and historic fabric, created the need of giving prominence to localness. Avoiding globalization is not within the bounds of possibility, however protecting local elements provides safeguard against the negative effects of globalization to some extent. Therefore, in order to slow down the pace of globalization the resistance “Cittaslow” has emerged to promote a natural and local life. This movement, which has emerged in Italy, is a union created by four Italian Municipalities. There are total of 252 cities from Italy and 29 other countries members of this union. There are seven main criterions considered to join this union. Today there are fourteen cities that satisfy these criterions and are member of this union in Turkey. In this study, how much Gümü？hane Central District can satisfy the criterions of Cittaslow will be evaluated and some suggestions will be proposed