The district of Uzundere in the eastern Anatolian province of Erzurum was recently announced as Turkey's newest Cittaslow (slow city) at an international meeting in Genoa, Italy. Located 84 kilometers northeast of Erzurum, Uzundere is home to the historic Osvank Georgian Church and Üzgüzek Castle as well as one of the world's largest waterfalls, the Tortum Waterfall. The area has the potential to become a rural tourism destination.
In Turkey, there are 10 other slow cities including Seferihisar in İzmir, Aydın Yenipazar in Aydın, Akyaka in Muğla, Gökçeada in Çanakkale, Vize in Kırklareli, Yalvaç in Isparta, Taraklı in Sakarya, Perşembe in Ordu, Halfeti in Şanlıurfa and Şavşat in Artvin.
Cittaslow is a worldwide network of more than 100 towns and cities that have adopted the same set of goals and principles to enhance their quality of life. Cittaslow towns aim to be places where people want to live, work and visit. The network encourages and supports practical projects that help local people and businesses by maintaining and promoting their unique traditions, strengths and a character of their town.
In 1999, four Italian towns decided that they would like to develop the principles of the slow food movement through wider environmental and community objectives, and established the Cittaslow community as a result.
