Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city, won the 2022 Europe prize for being most active in promoting the European ideal, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) announced on Tuesday.
Izmir was selected among five other shortlisted cities: Bamberg and Ingolstadt in Germany, Boleslawiec in Poland, Palanga in Lithuania and Ternopil in Ukraine, a statement from PACE said.
The second highest distinction, "Plaque of Honor," was awarded to Granville in France, Wadersloh in Germany, Minsk in Poland and Kyiv in Ukraine.
Located on the Aegean coast, the port city has been recognized for implementing several initiatives to improve the lives of its 4 million inhabitants and showing solidarity internationally.
The city has been at the forefront of helping victims of natural disasters and migrants. It administers the "Sister Family" project that builds solidarity between families of migrants and locals of Izmir enabling them to spend time together and assist each other, the statement added.
Izmir has sister-city ties with 24 cities around the world and pays significant attention to political, economic, social and cultural cooperation with municipalities abroad. In the field of culture, the city organizes international film, music and literature events.
The award from the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe helps the winning cities gather visibility on the European scene and forge new links with other municipalities. The cities also receive a check for 20,000 euros ($21,300) for a scholarship for young locals to visit European institutions in Strasbourg.
Constituted in 1955, the Europe Prize gained popularity among war-ravaged French and German towns to consolidate new bonds of friendship. In the 1990s, it inspired the new countries in Eastern Europe that joined the Council of Europe after the disintegration of the Soviet Union to emulate European ideals.
