7 October, Istanbul – The Megacities Summit, which was co-organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) and Metropolis, (The Global Network of Major Cities and Metropolitan Areas) kicked off on the 7th of October Saturday with a gala dinner at Feriye Palace. The dinner was attended by the Mayors of Bogota, Baghdad, Ramallah and Florence in addition to representatives from cities including Buenos Aires, Barcelona, Lahore, Dhaka and São Paulo.

In his welcome address, Mayor İmamoğlu underlined the valuable spirit of collaboration and unity in the current poly-crisis era and expressed his gratitude for the presence of all his guests. Adding that, “ Istanbul has forever been the symbol of resilience and progress. Its history is proof of the power of unity in diversity. We are honored to host leaders who embody this spirit.”

The dinner was complemented with the scenic view of the Bosphorus as well as the enchanting Turkish classical music repertoire of a group of talented musicians. The dazzling act of the night was a surprise violin recital by Florence Mayor Dario Nardella.