The PMA goes international

The Parks Management Association has gone international. I was invited to the World Urban Parks Symposium in Istanbul which was held between the 16th and 18th November which was part of a wider Landscape Exhibition held in the city. I was invited by Carl McLean who is the European representative for World Urban Parks and to deliver a talk on ‘People’s Parks – a new revolution for people, place and planet’.

It was an interesting experience and a great networking event meeting colleagues not only from Turkey, but Germany, Italy, France, Poland, Mexico and the Netherlands. A couple of contacts were made with parks professionals from Serbia and Cyprus too who were keen on learning about the Green Flag Award. Sadly there was no time to visit Istanbul parks but the Turks certainly know how to enjoy themselves. It was an experience.