Community Corner

Rochester Hills Mayor Visits Turkey to Meet With Government Officials

Mayor visiting Instanbul, other Turkish communities in trip sponsored by Niagara Foundation.

Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett arrived in Turkey on Thursday with representatives from the educational, financial and medical fields to share best practices and discuss future opportunities with their overseas peers.

Barnett joined officials from the Rochester Community Schools Board of Education, Crittenton Hospital, Federal Republic Bank of Germany, Rochester College and Lawrence Technological University on an invite from the Niagara Foundation, which organizes trips to Turkey to strengthen relationships between western and eastern parts of the world.

Aside from airfare costs, the foundation is funding the weeklong trip, while Rochester College coordinated the visit. 

"It was an incredible honor to be selected to attend at the invitation—and expense—of the Niagara Foundation," Barnett said Thursday in an email to Patch.

The trip will take the delegation to Istanbul, Kayseri, Izmir and Antalya, Barnett said.

Barnett said the group would be meeting with Turkish government, health care and higher education officials. He said he was most looking forward to a meeting with the area's leading newspaper to discuss the role the media plays in government.

"This should be of particular interest because the eyes of the world have been on Instanbul for the past week largely centered around the same topic," Barnett said.

Instanbul has made international headlines with widespread anti-government protests during the past week in opposition to the city's redevelopment of Gezi Park, a local landmark.

Barnett said he also will be meeting with several local mayors in Turkey.

"It's interesting, but no matter where in the world you are, mayors still face the same general challenges," he said. "Additionally, this cross-cultural experience will hopefully open the dialogue on future economic development opportunities as well."

Barnett said being selected to visit Turkey also reflects well on Rochester Hills and its employees.

"It's important to note that even being selected suggests that we are doing something right here that communities across the ocean feel they could benefit from," Barnett said. "For that recognition, I certainly tip my hat to our team."


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