The municipality of Besiktas is one of the oldest districts of Istanbul and is located on the European shore of the Bosphorus, which is also known as the Istanbul Strait. Comprising 23 districts and just over 191,000 residents, the Besiktas municipality has been a participant of the UN Global Compact since 2007.

In addition to establishing itself as a UN Global Compact signatory city, Besiktas supported the UNDP in opening a Project Office in Istanbul in November 2007. The Office aims to foster the growth of ties to the private sector, NGOs and civil society in order to implement social projects that will support Turkey’s development.

In October 2010, the Dreams Academy project, implemented jointly by the UNDP, the Alternative Life Association and the State Planning Association, with support from the Vodafone Turkey Foundation and the Besiktas Municipality, was voted the best corporate social responsibility (CSR) solution at the CSR Solutions Marketplace event at Kadir University in Istanbul. Established in 2008, the Dreams Academy is an ongoing project that aims to support the social inclusion of the physically disabled through arts and culture activities. The project has provided approximately 1,000 students with the opportunity to participate in art classes, with 40 talented students receiving scholarships to pursue a career in the arts.