This master thesis takes a look at the Slow City applications in Turkey - a top-down international certification organization based on sustainable development for towns, and how to bring it down to the level of their locals, making the concept socially more sustainable (as opposed to depending on the policies of the administration). The thesis starts with a look at relevant literature (Slow Cities, Sustainable Urban Design & Development, Resilience, Marketing Places, Design for Sustainability, and the Development of Product Service Systems) and follows up by a qualitative study involving interviews with the administrations and locals of the 5 first towns in Turkey to get certified as Slow Cities - Seferihisar, Tarakli, Gokceada, Yenipazar, and Akyaka. The thesis suggests that to reach a more resilient community, these towns need to implement a community center built around integration with the nearby universities to help recognize and celebrate the distinct culture of these towns, while bettering the lives of the locals through innovative ideas and social activities provided by the center.