The Government of Antioquia, through the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, and the Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation – Agrosavia, signed an agreement to initiate the Technological Transformation Plan of Agro in Antioquia. This will aim to provide farms in different subregions of the department with real-time monitoring tools, drones and chips for decision-making based on precision agriculture and data analysis.
With 4.0 technology the Government of Antioquia and Agrosavia will promote the economic reactivation of agriculture. Agrosavia is a nonprofit, decentralized public entity that works in the generation of scientific knowledge and agricultural technological development.
The Secretary of Agriculture of Antioquia, Rodolfo Correa, pointed out that “Technology is in everything and could not stay out of this field. Today with 4.0 Agriculture, Antioquia’s agricultural producers will have real-time information, without having to travel to each lot to know how every tree or crop is and to determine exactly which supplies to buy and in what amounts without having uncertainty or high costs”.
The project contemplates a set of certifications for agro-producers to start the export route, bringing to the table the need for Antioquia to be a leader in several agricultural areas.
“This time the support of the departmental government is given so that the opening of markets is the path to economic reactivation and our producers have two tools that until now had been elusive: markets and certifications,” said Rodolfo Correa.
In this way, the Government and the institutions of the agricultural sector in Antioquia bet on research results, compliance with regulations and the use of new technologies as an engine for the reactivation of agriculture in Antioquia.
Farmers who benefit from the project will be selected through an open call.
The appearance of the Coronavirus brought along a large challenge regarding the food sourcing of the department of Antioquia, showing the importance of the agricultural sector and the pride of a territory with agro-producers who are harvesting the best quality produce of the country.
Antioquia is the second most important region in Colombia, with great potential derived from its biodiversity, geographical position, climate, cultural wealth and productive apparatus. It has a population of 6,550,206 inhabitants and is composed of 9 subregions and 125 municipalities, including its capital, Medellín.
The Secretary of Departmental Agriculture Rodolfo Correa announced the initiation of the East Technological Development Poles works, which will bring with them state-of-the-art greenhouses for this subregion and will contribute recovery and expected economic growth of the department. The head of the agriculture portfolio welcomed this new infrastructure: “With the construction of the agro-technological citadels, Antioquia will have for the first time, state-of-the-art technology in indoor harvests. This will increase the productivity of sectors such as tomato harvesting by more than 700%, from collecting 6 kilos per square meter to 45; this is a milestone in Colombian agriculture and a substantial improvement in the productivity of associations in the region”.
The agro-technological citadels, in addition to having greenhouses, will have everything necessary for the people of the East subregion to start all transformation processes and added value in agriculture. “The agro-technological citadels will bring progress to the department. In addition to greenhouses, the infrastructure has everything necessary for products from Antioquia to arrive to international markets with the highest quality levels,” said Rodolfo Correa Vargas.
“Food does not grow in the supermarket shelves; we need to strengthen the agricultural sector and bring technology to our farmers,” said the department’s agriculture secretary, Rodolfo Correa Vargas.
With this bet, the Government of Antioquia headed by Governor (E) Luis Fernando Suárez begins to fulfill one of the pillars of the Development Plan “Unidos por la Vida”, and the Secretariat of Agriculture led by Rodolfo Correa, brings progress to the territory so that Antioquia starts to become Colombia’s agricultural reference for the world.
This investment summit opened with the participation of president Iván Duque, the former president of the United States Bill Clinton and a forum of mayors with the presence of Daniel Quintero, and will take place between October 7th and 9th in a virtual and face-to-face format with more than 2,000 attendees, including 1,085 investors from 50 countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America.
In his speech, Mayor Quintero mentioned the investment that Medellín will have with the Development Plan “Medellín Futuro” where there are projects to improve the environment, mobility, education, to provide new public spaces for the citizens’ enjoyment and to improve quality of life.
“In Medellín there is a bet of more than 1 billion pesos to become a Software Valley by building centers in each of the city’s communes associated with Ruta N, creating micro ecosystems of innovation in the city’s neighborhoods, bringing out their people’s full potential. We do not want to go back to the past, we see everything as an opportunity to look towards the future, to become a knowledge economy, an Ecocity, a Software Valley for the world, “the mayor concluded.
“Metro de la 80” will be one of the protagonists in the Round of Investment with international entrepreneurs who have shown great interest in this project.
ACI Medellín along with the APP Agency and Ruta N, scheduled about 81 meetings with international investors to present projects such as Metro de la 80, Ciudadela Universitaria del Norte, Parques del Río del Norte, among others, facilitating the attraction of resources for the construction of these works that will facilitate economic revival, employment creation and the city’s development.
For Eleonora Betancur, Executive Director of ACI Medellín “Colombia Investment Summit, is the best showcase that the country and the city has before large investors of the world that look at this territory as a strategic option to settle their companies, promoting social and economic development. As a city we have unique attractions such as a strong business fabric, a vibrant innovative ecosystem and an enviable quality of life in Latin America, which makes people around the world have their eyes on this region”.
The construction of overhead cables and bicycle trails, promotion of solar parks, planting 25 million trees throughout the department and even the structuring of the high-speed train project between Medellín and Bogotá, are some of the mechanisms proposed by the Government of Antioquia to reverse the 23 million tons of greenhouse gases produced in the territory each year.
Antioquia, the second most important region in Colombia with great potential derived from its environmental wealth, focuses its efforts on saving the environment.
In February of this year, Antioquia declared a State of Climate Emergency, this being the first clear and concrete action to propose basic changes in the people and companies that are part of this vast territory that comprises 125 municipalities distributed in 9 subregions.
With the implementation of this new plan of “100 actions of the Government of Antioquia to face the climate emergency”, the departmental government will implement measures of agriculture; energy and sustainable transport; biodiversity and ecosystems; competitiveness and new economies; resilient urban development; risk management; and education, culture and communication; so that CO2 removals can be increased by neutralizing CO2 emissions.
A first-level scientific committee will help implement this ambitious program, which includes 100 concrete actions to reduce polluting gases.
To fulfill these actions and looking for a holistic view from science and experience, the governor (E) of Antioquia, Luis Fernando Suárez Vélez, called a group of 14 experts among engineers, architects, administrators, biologists, among others, whose great coincidence is their preparation and knowledge to advise the implementation of these actions.
The Department ranks third in net emissions of greenhouse gases in Colombia, and the government’s action to respond to the challenges of vulnerability to climate change is strategic.
A large part of the department’s greenhouse gas emissions are related to the agricultural, forestry, manufacturing and transportation sectors; these activities are the ones that deserve a greater number of actions within the plan. In this way it is intended to install 10 thousand orchards that promote sustainable agriculture, structure a program of operation of overhead cables promoting sustainable mobility, declare 15,000 hectares of forest as protected areas and give greater impetus to green businesses and businesses, among other actions.
“We will make our contribution with this package of 100 actions that we present to all of Antioquia. But the most important actions have to come from each of the citizens in the 125 municipalities of Antioquia. We have that responsibility. It is time for action and decisions designed for current and future generations,” said Luis Fernando Suárez Vélez, governor (E) of Antioquia.
The plan is divided as follows:
Sustainable agriculture. 12 actions framed in: orchards, food security, agricultural production units with agro-ecological approach, soil conservation, land adjustment districts, productivity with technology transfer, sustainable livestock.
Sustainable transportation and energy. 23 actions between public bicycle systems, bicycle infrastructures and bicycle parking, rural overhead cables, promotion and implementation of electric and hybridized mobility, urban area LED lighting, solar farm promotion, eco-housing, clean energy promotion through small hydroelectric plants, mass transport system structuring, solar panels in administrative buildings and public schools, flexible hours and telecommuting.
Biodiversity, ecosystems and their services. 16 actions highlighting forest restoration, deforestation control, protected areas and the protection of wildlife, environmental services payment and the promoting the efficient use and saving of water.
Competitiveness and new economies. 15 actions among which we find: eco-mining, promotion and support for green businesses and entrepreneurships, sustainable tourism, restoration and conservation of productive soils plan, climate finance, green credit line, circular economy public policy, local production and purchase.
Resilient and urban development. 16 actions for: the elimination of plastics, the use of waste by 20%, the creation of low-carbon landfills, sustainable construction, Municipal “Parques del Río”, conscious family planning, climate change adaptation plan, access to drinking water supply for rural housing and schools.
Risk Management. 4 actions in plant cover protection and early warning and monitoring systems.
Education, culture and communication for sustainability. 14 actions based on the promotion of physical activity and healthy habits, communication campaigns for public mobilization, promotion of ancestral and indigenous knowledge for the conservation of biodiversity.
The European Commission formally invited Medellín to participate as an international mentor in the ICC, thanks to the good practices developed in recent years, the successful public policies implemented, and the challenges posed by the Development Plan “Medellín Futuro” to transform the city into a Software Valley and an Ecocity.
The Intelligent Cities Challenge – ICC is a program that seeks to drive technological transformation towards smart, green and socially sustainable growth between 2020 and 2022.
Over the next 2 and a half years of the program, participating cities will focus on implementing strategies to create a common open data platform, a Marketplace for Smart and Innovative City Solutions and Joint Investment Opportunities.
A total of 80 European cities were selected to exchange knowledge and successful practices around the Challenge themes and will be accompanied by 11 European and international mentor cities, within which Medellín is the only city in the Americas invited to be part of this select group.
Of the 91 cities that are part of this program, only two are outside the European Union: Singapore and Medellín as mentor cities.
As a launch for the program, the ICC City Lab will take place between September 28th and October 2nd; this is a virtual space in which today, Ruta N presented the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem to the participant cities, as a model to replicate in other territories. They also presented innovative solutions that have driven the city in the contingency caused by COVID-19, such as InspiraMED and Medellín Me Cuida.
For Eleonora Betancur, executive director of the ACI Medellín, “being part of the ICC is an inspiring and challenging opportunity to advise other cities that have found our city model suitable and at the same time learn from other successful models in Europe. This will involve taking part in the supporting activities regarding the topics in which Medellín is strongest, while at the same time being able to access knowledge exchange and conversation spaces with all the participating cities”.
Informative context
As an international mentor city, Medellín can access the following opportunities at the ICC:
Draw inspiration from the best international practices by learning how cities use advanced technologies to solve social and urban problems.
Turn strategies into high-impact actions, implementing short- and long-term projects in areas such as open data, local green agreements, renewable energy, among others.
Expand visibility, recognition and business opportunities for the city by becoming part of a recognized international community of innovative cities that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Use knowledge in new developments to become a regional model and help neighboring cities accelerate their transition to green and digital ecosystems.
Collaborate with highly developed international peers through “mentor lounge” activities, where experiences in innovative solutions are shared.
Promote successful solutions in the ICC Marketplace, allowing its application in other cities. Participating in technology fairs, hackathons and other European Union events that sow business opportunities with key cities.
Forte Group, a leading global provider of custom software services, has announced its expansion into Latin America with a new delivery center in Medellin, Colombia. Forte Group will establish its sixth global base of operations in the Medellin innovation complex, Ruta N.
From Medellin, Colombia, Forte Group will bolster the local market and strengthen customer support to clients in the U.S. and Latin America.
Forte Group is a full-spectrum custom software delivery company that works with software engineering departments, business leaders, and technology companies to consistently achieve valuable business outcomes. Its new location in Medellin is its sixth global location, adding to offices in the U.S., Belarus, and Ukraine.
The initial operation will combine remote and local work in 2020, creating 30-50 jobs in Colombia’s second-largest city within the next six months.
“The decision to expand our presence into Colombia represents an exciting phase in our company’s growth,” Steve Kreynin, CEO and founder at Forte Group, said. “While we were evaluating where to expand, we found Medellin to be a growing technology city with some of the best software development talent in the Western Hemisphere. This new location helps us better serve our clients with world-class custom software services.”
Three Medellin-based promotional agencies — ProColombia, ACI Medellin, and Ruta N. — supported the company’s exploration of a new office and investment location.
“Forte Group’s investment in Colombia confirms the country’s attractiveness in the software services and IT sector because of its strategic location, protection to the investor, and sustained growth of its indicators — among other factors,” Flavia Santoro, President at ProColombia, said. “This is the kind of investment that contributes to our talent development and the economic reactivation of our country.”
The arrival of these types of companies “shows that Medellín’s science, technology, and innovation ecosystem is competitive and up for the expectations of global industries,” Paulina Villa, Portfolio Manager of Ruta N., said. “So it is great news for the city and a call for its labor force that now needs to show what it is made of. This is what it is ultimately about improving the quality of life by creating good jobs through important allies that make our economy stronger.”
For Eleonora Betancur, executive director at ACI Medellin, “Working with companies like Forte Group in our city strengthens the Software Valley strategy, traced in the Development Plan Medellin Futuro, in which we seek to become an attractive destination so that foreign investors can find trained talent at competitive costs for operation and compromise from public entities, private as well as public.”
Forte Group is actively hiring in Medellin. The organization is looking for people interested in software engineering, quality assurance and testing development, product design, and operations support careers. Those interested in working with Forte Group are encouraged to apply at: www.fortegrp.com/careers..
Medellín received the Music Cities Awards international recognition for its support to local musicians and artists during the pandemic with the Medellín Me Cuida Route. The city stood out among 842 nominations and was on the shortlist with two other American initiatives: Black Fret and Music Export Memphis.
The city was exalted by the Medellín Me Cuida Route, in the third category: Best city initiative to directly support musicians.
This award highlights an initiative that brought hope, art and culture to the neighborhoods and hamlets of Medellín during the confinement, as a contribution to economic, social and cultural dynamization. A distinction that exalts the implementation of direct support policies to musicians.
In this way, Medellín establishes itself as a musical city by being part of the UNESCO Network of Creative Music Cities.
The Medellín Me Cuida Route was an itinerant stage designed to economically reactivate the artistic and cultural sector of the city, and whose protagonists were the winners of the Call for Art and Culture Incentives in the line of the Cultural Agenda.
There were 16 tours, 80 neighborhoods and hamlets receiving art and culture, 16 musical groups benefited, 109 artists, more than 150 kilometers traveled. It also highlights the ethnic, cultural and gender diversity of these routes, since out of the 16 groups, six were Afro-Colombian, four were led by women and eight groups were winners for the first time in the Call for Art and Culture Incentives of the Cultural Agenda.
“We are happy and thankful towards all those who have made it possible for Medellín to obtain this honor, this distinction. We are sure that our caravans will continue to reach the whole city, every commune and every hamlet, and we will continue to work to not stop and continue supporting all those who are part of the arts and culture sector”, said the Secretary of Citizen Culture, Lina Gaviria.
The award was presented by Music Cities Events during a live ceremony. In addition to the statuette, five free tickets were received for a future event of choice and three years of free subscription to the Community of Musical Cities.
The application was supported by the Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellín.
The social, cultural, economic and environmental transformation of Medellín in recent years has once again received the recognition of the world by obtaining the award given by Netexplo, an international digital area trend observatory, sponsored by UNESCO, that highlights how the city has focused on the most vulnerable populations, while attracting entrepreneurs, tourists and encouraging innovation.
Netexplo, an international observatory in the digital world, sponsored by UNESCO, awarded the prize.
The award explicitly points out how, only three decades ago, the city was named “the most dangerous in the world” by Time magazine, and now in a short period of time, it has become a role model for cities with troubled pasts that seek to reinvent themselves.
This recognition is added to the recognition of the Artistic and Cultural Practices Network delivered by the international network United Cities and Local Governments.
This recognition emphasizes on Medellín becoming a part of “second level cities”, offering a niche value proposal, different from the one provided by the large international intelligent “mega cities”.
This positioning resonates with the aspirations of younger generations to have a more inclusive, diverse and authentic living environment.
Likewise, the communicative and marketing component of the city stands out by offering an attractive combination of a privileged location, climate, transport and technological infrastructures, affordability and a favorable business environment.
The executive director of the ACI Medellín Eleonora Betancur, said that these types of awards are: “a strategic instrument that greatly contributes to the city’s positioning in an international scenario, promoting and disseminating the lessons the city has learned regarding different topics. In this case, specifically, we see the importance of strengthening socio-economic development by improving the quality of life in the different social and human spheres”.
Other cities that received this recognition in different categories are: Austin, United States, for mobility; Espoo, Finland, data management; Santiago, Chile for financing; Shenzhen, China, transportation networks; Singapore for Zero Carbon Footprint; Surat, India, resilience; Tallinn, Estonia by digital transformation and Vienna, Austria for habitat.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization whose goal is to establish peace through international cooperation in education, science and culture. Its programs contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.
Netexplo is the international observatory of trends in the digital world, based in Paris, under the patronage of the Senate and the French Ministry of Economy, as well as UNESCO, which, since 2007, tracks and identifies the main innovations and trends to make them available to cities and businesses in order to help them in their digital transformation.
With 1,000 ICU beds in operation, the “Metro de la 80” project declared strategic for the nation, and more than 250 people working directly on the green and just recovery of the city, Mayor Daniel Quintero presented advances in the “New Normality” strategy before 10 mayors of the world as part of the Global Mayors Recovery Task Force.
The Global Mayors Recovery Task Force of the C40 network brings together mayors from around the world as partners to achieve an economic and social recovery against the COVID-19.
This space allows cities to expose their recovery model by implementing health, economic, and environmental strategies that allow them to safely reopen their economies. For this reason, at the new meeting of the C40 network under the Recovery Task Force initiative, the mayors of Milan, Lisbon, Rotterdam, Hong Kong and Medellin, among others, emphasized that with the gradual opening of the economy, governments face the challenge of taking care of clean air through environmentally friendly consumption and mobility practices by encouraging collective transport, working from home, bicycle use, while preparing to deal with possible COVID-19 outbreaks.
This space served as scenario to present the strategy of 20 thousand new jobs with the Software Valley Centers, highlighting that despite being an atypical year, 970 of them have already been created.
Mayor Daniel Quintero emphasized two actions that are being carried out in Medellín to facilitate the implementation of the Development Plan “Medellín Futuro” allowing economic recovery:
Medellín Me Cuida: A platform that provides comprehensive care to the families of the territory, with special emphasis on health, psychological and social care, preventing the spread of the virus and arriving with assistance quickly and efficiently.
Software Valley Centers of Medellín: a strategy that will allow working with community leaders, social entrepreneurs and the private sector to create 20,000 jobs in 4.0 industries.
Speaking of green and fair recovery of the cities, Mayor Quintero mentioned the importance of the “Metro de la 80” project, emphasizing that “The new Metro line will not only reactivate the economy with an investment of 3.5 billion pesos, but will also generate greener jobs. The project is 100% electric and will avoid the emission of 5 million tons of CO2 per year in Medellín”.
Eleonora Betancur, executive director of the ACI Medellín highlights that “the participation of the mayor during the third session of the Mayoral Economic Recovery Task Force, represents the opportunity to exercise clear leadership as the only Latin American city in this group, assuming a role of integration in the region in the face of post-disaster recovery”.
Informative context
C40 is an international organization, formed by a coalition of 96 mayors, that seeks to support cities in the fight against Climate Change. Medellín has been part of this network since 2016.
The Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, was established in 2020 as part of C40 to achieve an economic and social recovery against COVID-19, allowing people to return to work, preventing climate collapse from becoming an even greater crisis and halting the global economy.
(Singapore, September 23, 2020) – As continued resilient recovery remains a priority in cities around the world, the global community represented by Resilient Cities Network came together virtually. The organization introduced the new members of its Board of Directors and Global Steering Committee. With cities still battling the unprecedented global pandemic and the compound risks of climate change and social inequity the agenda discussed by the core executive team as well as the Network alumni community was particularly relevant, reviewing and discussing the strategic direction of the Network for 2021-2023.
During the meeting, Lauren Sorkin, Executive Director of the Network, presented Daniel Stander, Private Sector Representative to the United Nations, Naina Batra, Chairwoman and CEO, Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston, and Sameh Wahba, Global Director of Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience, and Land Global Practice, World Bank as new appointees for the Board of Directors. Also, the network’s Global Steering Committee was confirmed. It will be headed by co-chairs Belfast, represented by Grainia Long, Commissioner for Resilience, and Christchurch, represented by Mike Gillooly, Chief Resilience Officer, and comprised of Buenos Aires, Salvador, Pune, Cape Town, Kigali, Rotterdam, San Francisco, and Houston.
“The reach, achievements, and vision of the Resilient Cities Network are impressive. Speaking on behalf of the Board of Directors, I can say that we feel deeply inspired by the commitment of the organization to support the critical needs of vulnerable communities by implementing projects that address multiple shocks and stresses and are improving the lives of people.” Sylvester Turner, Chair of the Board of Directors and Mayor of Houston.
Resilient Cities Network co-creates urban solutions to address complex and interrelated urban challenges, so that cities and communities thrive. The Network will focus on three priorities to be delivered through programs of collective action with member cities during the next two years through a holistic resilience approach. It continues to pursue a resilient recovery to reinforce equity, to promote private-public partnerships, and foster stronger local economies. Also, cities need to be prepared to further build climate resilience, not only to protect citizens from water-related challenges but also to strengthen the capacity of communities to cope with the effects of climate change. The third priority is the promotion of circular economies through indigenous and technological solutions to rapidly and sensibly enhance waste management and food systems.
“Now more than ever building city resilience makes sense. Working with cities to create prosperous, equitable, and safe urban environments while prioritizing access to healthcare for vulnerable populations is a key driver for us. We are committed to growing the practice of urban resilience across the globe in a way that it accrues social, economic, and political capital, making our cities thrive. At this point, we feel proud of the refreshed visual identity and of our new website and logo, which better represent the values and commitment of the Network.” Grainia Long, co-chair of the Global Steering Committee, Commissioner for Resilience, Belfast.
Empowered by the knowledge and expertise of resilience practitioners and governments, the Network is activating projects to deliver local benefits and collective impact that benefit over 220 million citizens around the globe, 50 million of them living under vulnerable conditions.
As a city-led Network, the organization works together with Chief Resilience Officers, mobilizing communities, city governments, urban practitioners, and partners in the pursuit of safe and equitable urban societies. “We are grateful to both the Board of Directors and the Global Steering Committee for their active engagement, advice, and commitment. Working with them, we feel empowered to build on the valuable legacy from which Resilient Cities Network emerges. We have in our hands a promising opportunity to enhance the quality of life, improve access to infrastructure, and build a healthier and more sustainable future for all.” said Lauren N. Sorkin, Executive Director.
About Resilient Cities Network
Resilient Cities Network is a global city-led nonprofit organization that brings together knowledge, practice, partnerships, and funding to empower cities to help them build a safe, equitable and sustainable future for all. The Network integrates the combined effort of urban practitioners, city governments, and communities in a collective, comprehensive, and well-coordinated call-to-action to deliver urban impact-driven resilience solutions. For more information visit, www.resilientcitiesnetwork.org.
Despite the economic effects in the world as a result of the pandemic, Medellín is consolidated as an attractive destination for companies that seek to expand their operations and that find in the city the conditions to grow. So far in 2020, and as a result of the management of Ruta N, ACI Medellín and Procolombia, 20 companies from different 9 countries, whose projects have the potential to create 1,012 jobs between the years 2020 and 2021.
90% of the companies that have arrived are from technology, 5% from energy and another 5% from the financial sector.
In addition, for the development of the Software Valley strategy, Ruta N is in a process of strategic alignment that articulates the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, EPM, decentralized entities and universities, in addition to Innpulsa and MinCiencias.
“These are very powerful results that show that the world believes our city, that here we have the talent and conditions for global business to advance its growth plans.Companies from the United States, Spain, Germany, Argentina, China, France, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Singapore settled in Medellín because they saw a strong ecosystem capable of achieving important bets, such as becoming a Software Valley”, said the executive director of Ruta N, Javier Fernández.
Since last year, and in a joint effort between the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Procolombia and Ruta N, the anchor companies that the city needs to strengthen its ecosystem of science, technology and innovation were selected. Today, the first results of this strategy are seen. Evidence of this is the fact that 2 of the 20 have projects to generate more than 200 jobs each. These are characterized by being relevant in the global market and have the ability to make other companies decide.
One of the most important companies is Rockwell Automation, an anchor company from the United States that is among the ten most important in the world in topics related to the Internet of Things.
Rockwell is in Medellín to set up an engineering campus, which will not only generate nearly 300 jobs by 2021 but will also serve to attract others and insert local companies into global value chains. Endrock Growth & Analytics, Somo, TiendAPP S.A.S, PS Colombia, Owens Illinois (IT), Luckydot, Making Sense, Zemsania, Robotics Systems, Intertec, DIDI, IFinca, Ladorian, SIVAR SAS, Latin Leap, Creamos Lab – Suscribeme.com, DEVANT and E-Ray, have also arrived, among others.
Medellín joins the invitation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to launch the “Green Cities” initiative that will seek to integrate agriculture, forestry, fisheries and sustainable food systems in urban and peri-urban contexts.
This initiative is led by FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Medellín joins the invitation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to launch the “Green Cities” initiative that will seek to integrate agriculture, forestry, fisheries and sustainable food systems in urban and peri-urban contexts.
The virtual event was attended by the Mayor of Medellín, Daniel Quintero, who along with Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York, Giuseppe Sala of Milan, Wen Guohui of Guangzhou, Lucsonne Janvier of Port-au-Prince, among others, discussed the importance of improving people’s well-being by increasing the availability and access to products and services provided by green spaces and sustainable food systems.
The focus of action is on integrating agriculture, forestry, fisheries and sustainable food systems in urban and peri-urban contexts.
In his speech, Mayor Quintero stressed the importance of building a better, more sustainable, resilient, green and just society, seeing technology as a catalyst for change. Additional, he mentioned that Medellín is becoming an ecocity “with more and better green spaces, with safe and friendly housing, with efficient waste management systems, with agricultural models that improve the productivity of hamlets, and with smart urban equipment, capable of regulating energy costs and water, and their emissions of polluting gases”.
This plan will improve the livelihoods and well-being of urban and peri-urban populations in at least 100 cities around the world over the next three years, although 1,000 cities are expected to join by 2030.
Para Eleonora Betancur, directora ejecutiva de la ACI Medellín, “la invitación que nos hace las Naciones Unidas a través de
For Eleonora Betancur, Executive Director of ACI Medellín, “the invitation that the United Nations makes through the FAO to participate in this initiative, shows the importance that the city has in the eyes of the world in issues of sustainability and green cities. At ACI Medellín we continue to believe that much of the development of the city is thanks to cooperative actions with agencies that allow promoting projects and attracting international resources to improve the quality of life of citizens”.
Informative Context
The world is becoming an increasingly urbanized place. Currently, 55% of the world’s population resides in urban areas and by 2050 the urban population is expected to increase to 68%, mainly in low-income countries. Cities already consume almost 80% of the total energy produced in the world and consume up to 70% of the food supply. To address these challenges, cities are called upon to play a more active role in contributing to the efforts of national governments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
For this reason, it is necessary to rethink how to plan urban and peri-urban areas so that cities become greener, more resilient and regenerative. In response to this need, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launches the “Green Cities” initiative, which builds on the Organization’s experience in integrating agriculture, forestry, fisheries and sustainable food systems in urban and peri-urban contexts.
The sixth version of the Colombia Investment Summit this year will be virtual and expects to gather between 1,200 and 1,500 attendees.
More than 550 investors come from markets in Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America, with which it is estimated to generate more than 1,000 business appointments.
In the virtual meeting, which will take place between October 7th and 9th, more than 75 projects will be presented in sectors such as infrastructure, technology, agro-industry, energy and tourism, among others.
The sixth version of the Colombia Investment Summit this year will be virtual and expects to gather between 1,200 and 1,500 attendees.
More than 550 investors come from markets in Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America, with which it is estimated to generate more than 1,000 business appointments.
The meeting, led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, and by ProColombia, has become the most important in the country to generate sustainable and responsible investment opportunities, and promote the arrival of projects in sectors such as infrastructure, tourism, energy, agro-industry, technology, among others.
“Foreign efficiency investment is one of the essential instruments of the present juncture because it creates job opportunities and helps to boost the economy. Today, we are working with commitment for Colombia to promote the arrival of more investors, to also facilitate new tools to increase these flows and improve the business climate. In addition, we facilitate the scenario for the relocation of companies looking for a new organization of their supply chains and efficiencies when leaving other latitudes. In addition to this are the sectoral and regional incentives we provide”, said José Manuel Restrepo, Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism.
“The Colombia Investment Summit is a meeting in favor of the country’s economic reactivation, an opportunity to achieve the arrival of greater efficiency investment in the regions, generating quality jobs and technology transfer, development and greater competitiveness. With this event we will present a portfolio of more than 75 projects to investors around the world, in sectors such as infrastructure, technology, agro-industry, energy and tourism, as well as the potential of our territory as a business destination and export platform,” said, Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia.
On its first day, October 7th, the academic agenda will begin, on October 8th and 9th seven sectoral panels will be held, in segments such as chemicals and life sciences, infrastructure, tourism, metalworking, agro-industry, energy and 4.0 industries.
The event will feature the participation of the Republic’s President, Ivan Duque, ministers and executives of governmental entities, as well as senior executives of national and foreign companies, special guests, and international investors interested in establishing businesses in Colombia or taking advantage of the country as an export platform.
In the 2019 version, the Colombia Investment Summit generated 10 investment announcements worth more than US$1 billion in agro-business, infrastructure, chemicals and life sciences, energy and investment funds.
Entrepreneurs interested in taking part in this event can register and get more information at: [ here ]
Medellín received surgical masks, antibacterial gel, gloves, alcohol and facial masks from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency -JICA, in a donation that seeks to help in the prevention of coronavirus in the city.
Supplies will be directed to prison centers, care sites for the elderly and the homeless community, as well as to the hospital network.
This support was achieved thanks to the city’s social manager, Diana Osorio, who in 2016 was a fellow of an academic program of JICA titled: Sustainable Rural Development through life improvement approach for Latin America.
Due to this academic history, the Social Manager had an approach with the Japanese agency regarding the management of these resources, which will improve quality of life in the most vulnerable communities.
This contribution is a result of the mission that the City of Medellín has undertaken with public partners around the world in search of support to better address the crisis generated by the pandemic.
“This important donation includes 15,000 elements that will help us protect people who are on the front lines attending vulnerable communities in Medellín. This includes staff working in hospitals, detention centers, care centers for the homeless and care centers for the elderly, among others,” said the Social Manager.
The Executive Director of ACI Medellín, Eleonora Betancur, said that “cooperation with Japan has a history of good experiences, thanks to the efforts developed jointly through technical actions, which is why this new achievement is also a very important event to strengthen ties with this country that has so much to contribute to the development of the city and the region”.
This aid adds to those received in recent months by the governments of Korea, China and the United Arab Emirates to deal with the pandemic and to better manage the crisis affecting the entire world.
The good relations that Medellín has built with different countries over time now allow it to receive this kind of support in one of the most crucial moments of its history.
This software company from the United States and based in Medellín is carrying out an impact project among university students in recent semesters. The Top Gun Lab is a training laboratory whose main objective is to serve the community through educational programs in the IT sector, seeking to meet the high demand for trained personnel and generating decent employment opportunities, challenging and well-paid.
The program is based on training students in the last semesters of Systems Engineering and other related careers, with the aim of selecting the best students to do their internship in the company and start creating their career. Last year, about 9 students entered the labor market, and in addition the learning curve was reduced to two months, increasing productivity in people with a junior profile in just 3 months.
Other similar initiatives are:
Top Gun Route
A program created with the goal of raising children’s awareness of the importance of technology in their professional future. At first, the children meet with the developers of the company who tell them about their life and careers; and then they have a moment of playful learning through a platform called Scratch where they are taught the basic principles of logic and programming.
Top Gun Path
This initiative seeks to support and empower students in the early stages of their career free of charge, through financial sponsorship, teaching the English language and accompaniment by mentors of the company, depending on the stage they are at.
At the teaching stage they are given an economic support of 50% of the Minimum Wage, two free hours of English classes per week, access to the training program according to the line of specialization chosen by the student and monthly mentoring by one of the professionals of the company.
In the productive stage they are given an economic support of 100% of the Minimum Wage, unlimited English classes, access to different programs and training books from the company, jobs in challenging projects, exposure to the final customer, and continuous guidance from their assigned mentor.
Currently, TEAM International has three SENA students active in this program: two boys from Abejorral and a girl from Medellín, who are in the teaching stage in SENA technology programs.
In this way, the international companies installed in Medellín become fundamental actors to carry out the strategy of becoming a Software Valley through impact projects that improve the quality of life of the city’s people.
With the aim of contributing to the progress of the city’s future professionals, ACI Medellín developed the webinar: “Digital Talent Training for the Software Valley”, a space in which they met with local partners in order to project the training of citizens to strengthen this line of economic development.
For years ACI Medellín has worked to establish strategic relationships that allow the city to consolidate alliances that contribute to the improvement of the community’s quality of life. Since 1995, Medellín has worked to grow in the technology industry, and thanks to its partnerships and organizations dedicated to strengthening the capacities of human talent, it slowly gained greater capacity to meet the challenges of a world that is constantly evolving.
During the webinar, ideas were shared about the digital talent that exists in the city and how it can contribute to the future of the Software Valley, an economic development strategy that must face the great challenges that arise in the present digital era. This is where organizations such as the Agency for Higher Education of Medellin- Sapiencia, Acámica, Ruta N, the University of Antioquia, Holberton School Colombia and Pioneras Dev, play an important role in the training of human talent, because they are part of a team of institutions that work together to bring more people closer to the world of technology and programming, two industies that are exponencially growing and that also allow expanding opportunities for young people in an increasingly competitive global market.
“Skills must be developed for a world that is constantly changing, a change that is increasingly accelerating,” said Pedro Mejía, country manager at Acámica.
The joint work of these organizations in partnership with ACI Medellín multiplies individual efforts to achieve increased productivity of human talent and strengthens learning processes on cutting-edge topics. The transformation of Medellín is a reality, so it’s necessary that both citizens and companies are trained to meet all the needs required by the 4.0 Industry.
For the benefit of the city, these organizations are already on the margins of new trends in the training of digital talent, so they include more agile and personalized models in their training processes, they are also working to reduce the barriers that exist around this digital culture.
“In years it is projected that more than 200,000 IT professionals will be needed in the country,” said Diego Botia, a professor at the University of Antioquia. Facing the challenges of talent in the modern world is a challenge that belongs to the whole city and as a society it is necessary to solve effectively to enhance the capacities of new professionals in a comprehensive way.
ACI Medellín and its partners continue to work on building a knowledge, technology and innovation society, this is why more and more affordable training opportunities are being offered today to make human talent the key to building the Software Valley. Today all we need is for citizens and organizations to understand the importance of working for the same purpose: mobilizing as a city for this ambitious strategy.
According to the Global Retirement Index 2020 of the International Living, the top 5 retirement destinations in the world are: Portugal, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico and Medellin, Colombia. With a lower cost of living compared to the United States, and after having been in this index since 2017, Colombia stands out as one of the best places on the planet to retire with less than 30 thousand dollars a year.
The International Living Retirement Index and the American Reporter’s list of best creative cities have identified Medellín as one of the best places to live.
In this index, Medellín is a city with a remarkably affordable living cost; with about 2,000 dollars a month, or 20,000 dollars a year, a couple could have rent, internet, a health plan and even a housekeeper. Nancy Kiernan, International Living correspondent for Colombia, talks about the steady growth that Medellin and the country in general has had in the minds of Americans who want to visit and retire. In addition, it highlights that, according to the World Health Organization, Colombia ranks 22nd in its health care system and is the second most biodiverse country in the world, which allows it to have variety in its weathers. “Colombia was once an overlooked retirement paradise, but now it’s no longer a secret, the word spreads about the benefits they offer for living,” says Kiernan.
Medellín was highlighted as a cosmopolitan city and recognized for its transformation during the last decades, in addition to currently being a benchmark for innovative, sustainable and viable cities.
Another medium that placed Medellín in its top 5 was American Reporter, considering it as one of the best cities in Latin America to move if you are a creative professional. Once again, its great transformation, the leadership in innovation and creativity in the region, and its progress in the living conditions it has developed in recent years are highlighted.
Thanks to the transformation that the city has had in recent decades, today it is considered as a city of excellence for creative professionals and people looking to spend their retirement.
Factors such as the capacity to work from home, the population density, housing affordability, concentration of creative work, environments that supports creative minds, business incubators and accelerators, were all taken into account for the analysis of this top 5 where Medellin, Santa Rita do Sapucai, Montevideo, Santiago de Chile and Curitiba highlighted as the best cities in the Latin American region to move.
Informative Context
Since 1979, InternationalLiving.com has been a recognized source for the search for global retirement or relocation opportunities. Through its monthly magazine, electronic newsletters, their extensive website, podcasts, online bookshop and events taking place around the world, this portal provides information and services to help their readers find better opportunities when they expand their world beyond their own shores.
American Reporter works as an independent organization dedicated to serving national and international news. Its goal is to constantly update its users with newsletters trends in different aspects of reality so that readers do not lose unique information of relevance.
With the arrival of Rockwell Automation, world leader in industrial automation solutions, the city continues to position itself as Colombia and Latin America’s Software Valley, integrating national and international actors that allow not only economic growth but also improvement to the citizens quality of life.
With headquarters in Wisconsin, United States, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 23.000 people dedicated to tending to clients in over 100 countries.
The company will focus its strategies towards software development to support key programs within their business line in Control and Visualization, employing people to occupy roles as software engineers, automation tests, scrum master, responsible for product management, technical leaders and engineer manager, among others.
With the operations launch in June, remotely for the time being, they hope to create 50 jobs by the end of the year and 100 jobs in 2021.
“Our campus strategy helps us set the work in places where we can better reach the milestones of our programs, escalate when necessary and maintain high productivity”, claimed Juan David Carrasquilla, Campus Manager for the company in Colombia.
Referring to the key factors for choosing Medellin, Carrasquilla ensured that “the city is one of the fastest growing technological centers in Latin America, the local government offers policies and attractive incentives also there’s considerable technological software talent available; we have seen, as well, the transformation in infrastructure, education and quality of life in the last years”.
The settlement of this foreign investment in Colombia and Medellin has been achieved thanks to the articulated work between ProColombia, Ruta N and ACI Medellin, entities in charge of promoting the country and city as an investment destination, and establishing a clear and concrete route so that enterprises can finally make the decision of installing themselves in the territory.
“The crisis moment that humanity faces is not at all easy, nevertheless, with the arrival of companies such as Rockwell Automation, we are demonstrating that all public and private entities are compromised in materializing the dream of becoming a Software Valley to improve the citizens quality of life”, claims Eleonora Betancur, executive director of ACI Medellin.
For Paulina Villa, Business Portfolio Manager of Ruta N, “the arrival of Rockwell to the city proves that we are consolidating as a place where things happen. Where science, technology and innovation are a reality that allows to create development. It is not for anything that in the midst of such a complex global situation we are still being selected by these organizations with a technological ground. It means that we are really moving towards an economy based in knowledge, towards Medellin Software Valley”.
“The arrival of Rockwell to Medellin is a vote of confidence in Colombia that contributes so that our country moves forward in consolidating itself as a technological development hub, with higher competitiveness, promoting the attraction of greater investment, as well as the creation of quality jobs in science, technology and innovation areas, and contributes to the country’s economic reactivation”, claims Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia.
Context of the news
Between 2008 and 2019 the ACI Medellin reported a foreign investment amount of USD$224,4 millions and almost 100 investment and reinvestment projects in the city. Along with Ruta N and its allies, 360 organizations have settled in Medellin’s Innovation District, which have created 10.287 quality jobs since 2011. So far in 2020, there are already 21 companies that have landed in the city and have allowed to generate 969 employment opportunities in the Software Valley field.
The good relations that Medellín has built with different countries and cities over time, allow it to better address the economic and health crisis created by COVID-19. Thousands of deaths and millions infected have forced local and national governments to activate their bonds of friendship in the world with the sole aim of safeguarding the life and integrity of people.
Thousands of medical utensils and equipment for the care of critically ill patients have arrived in Medellín from different parts of the world.
Faced with this critical situation, few alternatives emerge as a light of relief to weigh the social and economic effects that all continents are facing. Although borders of countries have been closed for tourism or business, another very important door has been opened with more stregnth: international cooperation.
ACI Medellín, together with local and national partners from the public and private sectors, has undertaken an important mission for the management of resources to better address the health crisis.
This type of support, commonly known as Technical Cooperation, facilitates the resolution of common problems through exchange of knowledge and donation.
So far the city has received 3,000 protective suits from the municipal government of Seoul, South Korea; and 100,000 quick tests for Covid-19, 300,000 gloves, 30,000 masks, 10,000 shoe protectors, 3,000 disinfectants and 2,000 food packets, from the United Arab Emirates.
Shanghai (China): 1,000 gloves and 100 surgical gowns.
Chuncheon (Korea): protective suits and masks.
Grenergy Company (Spain): 50,000 masks.
Likewise, since the beginning of the pandemic, approaches have been made with other governments and international entities to request their support on different fronts:
For medical supplies such as mechanical ventilators, beds for sintensive care units – ICUs; or reagents and strips for sample taking: Seoul and Chuncheon – South Korea, Wuhan, Chongqing – China, Embassy of Colombia in China, Embassy of Russia in Colombia and of Colombia in Russia, Embassy of the United Arab Emirates.
For support on technology tools versus platforms to tackle COVID-19: Government of Singapore and Embassy of Colombia in Singapore.
For food aid: Government of Barcelona, United Nations World Food Programme.
For scientific cooperation, clinical trials and vaccine: Contact with Moderna, UK Embassy in Colombia – Jenner Institute, Oxford University, England.
Governments, businesses and individuals have united since the beginning of the pandemic around a common goal: protecting life.
Finally, the private sector, international investors and natural persons have shown their commitment to the city:
MABE (Mexican multinational), donated 200 antifluid booths for medical personnel.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), through a cooperation agreement with the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, allocated $346 million for the payment of monetary contributions to 450 families of migrant, refugee and host populations. UNHCR also donated essential supplies to the most vulnerable households and shelters in the city.
Donatón Medellín: ACI Medellín achieved $156 million pesos for medical supplies. Among the main donors are Grupo EMI, Grupo Réditos and Globant.
POMA (French company): provided the city with vehicles to transport food and medical equipment.
Volunteer Doctor: through the Sos Paisa network for antioquians who are abroad, Carlos Alviar Restrepo’s visit was accomplished; director of the ICU for cardiology at the Bellevue Hospital Center in New York, who came to give technical advise from his experience and work in ICUs in the United States.
The effort involved in management with governments and companies is not equated with the satisfaction of fulfilling the duty of caring for the people of the city and ensuring that, in the midst of such a complex situation, we are vigilant to strengthen alliances within and outside the city for our wellbeing.
Thanks to international cooperation resources, the Mayor’s Office of Medellín increases its institutional capacity to address and prevent violence against women, in order to reduce the impact of confinement due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This will strengthen the Women’s Agency (Agencia Mujer) and build a model for psycho-legal care.
“These resources, achieved through international cooperation with the IDB, will allow us to strengthen institutional response capacity towards violence against women and its increase during the pandemic, in addition towards actions to prevent such violence and promote shared, non-violent masculinities”, explained the Women’s Secretary, Juliana Martínez Londoño.
Technical cooperation resources will be implemented in four consultancies with recognized civil society organizations, which will focus on strengthening the Women’s Agency to decongest attention, given the increase in violence during the pandemic, the standardization of the psycho-legal care mechanism model, the promotion of shared and non-violent masculinities through the implementation of a strategy for community education of shared masculinities and in the construction of a pedagogical proposal on masculinities for gender equity, addressed to servitors of the Mayor’s Office of Medellín.
Promotion of non-violent masculinities will be made, due to the increase of cases of violence against women during the pandemic.
Between March 20th and July 19th, 2,138 incidents of violence against women were recorded, mainly physical, with 1,183 complaints, followed by psychological violence with 291, sexual violence with 105, socio-political violence with 78 cases and economic violence with one case.
Women are mostly targeted by their partners with 782 cases, followed by ex-partners with 379. In this order, it is followed by other relatives with 169 records, children with 101records, strangers with 55, neighbors with 70 and parents (father or mother) with 40. The contingency generates specific impacts in the lives of women, which increases inequalities and violence against them. For this reason, a gender approach is fundamental in the prevention and comprehensive care of violence.
The three mechanical ventilators developed by the InnspiraMED initiative, intended for the care of critical patients affected by Covid-19, received the authorization of the National Institute of Drug and Food Surveillance (Invima) to conduct clinical trials on 15 patients in three hospitals and clinics in Medellín.
Following evaluations by Invima, the three prototype mechanical ventilators that are part of the InnspiraMED initiative were authorized to start clinical trials in humans.
“Invima, keeping in mind that this is an issue of national interest and of health public policy, as a Regulatory Agency, welcomes these national initiatives, and continues to be attentive to prioritise and contribute to the evolution of the procedures, while maintaining sanitary rigour, and safeguarding the individual and collective health of Colombians”, said the control entity in a statement this Thursday, July 16, in which they issued the following concept:
After analyzing and evaluating the related information, through the cases 20201120008 dated June 30, 2020 and 20201120029 dated July 13, 2020, the Specialized Room of Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostic Reagents, the development of Phase I of the protocol is approved “Performance evaluation of a standard mechanical ventilator model to meet ventilatory assistance needs during the health crisis due to infection with SARS-COV-2 COVID-19” of the INNSPIRAMED innitiative.
InnspiraMED is an initiative that carries out interdisciplinary and collaborative work coordinated by the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, through Ruta N and that has the funding of Postobón with a contribution of $ 9,000 million pesos and the IBD Lab. The ventilators were produced by three research and development teams (Universidad de Antioquia, Industrias Médicas Sampedro and EIA University ), each consisting of engineers, intensivists and pulmonologists, among others. Likewise, HACEB and Auteco Mobility lead the production of the devices.
An initiative articulated by the City of Medellín, through Ruta N, which has funding from Postobón and IBD Lab.
“We are going to give everything that is in our hands to fight until the last moment so that no Colombian lacks a ventilator, a specialist and an intensive care bed, if so needed. I want to thank the whole team that has been fighting this battle and continues to do so,” said Medellín Mayor, Daniel Quintero.
According to Invima, clinical trials will be conducted in two phases in order to confirm safe and reliable ventilation in patients. The first phase will be carried out with a small group of patients and, after an evaluation by the regulatory entity, the second phase will be entered with a larger group of patients.
Once these two evaluation stages are completed, they will be distributed to different regions of the country; this has been drawn up with the support of the National Government. It should be noted that the devices are in the process of industrialization while these tests are provided.
“Today, the InnspiraMED initiative takes a step forward in its purpose of providing the country with mechanical ventilators, needed for the care of the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 Coronavirus. Since the beginning, we have focused on maintaining scientific rigor so that the three equiptments we have designed are safe and very reliable, while we advance in their production and distribution, so that they can be used at the right time”, explained the manager of the InnspiraMED initiative, Gabriel Sanchez.
The institutions in which human trials will take place are the San Vicente Hospital Foundation, the Las Americas Clinic and the UPB University Clinic.
We must note that the initiative trained, under the clinical simulation model, more than 350 health professionals from the Aburrá Valley and other regions of the country in the management of the equipment, the correct use of personal protection elements, technical skills for advanced airway management in patients with respiratory distress caused by Covid-19 and the use of ventilators, among other topics. In addition, engineers who accompany and support the technical support of the intensive care units of health institutions were trained.
“InnspiraMED seeks to protect the lives of Colombians, through the articulation between Universities, Enterprises and the State. We are certainly very pleased to see how innovation becomes a key factor in addressing this emergency. This initiative involves more than 100 people from different disciplines who have demonstrated an incredible commitment, based on that purpose we set out to save lives,” said the executive director of Ruta N, Juan Andrés Vásquez.
The mayor of Medellín, Daniel Quintero Calle, participated in the press conference for the launch of the Agenda for a green and just recovery, promoted by the prestigious city network C40. This document outlines bold steps to achieve an equitable and sustainable recovery subsequent to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agenda includes specific measures that are already being taken in many cities around the world and should become the “new normal”, for the cities that wish to contain and be better prepared for future pandemics, resolve systematic injustice and maintain global warming under the 1,5 °C goal set by the Paris Agreement.
Mayor Quintero’s intervention was oriented towards the current strategy of Medellín for the creation of Jobs in industries associated with the digital revolution and businesses that promote environmental sustainability. Moreover, he highlighted the strategy to train people in science, technology and innovation with an emphasis in women, youth and senior citizens, to guarantee equity in the access to the labor market.
“Among the main challenges that the pandemic leaves us is to strengthen our voices and make it clear that our ambition is not to return to “normality”, but to build a better, more sustainable, more resilient and just society from the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis” the mayor told reporters and world leaders at the press conference.
The C40 mayors, all in all, request governments and leaders of the world “to guarantee that all the funds for economic recovery and stimulus packages promote a just and sustainable transition”. In their call to end all public investment in fossil fuels, C40 mayors are unequivocal: “Countries must seize this moment to decisively abandon investments in high-carbon, fossil-fuel-intensive industries and increase their investments in a low-carbon future”.
Informative context:
This document is led by 11 mayors from around the world that form the Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force: Freetown, Hong Kong, Lisbon, Melbourne, Milan, Montreal, New Orleans, Rotterdam, Seattle, Seoul and Medellín. Additionally, it counts with the support of entrepreneurs, young environmental activists and unions. This Agenda includes both specific actions, which are already being carried out in many cities around the world, as well as strong calls to national governments, central banks and international financial institutions to carry out a just and ecological recovery.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was launched in 2015 to end poverty and set the world on a path of peace, prosperity and opportunity for all on a healthy planet. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) demand nothing short of a transformation of the financial, economic and political systems that govern our societies today to guarantee the human rights of all.
They require immense political will and ambitious action by all stakeholders. But, as Member States recognized at the SDGs Summit held last September, global efforts to date have been insufficient to deliver the change we need, jeopardizing the Agenda’s promise to current and future generations.
The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020brings together the latest data to show us that, before the COVID-19 pandemic, progress remained uneven and we were not on track to meet the Goals by 2030. Some gains were visible: the share of children and youth out of school had fallen; the incidence of many communicable diseases was in decline; access to safely managed drinking water had improved; and women’s representation in leadership roles was increasing. At the same time, the number of people suffering from food insecurity was on the rise, the natural environment continued to deteriorate at an alarming rate, and dramatic levels of inequality persisted in all regions. Change was still not happening at the speed or scale required.
Now, due to COVID-19, an unprecedented health, economic and social crisis is threatening lives and livelihoods, making the achievement of Goals even more challenging. As of the beginning of June, the death toll had surpassed 400,000 and was continuing to climb, with almost no country spared. Health systems in many countries have been driven to the brink of collapse. The livelihood of half the global workforce has been severely affected. More than 1.6 billion students are out of school and tens of millions of people are being pushed back into extreme poverty and hunger, erasing the modest progress made in recent years.
Although the Novel Coronavirus affects every person and community, it does not do so equally. Instead, it has exposed and exacerbated existing inequalities and injustices. In advanced economies, fatality rates have been highest among marginalized groups. In developing countries, the most vulnerable – including those employed in the informal economy, older people, children, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, migrants and refugees – risk being hit even harder. Across the globe, young people are being disproportionately affected, particularly in the world of work. Women and girls are facing new barriers and new threats, ranging from a shadow pandemic of violence to additional burdens of unpaid care work.
Far from undermining the case for the SDGs, the root causes and uneven impacts of COVID-19 demonstrate precisely why we need the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and underscore the urgency of their implementation. I have therefore consistently called for a coordinated and comprehensive international response and recovery effort, based on sound data and science and guided by the Sustainable Development Goals.
Health systems must be urgently strengthened in countries that are at greatest risk, with increased capacity for testing, tracing and treatment. Universal access to treatments and vaccines, when they become available, is essential. A large-scale multilateral response is needed to ensure that developing countries have the resources they need to protect households and businesses. Recovery packages must facilitate the shift to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy and support universal access to quality public services. And leadership and support are needed to ensure statistical organizations have the tools and resources to facilitate timely and smart decision-making. To guide and support these actions, the United Nations system has mobilized at all levels, leveraging the recent reforms of the United Nations development system.
At the start of this Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs, I call for renewed ambition, mobilization, leadership and collective action, not just to beat COVID-19 but to recover better, together – winning the race against climate change, decisively tackling poverty and inequality, truly empowering all women and girls and creating more inclusive and equitable societies everywhere.
Reactivating the economy, creating new, green jobs in businesses that protect the environment, Medellin becoming a Software Valley for the world and focusing on STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), were some of the main points highlighted by mayor Daniel Quintero a new encounter with the C40 network recovery task force, that gathered 96 leaders from around the world.
The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group connects 96 of the biggest cities around the world to undertake bold climatic action, that will lead the way towards a healthy and sustainable future.
The Recovery Task Force mid-term report was presented during this meeting: “C40 Mayors’ Agenda on what a Green and Just Recovery means”, made by the 11 mayors that form the recovery board for COVID-19, C40’s “Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force”.
The report is focused on three interest areas:
Jobs and an Inclusive Economy: The speedy creation of new jobs, supporting essential workers and allowing a just transition.
Resilience and Equity: providing municipal utilities for all, focusing on a just society and a strong economy, resilient to future shocks.
Health and Wellbeing: returning spaces to people and nature; rethinking and reclaiming our streets, cleaning our air and creating local and habitable communities.
“As C40 mayors, we must act as entrepreneurial governments, taking initiative in the creation of new and good green jobs, supporting and recognizing essential workers and ensuring that needed skills and training are available so that workers -in particular those in polluting industries- can pass on directly into employments opportunities in sectors of the future” said Quintero during the session.
For the executive director of ACI Medellin, Eleonora Betancur, “it is an honor that Medellin’s mayor was the representative for this meeting on inclusive employment, presenting the strategy implemented by the city before 96 mayors from around the world. In addition, the report that will delivered will become a guide for the momentum needed for Medellin’s recovery after the crisis caused by COVID-19”.
Informative context:
In April of 2020, the mayors that form part of C40 launched the Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, with the goal of achieving an economic and social recovery from COVID-19, that will allow people to go back to their jobs, preventing climate collapse from becoming an even greater crisis and stopping global economy.
The mid-term report displays the collective vision of mayors on behalf of a green and just recovery and the values shared to achieve this, including the measures taken by cities and that will continue to be taken, the actions from the whole C40 network and their calling to national and regional governments and financial institutions. This report will be available to the public as of July 15th.
Despite the crisis resulting from the pandemic, the international companies keep their confidence in Colombia. This is revealed in a recent survey done by ProColombia and the Regional Investment Promotion Agencies to 229 foreign companies that have their operations in the country, which, almost unanimously, are still considering Colombia a strategic investment destination.
A total of 229 foreign companies that operate in the country were surveyed by the Regional Investment Promotion Agencies and ProColombia regarding the expectations of their operations amid this crisis.
The “National Perception Survey to Investors”, in which the promotion agencies such as ACI Medellín, Invest in Armenia, Invest in Pereira, Invest in Santander, Invest in Cartagena, Invest in Cesar, Invest in Santa Marta, Invest Pacific and ProBarranquilla participated, led by ProColombia and Invest in Bogota, was carried out with the aim of knowing the perception of the companies regarding the crisis, as well as the strategies they have adopted in order to continue their operations in the country.
This also revealed that 66% of the surveyed businessmen are optimistic regarding the operations of their companies in the country, while 30% are feeling the same in respect to the performance of the economy in general. Regarding the impact that the Covid-19 has had on the operations of these multinational companies, 89% of the surveyed companies manifested they are still operating, 80% are operating with at least 50% of their installed capacity.
The companies were mainly optimistic about their performance in the country. 99,6% of the surveyed companies are still considering Colombia as a destination for their investment.
Another conclusion of the survey is that the majority of the surveyed businessmen (79%) consider that the measures implemented by the National Government contribute to the mitigation of the impact and the reactivation of the economy.
“These results demonstrate that Colombia is still appealing for the investors. efficient foreign investment is one of the essential instruments in the current crisis, not only because it increases the exports, but because it creates job opportunities and boost the economy. That is why we work on three areas to promote the arrival of more investors: investment facilitation and business environment tools; relocation of companies that look for a new organization in their supply chains and efficiencies when leaving other places; and sector and regional incentives”, assured José Manuel Restrepo, Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism.
In regards to the institutional support provided by ProColombia and the Regional Investment Promotion Agencies, the surveyed companies highlighted that the management of the entities is relevant thanks to the fact the it generates value information for decision making and it helps them with the dialogue between the regional and central governments.
“We want to spread a message of support and of deep respect to the foreign investors and Colombian businessmen. They can have the absolute confidence that, with the leadership of President Iván Duque and aligned with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, we are working with conviction and commitment in favor of the business network of the country. We are convinced we are going to overcome this challenge all together. Having your optimism, commitment and support is essential in order to continue forward with confidence” said, Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia.
The surveyed businessmen lead companies mainly from the United States (24%), France (9%) Spain (8%) and Mexico (7%), and are mainly from the manufacture, IT services, processed foods, BPO and shared services sectors.
A crisis that has driven the change
The answers of the businessmen also allowed to identify that more than half of them have considered or have already done adjustments in their business model. The main changes that the current crisis have brought are related to the development of new business lines, the use of electronic channels for the management and reduction of the operational costs.
Also, 69% of the surveyed businessmen say that their companies have found opportunities in the crisis, especially in the BPO and shared services, technological services and medical devices sectors.
Teleperformance is an example, it is an international company with more than 330,000 employees globally and they are present in 80 countries, and in Colombia it has operations in Bogotá, Medellín, Tunja and Barranquilla. “The near future gives us hope when seeing a clear opportunity of capitalizing opportunities in the market that would allow us to demonstrate how the Colombia DNA is made to adapt to big challenges” said Andrés Bernal, CEO of the company.
It is worth to mention that the survey to the investors has 4 regional chapters in which the information is broadly presented from Bogotá (Invest in Bogota), the Central Region (ACI Medellín, Invest in Armenia, Invest in Pereira and Invest in Santander), the Caribbean Region (Invest in Cartagena, Invest in Cesar, Invest in Santa Marta and ProBarranquilla) and the Pacific Region (Invest Pacific).
Medellín has wagered on the modernization of the public transport system in order to motivate its use over private vehicles, reduce travel times and contribute to sustainable mobility and environmental care.
Every day, citizens of the world seek greater connectivity and information in real time to make good use of public transportation and, thus, plan their time better. In Medellín, the application of technology to improve mobility processes is already a reality. A clear example of this is found in the execution of the Collective Transport System (TPM, for its acronym in Spanish) reorganization project. Intelligent Bus Stops were implemented and have information panels with numbers, names, lines and route maps with authorized stops. They also include the most relevant points in the routes and their estimated arrival time at each one of the bus stops. Also, they have braille plaques for non-seeing travelers.
TPMED, the official smart device app for public transport and mobility in Medellín is another good use of technology so that citizens can depend on clear, precise and verified data and can plan and program their trips. Travelers can access maps of the city’s transport means with routes and stops, trajectories from one point to another, as well as amounts and times, in order to make decisions at the time of their move.
“To think of Medellín is to think about what is possible. It’s thinking about public transportation, in the Metrocable, in the Tram, in social inclusion. Is to think about challenges turned into opportunities.”.
President of the Inter-American Development Bank (Idb)
We offer public transport users key information to ease their location and intelligent decision making at 383 new bus stops.
Like the Metro, Metrocable and the Tram, the totality of the integrated bus routes were added to the electronic payment system, another good example of the use of technology in mobility processes. Users can access all the transport services the Metro system offers by paying with their “tarjeta Cívica” and with no need for cash, saving users approximately COP 80,000 a month.
As part of its wager for more environmentally responsible mobility, the city has implemented modern technology on 4,426 traffic lights, which reduce energy consumption by 20%. A lesser caliber cable system of traffic lights that in no way affects the quality of the service was implemented. This new technology, in addition to being environmentally friendly, reduces maintenance costs and product waste. The challenge for 2020 is for all traffic lights of Medellín to be low-energy consumption.
In order to carry out this great strategy of placing technology at the service of mobility, a consensus effort among the key system actors is necessary: Área Metropolitana del Valle
de Aburrá, the Empresa de Seguridad Urbana (ESU), TIGO-EPM providing internet service
and connectivity, CAS Mobiliario – for bus stops and agent responsible for the installation, adaptation, maintenance and reposition of urban furniture – and, of course, the Medellín Secretariat of Mobility, as well as the collective public transportation companies.
Electric Mobility at the Service of Public Transportation
Today, Medellín enjoys the first mass transit system in Colombia with 30 natural gas vehicles, 65 electric buses and 47 gas fueled buses. The use of clean fuels allows for sustainable urban planning and a better air quality.
These vehicles run lines 1 and 2 of the BRT system and the new Avenida 80 line, from the La Palma station of the Metroplus, to the Caribe station of the Metro, one that will connect public and private universities in this corridor. The new fleet will contribute to the reduction of at least 7,000 tons of emissions of carbon dioxide in the air.
Also, the Medellín Mayor’s Office is promoting the acquisition of 1,500 public service vehicles with electric technology during the next three years. To reach this goal, city administration opened a registration platform, so that gasoline taxi owners register and receive a bonus to exchange their cabs for zero emission vehicles. Results are happening: the first electric taxis began traveling the city in September of 2019.
The Mayor’s Office promotes the acquisition of vehicles with electric technology. The first cabs have been working in the city since September 2019.
Technologies for improvement of mobility in Medellín
Physical and technological adaptation of 383 intelligent bus stops with user information
Public transportation systems for citizens through a mobile app for cell phones and intelligent bus stops
Platform for the Fleet Management and Control System to generate content directed toward information transmission that is projected on LED screens and apps in mobile devices
These new technologies benefit inhabitants and visitors in Medellín, as well as public transport companies
for the optimization of processes and routes.
We monitor the operation of 2,554 buses in the city from the Center for Fleet Control and Management.
Cooperation with South Korea
In June of 2018, the Korean Minister of Territory, Infrastructure and Transportation, Paek Seung Gun, and the Medellín Mayor, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga, signed a letter for the exchange of cooperation with the aim of carrying out a project of Urban Transport Improvement. As a result of this process, the city received the highest amount of cooperation resources ever given in its history, USD 12.5 million, in November of 2018.
For the implementation of this project, both the Medellín Mayor’s Office and the Korean Government have worked on three fronts:
Construction and improvement of an integrated traffic information center among the Metro system, the Empresa de Seguridad Urbana and the Mobility Secretariat.
Implementation of a pilot project for the management of regulated and systemized vehicular parking.
Development of intelligent transportation training program for employees of the Secretariat of Mobility.
Medellín will host the technological innovation center of the world’s largest cement company LafargeHolcim, which will be located in the Ruta N Innovation District. The multinational Swiss company expects to invest more than 10 million dollars and generate close to 1,000 jobs in the medium term.
LafargeHolcim, the world’s largest cement company, has created a technology support center in Medellin to unite all of its operations on the continent.
Since 2013, LafargeHolcim has a Shared Services Center located in Ruta N, from which it supports its operations in North America and Latin America with more than 400 employees.
“We will have the Americas Digital Center Information Technology in Medellin. This technological leadership site will generate in the first stage 250 jobs and in the final stage more than 1,000. This is the path for a Software Valley in this Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Mayor of Medellín Daniel Quintero Calle
Medellín is taking a leap into the future thanks to a strategy called “Software Valley” that seeks to develop a modernized economy through software and information technologies by taking advantage of opportunities to make the city the Latin American capital of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
This achievement is thanks to the articulated work between Medellín Mayor’s, Ruta N, Procolombia, Governor´s Office of Antioquia and the Agency of Cooperation and Investment of Medellín – ACI to promote technological development, innovation and quality of life in the region.
Context
LafargeHolcim is a Swiss multinational building materials company. It is present in more than 80 countries and employs more than 80,000 people. Its operation is divided into four segments: cement, aggregates, and ready-mix concrete, and it is currently the largest cement company in the world.
* Photo: From left to right: Carlos Moreno, Latam Regional CFO of LafargeHolcim, Jochen Werling, Group CIO LafargeHolcim, Anibal Gaviria Correa, Governor of Antioquia, Daniel Quintero Calle, Mayor of Medellin and Alejandro Carballido Americas Digital Center Head LafargeHolcim.
Medellín has become a success story by overcoming challenges of uncontrolled urban expansion and years of violence due to social inequalities. Its transformation is remarkable: in just two decades it went from one of the most violent cities in the world to position itself as a model of urban innovation. Through bold leadership, long-term plans and social innovation, city mayors have addressed problems and improved the economy, employability and quality of life of their citizens.
With limited resources, Medellín devised alternative but sustainable means to finance its urban development, while implementing catalytic projects in strategic areas to achieve the greatest impact for its people. Projects focused on controlling the expansion of the city, improving the conditions of existing settlements, generating new public spaces and promoting the generation of jobs and education with a new multi modal transport infrastructure, have been developed, always caring for the environment, and for social sustainability.
In an increasingly urbanized and complex world, social integration has become a great challenge for many cities. Medellín seems to have found the key through social innovation. The city seeks to empower each member of society and give them a role within the city.And, in this process, the city won the trust of all citizens. For example, with the “Buen Comienzo” (Good Start) program, which focuses on early childhood education, it clearly articulates the commitment to invest in the future.
Prioritizing the needs of its citizens, Medellín proactively instills a culture of open dialogue and cooperation between government, private entities and individuals. A clear example is the management of Proantioquia and the Committee University Enterprise Government (CUEE, for its acronym in Spanish), which works together to formulate policies and execute initiatives based on the principles of social responsibility and equity.
By transforming underutilized sites into multipurpose spaces, a sustainable approach to urban development is given which, in turn, strengthens the identity of communities.
Although ecological sensitivity is undoubtedly important, interventions whose priorities were the needs of people and which focused on improving their quality of life also have great relevance in Medellín; there are unconventional transport systems, such as the Metrocable, which connects the outskirts of the mountains with the city’s downtown district. This is the result of a participatory society that gathers to formulate and implement long-term plans, thus contributing to the progress
of Medellín.
The enthusiasm and positive spirit of the inhabitants of Medellín are palpable and
When wetalk about security, we should go beyond the capacity of manpower strength, and, in this sense, technology is key for large-scale advancement. What is most important for the city in terms of security, regarding the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is the development of a system allowing for the detection of crimes and the identification of individuals in real time.
The implementation of technology has become key to the advancement in the detection of crime and the identification of individuals in real time. This directly impacts in the reduction of crimes, improves our citizen protection and keeps a city in line with legality.
Today, the city of Medellín has an Integrated Security System (SIESM, for its acronym in Spanish) managed by the Secretariat of Security and Coexistence, which links the Police, the Health Secretariat, the Secretariat of Social Inclusion, the Department of Risks, the Secretariat of Mobility and Firefighters, in what is known as
the 123 emergency line.
In addition, the Secretariat of Security and Coexistence has an information system which takes the collected 123data and, through a database, crosses the information to detect the most critical points in terms of crimes, and makes decisions. For example, in the case of theft, it identifies times and days of the year in which the largest amounts of thefts are committed and implements strategies to prevent them. All this is based on the information permanently provided by the system.
Likewise, through the Integrated Security System, data is registered to be accessible to the District Attorney, Police and Armed Forces, and the Secretariat of Security and Coexistence, for the purpose of building software-based articulation procedures for the unification of tools available to the city: security cameras, license plate identification system and satellite location of vehicles.
Previously, the dispatch system was totally manual. If an incident took place, one had to verify if the police was available, making the process inefficient. Today everything has changed; the city became aware that the installation of technology per se is not an answer, but the good maintenance, adequate use and how to
interconnect them is essential.
«City leaders have understood that security problems need to be faced from the perspective of rebuilding the social fabric in order to mobilize those with lesser opportunities.»
Philip Karp, Lead Knowledge Management Officer, World Bank
The use of drones, cameras and other technologies have enabled crime reduction in the city.
Hexagon, the Intelligent and Efficient System
This system completely changed Medellín’s dynamics. When an incident occurs, it is filtered by the recognition software and communicates it to the closest police station, which enables knowing where these patrols, mobility agents and firefighters
(in case of fire) are located.
In addition, Medellín is the only city in Colombia that has implemented LP technology for the recognition of license plates. It has a system of PTZ cameras which records in HD and are currently at work at 100%, making it possible to know where the criminals are moving, including detaining of stolen vehicles or identifying those involved in a criminal investigation.
Cameras were installed in the most important security points. These have a software which recognizes license plates and saves the information of all moving vehicles within the zone for up to five years. Today, 4.5 million tags go through LPR cameras daily, which also allows for the generation
of intelligence and investigation reports.
This camera system works with Artificial Intelligence (AI). They are arc type tag recognition cameras, which captures and recognizes characters, representing a fundamental change in speed, as well as, the opportunity and accuracy with which the information is gathered. When someone commits a crime and goes through the cameras, a report is created in order to detain, identify and bring the delinquent to justice.
We have an Integrated Security System (SIESM, for its acronym in Spanish) in Medellín. This system links the Police, the Secretariat of Health, the Secretariat of Social Inclusion, the Department of Risks, the Secretariat of Mobility and the Fire Department in what is known as the 123 Emergency Line
We work in alliance with the Police, the District Attorney’s Office, and the Armed Forces so that our citizens are able to live in a safe city.
Medellín is leading in cutting edge technology applied to security with the most advance integrated system in the world.
Technology for a safer city
1,644 cameras —bodycams— are available at 440 Police quadrants to strengthen surveillance in the city, with an investment of COP 9,512 million. Medellín is the first city in Colombia to have this technology applied to security.
300 cameras for license plate recognition – of those involved in criminal acts, with an investment of COP 20,168 million.
2,400 cameras integrating CCTV video for the surveillance of the city, with an increase in coverage of 84%.
148 full 360° cameras with four-lens multi-sensors which allow for complete coverage of the area of a specific sector.
170 video cameras for the detection and identification of visitors of the Atanasio Girardot Stadium.
BELL 407 Public Safety & Utility Police Helicopter enabled with day and night vision, transmitting video to the SIES-M headquarters, megaphone speaker system and searching and tracing light.
COP 26,800 million invested in the Automatic Dispatch System and COP 2,500 million in civil society job opportunities to support the 123 Emergency Line. Twenty-four (24) stations, 60 entrance lines and 49 reception computers for the Avaya telephone system for emergency attention, which enables timely the assistance of citizens.
In Medellín, we believe that education is the avenue to overcome the inequality gaps, the engine for social transformation and territorial development. Betting on education is the opportunity to move forward as a society and build a better city. Facing this challenge, the city’s educational system has been strengthened by reinforcing the achievements we have had, reaffirming the commitment to ensure quality and educational relevance, and promoting learning opportunities.
Postsecondary education is one of the main focuses of the Medellín Mayor’s Office in its strategy to close gaps and create economic and social development, as well as to have solid foundations for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
As a result, the current administration has placed a special emphasis on postsecondary education as a generator of economic and social development, based on the training of citizens who are able to face the global challenges and those of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
This is achieved with the conviction of overcoming social gaps and driving young people away from violence and poverty. These figures are evident, when analyzing the results of access to higher education. The city average in 2016 was 43.6%, and the goal for the end of 2019 is to be able to achieve 52.7%.
When analyzing the Multidimensional Quality of Life Index, figures show that in those neighborhoods with the lowest rate of access to higher education, the most complex situations such as insecurity, informality, difficulty in entering the labor market, income generation and family violence, also converge.
The bet on strengthening postsecondary education is the challenge to achieve integral security, so the most vulnerable people have the possibility of improving their living conditions and those of their families. This is done by generating income, accessing decent jobs with qualified profiles, contributing to social mobilization and reducing inequality in the city.
Every young person who has access to education is acquiring skills to have a positive impact on their environment. We are taking away space from illegality as an alternative, and promoting tools that will allow them to overcome poverty.
52% of scholarship and grant beneficiaries are women.
Scholarships for the Fourth Industrial Revolution
The Project of Scholarships for Technologies of the Medellín Mayor’s Office has the objective of increasing coverage and access to higher education by offering relevant technological programs, in the “comunas,” where the access rate is below average.
During this four-year term, we have delivered 36,793 opportunities for access to education, in scholarships and grants, with an investment of COP 536,000 million. The Instituto Tecnológico Metropolitano (ITM), Pascual Bravo, the Colegio Mayor de Antioquia, the Tecnológico de Antioquia and the Politécnico Jaime Isaza Cadavid, are institutions of the Municipality of Medellín. They all joined forces and have offered 41 programs to support the project.
Medellín Bilingüe
One of the great challenges of our citizens is learning and mastering a second language, preferably English. The objective is achieving a better job placement and being suitable for work in national and multinational companies.
In view of this need, the Medellín Mayor’s Office implemented the “Medellín Bilingüe” (Bilingual Medellín) strategy. This is a foreign language training program that seeks to teach a second language in an joyful and interactive way.
To optimize and innovate the teaching and learning processes of English, Medellín Bilingüe has developed projects and programs with the necessary components for children, youth and adults, to expand their knowledge as part of a global society.
One of these initiatives is the “Territorio Bilingüe” (Bilingual Territory), a strategy of the Secretariat of Education. This project seeks to train citizens of the “comunas” and townships of Medellín, with the purpose of improving their profile. At the same time, it will allow for citizens to be inserted in the communication processes of a city as Medellín, known today in the world as the cradle of international events and host of the first Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Latin America. The program is an opportunity for the working population whose courses are taught in the Social Development Centers (CDS for its acronym in Spanish) and in the Medellín Public Library Network.
Beyond job training
Being able to successfully pursue a technical or professional career is what was required for many years to obtain a degree. Today there are other fundamental skills in the workplace. These requirements are the so-called soft skills, associated with the personality and nature of the individual. These soft skills include among others leadership, adaptability and attitude towards life.
Soft skills teaching with experimental creative workshops, socio-affective skills and vocational guidance has been achieved as part of the training programs for work and life projects taught to young people during the last years of high school. As a result, it has given them more complete training related to their personal and professional development.
Medellín, a Learning City
by Unesco
In February 2019, Medellín reported the lowest dropout rate in the last 14 years: the city went from 3.4% to 2.9% in three years (2016-2018). This is the result of the implementation of programs such as:
“Buen Comienzo” (Good Start), in which the city benefited 82,650 children with actions to improve their integral development and quality of life. An achievement for their future, of their families and the entire city.
“En el colegio contamos con vos” (In School, We Count on You), a strategy that managed to get 7,648 students to return to school. “This was one of the hardest hits we gave to criminal structures,” says the Medellín Mayor, Federico Gutiérrez.
“Escuelas Entorno Protector” (Protective School Environment), in which we delivered tools to 229 educational institutions to promote good living, the construction of citizenry and the exercise of human, sexual and reproductive rights among 291,000 students.
As a result of the implementation of these good practices, Medellín was selected as one of the 10 Learning Cities in the world by Unesco, during 2019. Also, in 2017, the city was chosen as the first Learning City in Colombia. This recognition is also aimed at the great commitment of the municipal administration, which currently allocates between 35% and 37% of its resources to education.
Therefore, and to reaffirm Medellín’s commitment to the development of education, during October 1 to 3, 2019, the IV International Conference on Learning Cities was held in Medellín. In this event, government officials, city representatives and education experts gathered to identify, exchange and discuss effective lifelong learning policies and practices that lead to the achievement of inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities.
