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.
On December 9th, the Financial Times announced the winning agencies of the fDi Strategy Awards 2019, an online database that tracks investment in all sectors and countries. After analyzing 56 Investment Promotion Agencies – IPA- in 38 categories, the work of the Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellín was exalted in the category of Specialties in the 4.0 and creative industries
“Creative industries are one of the priority sectors in Medellin’s new economic development policy, representing 1.5% of Antioquia’s GDP in 2017. Medellin’s creative sector consists of more than 1,690 companies and most of them are micro and small companies involved in activities related to music, television, design, photography, jewelry, theater, cinema, radio, and plastic arts. In addition, Medellín is the only city in Colombia with a film commission, and offers 15% additional incentives to those offered by the national government.”
“In recent years, Antioquia’s industry 4.0 sector has increased by 50%, making it the second region with new software registrations in the country and home to 14% of all IT companies in Colombia.”
“The fact that Financial Times highlights the efforts made by the city to position itself as a development pole in creative industries and 4.0 fills ACI Medellín with pride because it demonstrates that by articulating the business ecosystem and institutionality, we can generate trust amongst investors and consequently development for the territory,”said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, executive director of the ACI Medellín.
The seventh edition of Link Magazine is a compendium of content with relevant information about the work of the city to face the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It highlights the technological advances of the city on education, security, mobility, and finance.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is a country challenge, and Medellín is the city chosen to take the leadership.
Medellín’s recognition is based on its innovation and its outstanding business dynamic. Also, the city invested 2.27% of its GDP in science, technology, and innovation, which places it above 0.9% of the average national and 1% of Latin America.
This is why the World Economic Forum chose the city to host the fifth Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which opened on April 2019 to prepare human talent and lead public policy issues that allow the country to enter the global community, strengthen the business sector, and acquire a long-term vision.
Therefore, ACI Medellín published the seventh edition of the LINK Magazine, a compendium of 14 articles on the challenge that the city has to work on these challenges and create new development projects.
We invite you to read this publication, in which you will find information about the city’s advances in artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and blockchain. Also, the city’s progress on smart cities, its work for achieving online government, and transparency in public management, fight corruption, among other objectives.
The Sos Paisa network was born in 2004 to connect the countries abroad with their cities, it is an initiative of the Medellin Mayor’s Office, led by the ACI Medellín, which seeks to be a scenario of dissemination of the transformation of the city to connect with the countries abroad, and thus invite them to be part of the network, and contribute to local development through the transfer of knowledge or donations that contribute to the quality of life of the inhabitants of Medellín.
Between 2016 and 2019, the network reached an unprecedented international projection. Actions such as updating the website to effectively connect the Paisas with their home city, the increase in the number of followers on social networks, the strategic exhibition of Medellín as an innovative city, and holding meetings with people from Antioquia living abroad, made the network to be recognized as a connection space with the city and a bridge to make contributions to Medellín.
In these four years, the network reached an outstanding projection and dynamism with 57 contributions from Paisas living abroad and 24 meetings in 22 cities around the world.
Sos Paisa proposes a series of activities that guarantee, not only the permanence and participation of the old members, but the arrival of new paisas to the network; These activities include meetings with foreign countries, and international promotion campaigns.
In 2016, the network achieved six contributions from Paisas and held three meetings in Melbourne, Sydney (Australia) and Barcelona (Spain).
In 2017, the network held eight meetings with Paisas in Caracas (Venezuela), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Montevideo (Uruguay), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Pompano Beach (USA), Madrid (Spain), Guadalajara (Mexico) and Mexico City, which was attended by a total of 115 paisas. Likewise, 14 countries contributed to the network.
For the year 2018, there were meetings with paisas in the following cities: Bangkok (Thailand), Lima (Peru), Santiago de Chile, New York and San Francisco (United States), Monterrey (Mexico), Quito (Ecuador), and London (England), which reached 209 paisas. That same year, a record figure was reached with 20 contributions from foreign resident countries.
Finally, in 2019, 91 Paisas attended five meetings in Austin and Washington (United States), Madrid and Barcelona (Spain), and La Paz (Bolivia).
Mayor Federico Gutiérrez met with the Paisa network in New York (2018), San Francisco (2018) and Washington (2019).
In these 4 years, Sos Paisa got stronger and took a little piece of Medellín to the people from Antioquia living abroad. The network will continue to grow to connect the city with the countries around the world. www.sospaisa.com
Medellín today is a world leader in innovation. We have taken unprecedented steps in the region and, consequently, the world looks towards these mountains that decorate a city which is beating with the new, the different, the transformation,
to the constant improvement of the quality of life of its inhabitants. A city that delivers value with disruptive and dynamic projects in favor of development and competitiveness.
The Latin American region needed to have a technological epicenter surrounded by an adequate ecosystem which was prepared to host the fifth Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR). This Center will join the others located in San Francisco, Tokyo, Beijing and Mumbai to lead the role and serve as a space for the design, testing and refinement of policy and regulatory frameworks for the new 4.0 technologies. In turn, this will positively impact all economic sectors, taking advantage of the potential of millions of people interconnected through mobile devices now having storage, processing and access to unlimited knowledge capacities.
Thus, the World Economic Forum chose Medellín for this important challenge of hosting the C4IR because it is recognized as one of the most innovative cities in Latin America, backed by a strong industrial, educational and entrepreneurial fabric that, thanks to the institutionality of the Committee University Enterprise Government (CUEE, for its acronym in Spanish), Ruta N and Sapiencia, has achieved the goal of transforming traditional economies into knowledge-based economies.
At present, the capital of Antioquia is home to 6 of the 10 Colombian companies with the highest market value and, in digital matters, more than 37 communities exclusively based on 4.0 technologies, coexist and cooperate in the city, such as Blockchain, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Smart Cities.
According to the IT Observatory 2017, up to that year the tech sector in Antioquia had generated 14,237 new jobs, 74% of them in the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley. Medellín has a tech sector made up of 2,013 companies, 48% of them software developers. These are notable figures as a result of public and private partnerships, aimed at the same goal: sustained and competitive development.
Likewise, the educational sector, as a catalyst for development and the main generator of human talent, has managed to consolidate, locally, with the presence of 37 of the 50 institutions of higher education in the department, four of them included in Latam’s top 100. Foreign companies located in the city recognize in Medellín a conducive environment in the search for qualified talent tailored at 4.0 technologies, a valued and well-paid benefit with high-quality jobs.
As an articulating entity, ACI Medellín will continue to focus its efforts towards the attraction of capital and national and foreign cooperation. The Agency will further serve as a bridge to accelerate company landing and market opening processes with the intention that these actors boost our economy. Additionally, they shall also find in Medellín a profitable environment, well trained and adapted to global trends in technologies eager for public policies, a city that will accompany and advise other cities of Colombia and neighboring countries, so that together we achieve a favorable implementation of the new industrial revolution that is already a reality.
Thinking about a Medellín 4.0 is a huge challenge for our city. It makes us reflect on how to make technology an inclusive space that will help us close social gaps and generate development opportunities for the city, for the country and for the entire region.
We must all remember that Medellín did not develop at the same time as the first three industrial revolutions were happening. These took a little longer to reach Colombia.
But then, how can the country, and especially Medellín, now be selected to host a Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution? And how does Colombia share this challenge with countries such as the United States, Japan, China and India?
Getting here has not been easy. The journey has been challenging. We have faced the changes, difficulties and needs of a city that, historically, was growing rapidly in its population, but that saw the hope of progress as a dream frustrated by violence and lack of opportunities. Those difficult times that Medellín went through have made us what we are today: a resilient city that sees innovation as the engine for social change and wants to share its good practices with the world.
The United States, Japan, China, India, United Arab Emirates, Israel and Colombia are part of the Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Global Network.
The greatness of Medellín can be found in overcoming obstacles and how it has managed to turn them into opportunities, using tools such as creativity, co-creation and the articulated work of the government, industry and academia sectors. We call this innovation and our task is to put it at the service of our citizens.
We do not have a magic recipe for change, but we are aware that our transformation has guided us on the right path. Some years ago, Medellín decided to increase its investment in activities based on science, technology and innovation: we went from investing 0.7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2015 to 2.27% in 2018, becoming the city of Colombia having the highest investment in these activities. Thanks to this, today Medellín is in the eye of the world and has gained international recognition from the World Economic Forum (WEF), organization we have been working with, as a team, for several years.
Having received the WEF’s acceptance as a partner, from Medellín, to promote the development and appropriation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the region, constitutes a major vote of confidence and reinforces our commitment to the responsible use of information technologies.
Medellín students today develop competences in robotics and other technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
We know that the benefits will be incalculable, but this is not a revolution that will be measured in square meters. Belonging to this network of centres allow us, among other things, to develop tools to manage the governance of technologies, have expert advice, make our leadership role visible, connect cutting-edge technology with local needs and make the country a more attractive destination for investment and business development.
At the Affiliate Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Colombia, located in Medellín, we focus on the development of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Internet Of Things, Robotics and Smart Cities, and Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology.
From Medellín, where the first Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Latin America has been established, we will concentrate our work on three of the nine emerging technologies: (I) Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; (ii) Internet of Things, Robotics and Smart Cities, and (iii) Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology.
Our task will be to define the use of technology to improve government processes, close the inequality gap and contribute to the compliance on the challenges that are contemplated on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as quality education, gender equality, access to work, the sustainability of cities and alliances to achieve objectives, among others.
Beyond a technological revolution, we need a human talent revolution, an educational and social revolution that allows us to generate quality jobs and raise awareness about such important issues as equality, common welfare and the environment. This is our opportunity to prepare for change, adapt to it and generate value for our citizens.
In terms of investment, ACI Medellín closes 2019 with an exploratory mission to China. There, we had the opportunity to present our investment attraction strategy in three cities: Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijín.
In the last 12 years, ACI Medellín managed 2.5 billion dollars and 245 investment projects from more than 35 countries. China is the sixth country that invested the most in the city and the fourth in the generation of international business projects in the four years.
In Shanghai and Shenzhen, the tour focused on having one-on-one meetings with companies primarily from Industry 4.0. In Beijing, the Agency and Corporation Ruta N, together with ProColombia’s Commercial Office in China, managed to organize the event Why Medellin? where 35 entrepreneurs from different economic sectors learned about the commitments and projections of the capital of Antioquia in terms of investment.
“This is the first time we travel this far. We assume this challenge because we consider China a market that we want to know and for it to knows us. Currently, large Chinese companies believe in the city to expand their businesses, such as BYD, Tuya Smart, and Huawei. These success stories allowed us to reach this scenario strong and with proposals to make investors fall in love with the city,” said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, executive director of ACI Medellín.
By 2019, more than 180 American, Spanish, and Chinese entrepreneurs learned about Medellín’s strengths and capabilities for the installation of foreign companies.
Guided by the Presidential Agency for Cooperation of Colombia – APC Colombia, and under Colombia’s South-South Cooperation strategy with Africa, a delegation made up of delegates from Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia visited Medellín.
A delegation made up of 3 officials from national and local governments of African countries visits Colombia to learn about best practices related to the use of bicycles as a means of urban transport.
The mission was interested in knowing the implementation process of bicycles as a means of transportation, and how Medellín managed to promote healthy lifestyle habits through this program. The delegation held meetings in which the EnCicla public bicycle system, the Metro System, and INDER’s Healthy and Active Roads strategy were the main focus.
“I want to see what happens here in Medellin and how the city managed to do it. Our purpose is to implement similar programs in our city, and make cycling a form of transport and healthy training,” said Kejela Mekonen, leader of the pedestrians and cyclists strategy in the Office of Transportation Administration of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia.
ACI Medellín participated in the visit as the guarantor of the South-South cooperation exercise between the capital of Antioquia and the African cities.
Civil society organizations are institutions that contribute to the achievement of a common good, such as providing education to vulnerable populations, protecting children and adolescents, providing health services, addressing climate emergencies, improving quality of life of the elderly, promoting solutions to eradicate poverty, promoting culture and sports, protecting the environment, among hundreds of other causes.
On November 21, a large group of civil society organizations attended the event Medellín and its Allies.
ACI Medellín is conscious of the vital work of these organizations. In that sense, the agency held the event ‘Medellín and its Allies.’ The event opened with a conference focused on impact management and its indicators on behalf of Teresa Marcaida. Then, it continued to deliver five awards to organizations for their work on the SDGs.
The 2030 Agenda is based on five fundamental dimensions which include the most critical development goals for the planet. ACI Medellín chose to award the following organizations:
People Category: Marina Orth Foundation with the “4WARD STEM” project for its contribution to SDG 4: quality education. ACI Medellín highlights the relevance and trajectory in the social development programs of this project.
Planet Category: Salva Terra Foundation project “Maintaining mineralized agroecological gardens.” which impacts the performance of the ODS 12: production and responsible consumption.
Prosperity Category: Comité Privado de Asistencia a la Niñez – PAN [Private Child Assistance Committee], with its “Building the future” project, for its contribution to compliance with SDG 10: reducing inequalities by promoting scenarios for inclusion, equity, and prosperity.
Peace Category: Convivamos Corporation with the project “Urban women influencing on Peacebuilding,” for their contribution to SDG 16: peace, justice, and strong institutions.
Alliances Category: the Américas Foundation for its project “Operation Walk International – hip and knee prostheses,” contributing to the SDG 17: Partnerships to achieve the objectives.
“The SDGs are the roadmap to achieve a more peaceful, safer, and sustainable world. Besides acknowledging social sector organizations, we wanted to share knowledge about the importance of measuring the results of the programs and projects for the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda,” said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, Executive Director of ACI Medellín.
“Evaluation is the only way to guarantee that organizations fulfill their mission and objectives to improve the society in which we live,” said Teresa Marcaida, an international consultant expert in impact measurement.
As part of its strategy to strengthen relations with local allies in international cooperation, ACI Medellín opens this space to contribute to the capacities of the city’s civil society organizations and to recognize their role in the materialization of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Organizations in the social sector will take the spotlight of this event
The event called Medellín and its allies, organized by ACI Medellín, will take place on November 21 from 7:30 a.m. at Novotel El Tesoro hotel. Organizations in the social sector will meet to learn about impact measurement methodologies, share successful projects, and recognize each other’s progress in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The event will hold a conference/workshop by the Spanish consultant Teresa Marcaida, an expert in impact measurement methodologies. This will be an opportunity for attendees to learn about practical cases of measurement to implement in their daily work.
Also, the event will close with the recognition of five social organizations for their effort and contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals in the categories: people, prosperity, planet, alliances, and peace.
The organizations that will receive the mention submitted their programs to ACI Medellín and were evaluated and analyzed by a jury who reviewed their work and made the decision based on the results and their trajectory.
“Medellín and its allies” is a space to ratify the commitment of ACI Medellín to social sector organizations, indispensable actors in the development of the city and communities.
About Teresa Marcaida:
She is an International Consultant on Impact Measurement under the LBG methodology of the London Benchmarking Group and ONLBG. She has a BSc in Economics from the Royal Holloway University of London. Also, Marcaida holds a master’s in International Affairs from the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (Madrid) and Georgetown University (Washington DC); a master’s in international Cooperation and Public Policy Management, and a Master in Development of Programs and Projects of the Ortega y Gasset University Research Institute (Madrid).
She currently combines her professional work as a consultant on impact measurement at MAS Business, with the management of the projects department of the NGO Living Meki.
In recent months, major companies in the retail, fashion, beauty, and mass consumption sector arrived in Medellín and the Metropolitan Area for the first time. Others expanded their network of stores and shops in the city, as part of their growth plan in Colombia and Latin America.
Medellín and the Metropolitan Area become stronger as attractive destinations for the installation of major international retail, fashion, and beauty brands.
European, Asian, and Latin American companies bet on the local market and the region’s capabilities, such as the stability of its economy and the elimination of entry barriers. International brands such as Miniso, OBoticario, H&M, Tumi, and Falabella arrived in the city, generating jobs and connecting the customers with the rest of the world.
The potential of the local market, its economic stability, and its incentives to promote investment are the main reasons for these companies to keep arriving in the city.
For instance, Falabella is one of the companies that decided to expand its network of stores in the city, after its first opening in 2007. The Chilean retail company opened its third store in Medellín in the Arkadia shopping center. With this store, Falabella responds to sustainability standards in buildings and also develops a social responsibility program called “Making School,” in which they sponsor an educational institution located in its area of influence. With this school, there are already three educational institutions supported by the company in the city and 28 in the country. The program consists of the adaptation of facilities, volunteering of its employees, and welfare activities for the community.
Falabella has 26 stores in Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, Pereira, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Villavicencio, Ibagué, Bucaramanga, and Manizales. It generates more than 4,600 direct jobs and impacts more than 29,000 children. and young people in their educational environment.
The impact of international brands boosts local employment and develops social responsibility actions with communities.
The Bilingual Job Fair 2019 will be on November 13 from noon until 8:00 pm at Plaza Mayor in Conference room A + B. Medellín will have its first free and qualified bilingual job fair with vacancy offers to fill jobs related to international audiences.
Currently, 84.6% of Medellín’s population is in working age (DANE). Therefore, the city must grant connection spaces between demand and vacancies to boost the economy and facilitate the generation of specialized employment.
This initiative led by joint work between the Colombo Americano institution and the Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce – AmCham, supported by ACI Medellín and the Secretariat of Economic Development will connect national and foreign companies with trained local talent.
The fair seeks to give people with English as a second language with access to current employment opportunities in Medellin and the Metropolitan Area for assistance, operational, and managerial positions in important local and multinational companies in different sectors.
The event has spaces for short interviews with potential candidates, to carry out sufficient interviews to fill the vacancies proposed. Also, the program will include some talks on basic topics such as making an effective resume in English and recommendations for a job interview.
People and companies interested in participating must fill out the registration form[ here ]
Newsweek recognized Medellín as one of the 25 smartest cities in the world in a ceremony held on October 22 at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta -United States-..
According to the Newsweek publication, 25 cities are the smartest of the world. Among Latin Americans, Medellín shares this recognition with Quito (Ecuador)..
The American media recognized the capital of Antioquia during the event called Momentum Awards 2019 for its advances in mobility, urban design, and technology at the service of citizens. The publication highlighted the social and urban transformation of the city after its violent past, and how today, it tilts its efforts towards science, technology, and innovation from its government plans.
“These are the cities that take action, and whose ongoing projects represent a real change for their population. Whether they integrate sustainable infrastructure, adopt intelligent approaches to mobility or use big data analysis to manage their legislative policies by improving the reality of the territory. Each city is doing something bold and unique” stated Nancy Cooper, Global editor in chief of Newsweek.
Newsweek is one of the most recognized magazines in the world with more than eight decades of trajectory, in which it has focused its efforts on telling stories so that readers understand the world we currently.
With an initial investment of more than $ 300,000,000, Acámica consolidates its educational offer in Colombia with agile and highly certified innovative methodologies.
“We chose Medellín because we consider it a central hub of innovation and technology in Latin America. The industries and talent of the future are being developed here, and that is why it is essential to deepen in the training in software development, artificial intelligence and data science” Tomás Escobar, CEO and co-founder of Acámica said.
Acamica will open spaces for more than 1,000 students in Medellín between 2019 and 2020.
Under the collaborative economy model, which at the same time proposes an immersive learning experience in real workspaces, the first in-person courses in Full Stack Web Development, UXU I Design and Data Science will take place in the facilities of leading IT companies such as Globant.
Acámica
It is a short-careers academy focused on training digital talent with an innovative methodology enhanced with its tools and a key differentiator: the association with leading companies such as Globant, IBM, Aerolab and Mercado Libre to create and certify the programs.
The Argentinian technology academy is one of the most important in Latin America and it will offer its online classes since the beginning of 2019 in Medellín. Their arrival in the city is part of a global expansion plan, which aims to train 10,000 professionals in technology in Latin America by the year 2020.
After a busy day filled with exchanges and the participation of 650 attendees in the IV International Conference of Learning Cities UNESCO 2019, several challenges became evident in the implementation of practices that benefit the entire population, especially those at a disadvantage such as at-risk youth, immigrants, the elderly, the digitally excluded population and people with disabilities.
The Medellín Manifesto is a result of the IV International Conference on Learning Cities 2019 which seeks to promote inclusion as a primary principle of learning.
Therefore, the Medellín Manifesto was adopted to overcome these challenges and work for population inclusion, and a fund was created under the multi-donor financing modality to support lifelong learning programs in cities of all continents. This strategy will be applied from 2019 to 2021 to strengthen the Network, create knowledge, and develop learning policies and instruments which allow the creation of capacities that will reach the population effectively.
The biggest challenge of the cities around the world is to define how lifelong learning policies and practices should contribute to the inclusion of the most vulnerable populations
Medellín, a success story
During the event, 10 cities received the 2019 Learning City Award in recognition of their best practices for the quality of education and the creation of lifelong learning opportunities: Aswan (Egypt), Chengdu (People’s Republic of China), Heraklion (Greece), Ibadan (Nigeria), Medellín (Colombia), Melitopol (Ukraine), Petaling Jaya (Malaysia), Santiago (Mexico), Seodaemun-gu (Republic of Korea) and Sonderborg (Denmark).
The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and the Medellín Mayor’s Office jointly organized the conference.
Medellín is an international benchmark and its Green Corridors project earned it the C40 Bloomberg Philanthropies Award, an international award granted to seven cities for demonstrating its leadership in climate action.
This award was presented during the C40 Mayors World Summit held in Copenhagen (Denmark), between October 9 and 12.
“It is our pleasure to award these seven cities for their formidable work on reducing pollutant emissions, cleaning the air, and protecting people’s health. Their efforts will help drive more climate change actions around the world” said the Chairman of the C40 Board, special envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Climate Action and former mayor of New York, Michael R. Bloomberg.
The capital of Antioquia stood out of 26 finalists who presented impressive initiatives in the fight against climate change at the local level.
The C40 Bloomberg Philanthropies awarded the project in The Resilient Future We Want category.
“Medellín is committed to this change, and we greatly value your vote of confidence. This recognition reaffirms our promise to move towards the construction of a sustainable, inclusive, equitable city with opportunities for everyone,” said the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.
C40 Cities connects 94 of the world’s largest cities to undertake bold climate action and leads the way towards a healthier and more sustainable future. It represents more than 700 million citizens and a quarter of the global economy.
The mayors of the C40 cities pledge to meet the most ambitious objectives of the Paris Agreement at the local level, as well as to clean the air. The current president is the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo. The three times mayor of New York, Michael R. Bloomberg, is the Chairman of the Board.
Bloomberg Philanthropies works in 480 cities in more than 120 countries around the world. The organization focuses on five key areas: arts, education, environment, government innovation, and public health.
About Green Corridors
The Green Corridors of Medellín is a project which includes the planting of trees, shrubs, palms, and covers in an environmental network that connects streams, hills, parks, and roads. It is part of the strategy A Greener Medellín for You, which consolidates an ecological system consisting of 18 road axes, 12 stream basins and the Nutibara, El Volador, and La Asomadera hills. This project estimates to reduce up to two degrees Celsius the ambient temperature, also to decrease the effect of heat islands, to capture particulate material and improve the air quality, among others.
This award contributes to the international positioning of Medellín and its best practices.
The mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez, receiving the award.
Cork and Medellín sign a MOU to strengthen the exchange of initiatives in education and improve cooperation on learning issues. Both cities belong to the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
On October 2, the mayor of Medellín Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga and the mayor of Cork Lord Mayor Councillor John Sheehan signed a memorandum of understanding to promote collaboration as members of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities to share best practices in lifelong education, adult education, continuing education, literacy, and non-basic education formal.
Both cities undertake to implement the policies of UNESCO’s Learning Cities set forth in the Beijin Declaration (2013) for the creation of Learning Cities and the promotion of inclusion, prosperity and sustainability; the Manifesto of Mexico City (2015) for the construction of Sustainable Learning Cities; and the Fundamental Characteristics of Learning Cities , which provide a complete list with the measures to improve and measure the progress of learning cities and recognize the progress made by member cities; and the Cork Call to Action (2017) to implement lifelong learning strategies in Learning Cities.
Cork has committed to an action plan to consolidate initiatives as a lifelong-learning city based on political leadership and recognition of the potential of urban and rural communities
Cork and Medellin commit to promoting inclusive learning from elementary to higher education, promote learning in families and communities, facilitate learning in the workplace, expand the use of new technologies, improve quality and excellence of learning, and fostering a lifelong learning culture.
Cork and Medellín are committed to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 4 and SDG 11, to promote equitable, inclusive, green and healthy living environments
This memorandum of understanding entered into force upon the signature of both leaders and will last for three years.
Medellín (Colombia), Sep 9 (EFE) .- Colombia was recognized as a world leader in the orange economy during a summit of creative industries held on Monday in Medellin (northwest) and in which experts addressed issues such as the intellectual property, artificial intelligence, and new media.
The first Orange Economy Summit, organized by the Advanced Leadership Foundation (ALF) together with the Presidency and the Medellín Mayor’s Office, opened its discussions with the conviction that this sector “is not something of the future, it is a reality.”
“There is no doubt, we are facing a historic moment in this country. It’s the time of the creativity-based economy,” said the president of ALF, Juan Verde, during his speech.
He says Colombia is the only country in the world that, besides designing a policy to foster the creative economy, set it as a national strategy and priority.
“It is becoming a benchmark for the world in orange economy, a role model because it makes sense to bet on dynamic and competitive sectors of the future,” said the executive.
In that sense, he highlighted the Commune 13 of Medellín with practices such as the Graffitour, a tour which tells the transformation story of a vulnerable area through painting and music.
“It is an example of how the orange economy makes sense. Sending tourists to the favelas, to the communes, to poorer neighborhoods of the city with a cultural offer,” said Verde.
On the impact of the summit, which began with 1,200 attendees and 300 Colombian leaders to be trained, he said that his model is “unique in the world” because it will train experts “capable of changing the future of Colombia and the world.”
The director of the Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín (ACI), Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, said that the sector is an opportunity for the development of the city, so the entity worked for it to be carried out in the capital of Antioquia.
“The orange economy is a gateway to the economic development of Medellin, an opportunity to create new international connections that will boost employment generation and quality of life from other perspectives of creative knowledge,” he added.
In turn, the Colombian Foreign Minister, Carlos Holmes Trujillo, said that the “economies of the future” will be based on knowledge, so research and innovation should be understood as “development instruments that contribute substantially to accelerate economic growth and decrease inequity. ”
He pointed out that in Colombia the activities related to the orange economy are equivalent to 3.4% of the GDP and said that the courage of these industries has allowed an economic recovery in the challenge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Finally, and with the objective that the city continues to grow in that industry, the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez, presented “Ruta Naranja”, a creative district that will seek to strengthen the ecosystem of art and culture in the city that will join the center of innovation and technology Ruta N. EFE
The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area -ACI Medellín- will present in Madrid and Barcelona the advantages that Medellín has for the attraction of foreign companies. In both cities, the Executive Director, Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, will be in charge of presenting the offer of the city for new investors and business opportunities in infrastructure, competitiveness, renewable energy, industries 4.0 , creative industries, agribusiness, chemicals, and life sciences.
In September, Madrid and Barcelona will host the next Why Medellín? events. This is an opportunity to publicize the city’s strengths as a business destination.
The first meeting with the entrepreneurs will be in Madrid on Tuesday, September 17 at 9:00 am, in the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations [CEOE in Spanish], Carlos Ferret Salat hall (Diego de León, 50-28006, Madrid). CEOE and Procolombia are key allies for the positioning of Colombia and convening Spanish entrepreneurs.
For its part, the Agency for the competitiveness of the company – ACCIÓ and Foment del Treball will provide support in Barcelona. The meeting will be on Thursday, September 19 at 9:00 am at the Renaissance Barcelona Hotel – Ametista Hall (Pau Claris, 122, 08009, Barcelona).
With this investment attraction strategy, ACI Medellín seeks to strengthen relations with Spanish businessmen and allies.
Spain is a representative country in the dynamics of foreign direct investment in the world. According to trends for this year, it is among the top 10 countries with the most investment projects in the world. Regarding investment in Colombia, Spain was in fourth place in 2018. Specifically, in Medellín, it is among the top 15 with the highest investment participation, which is why ACI Medellín seeks to strengthen relations and continue with a dynamic favorable to business between both countries.
This year, the event was held in the United States in the cities of Miami, Austin and San Francisco, and now continues in Europe.
Those entrepreneurs interested in attending these Why Medellín? in Madrid and Barcelona are welcome, it is a free event for the business public.
The multinational Accenture choose Medellín to open its new NanoLabs facilities. It will allow the city to apply technologies such as Blockchain, Internet of things and Data Analytics, which will put it on a competitive spot along with countries like China, Israel, Ireland, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Between October and November, the company will start the operation of the NanoLabs at the Ruta N facilities, a place where they have been operating since April 2018 and from which it plans to collaborate with the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The one in Medellín will be connected to the global network, which will make the city a reference for the region.
“We are sure that as long as our city is connected to the world, works to generate technological advances, seeks to advance in the development of clean energies and increase business competitiveness, we will be able to build a better Medellín,” said mayor Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.
The decision of installing the NanoLabs in the city, responds to the world’s interest in Medellín’s public policies to favor the development of a technology-and-innovation-based industry as well as its support for business growth and human talent.
“Now, with the opening of the Nano Laboratory within the Center of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Medellín, we are sure that we will be able to grow in global competitiveness,” said Accenture President Marco Ribas.
The Nano Lab is a space to inspire and guide with avant-garde innovations through new technologies and other emerging ones, also, developments in artificial intelligence, digital experiences, systems, platforms, cybersecurity, among others, will be enhanced. The laboratory will be connected with iNNpulsa Colombia to strengthen the country’s enterprises in these areas. This joins 25 Nano Labs around the world.
“The objective is to make Medellín a regional engine of innovation as part of a global network promoted by the World Economic Forum, and generate over 2,000 jobs with high added value and level of knowledge in the next five years,” the local leader said.
Foreign companies set their eyes on Medellín.
Thanks to the management of the Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellín, the city ranked fourth in attracting foreign investment in fDi Intelligence’s ranking of future American cities in the category Foreign Direct Investment Strategy.
New York, Chicago, and Montreal are the top three on the list. Medellín is the first Latin American city in the ranking. The publication highlights the privileged position for the significant investment in creative industries, infrastructure, construction, tourism, textiles, health services and industries 4.0.
The ACI Medellín spoke with Matthieu Tenenbaum, president of Renault Sofasa, about the 50 years that have elapsed since July 2nd of 1969, when the French company arrived in Colombia to found it’s assembler, today a pioneer in the region and a leader in the export market in Latin America.
In the corporate world, turning fifty is such a milestone ¿what is the balance of these years?
For Renault Sofasa it’s a great success, we’re very happy to celebrate 50 years here in Colombia. It’s many years, good years leaving a mark in the country with our vehicles, some iconic ones that stand in the heart of Colombians. We’re pleased to be both a French and Colombian company. It has been good years were we shown our capacity to overcome difficulties and go beyond. We are now market leaders also in exportation and production. It’s 50 years celebrated with very good news.
In 2018 Renault had a share of 58.6% on the electric car segment, ¿How is Renault projected on renewable energy?
Renault is a world pioneer of electric mobility since 2011 by launching one of the first vehicles of this type. In Colombia, we were also pioneers in 2014 with Twizy and Kangoo, and since last year, we have placed ZEO as the crown jewel of electric vehicles. Thanks to that we are almost at 60% participation. As we see it, the market is growing, almost doubling every year. We’ll bring more technology and more models. Being pioneers is a duty we have and we will continue to target this technology.
¿How has Renault felt the Colombian market and economy?
The trend of the economy it’s in a rebound stage, we’re better than past years. The markets have dropped since 2014 and last year it had a rise, which was good news. It’s not growing that much yet, it’s below our expectations but the economy it’s looking well, we’re working to develop an industrial strategy in Colombia because the assembly network needs quality providers with new technologies and local and foreign funding to grow all the industrial chains. We’re on a good moment, it’s needed to keep working towards the improvement of the automobile industry.
¿How does Renault Sofasa projects in 10 years?
We want sustainable leadership in the market. Our vision it’s set on the industrial leadership which means investing in the plant to be at the highest technology level and remain competitive. We also transform the country’s industry, so as leaders, it’s decisive to strengthen the industries providers. But the most important of our business is, as I call it, “being leaders of the people”. The culture at Sofasa it’s strong when it comes to taking care of our people, our most vital patrimony. We’ll keep working for their well being, enrichment and to remain market leaders.
The Coffee Cluster of Medellín and Antioquia prepares the third edition of Café Fine Experience, a space for knowledge and relationship of local and international actors in the coffee chain.
More than 300 attendees, participation of producers from the townships of Medellín and Antioquia regions and the intervention of international experts.
The cluster strategy of Medellín and Antioquia prioritizes the most outstanding activities in the region and works to generate economic development strategies in the hands of the public and private sector to promote the opening of markets, the generation of employment and the ability to integrate actors of the productive chains.
The production of this grain is one of the activities with the greatest history in the department which now takes place in Medellín and its townships, becoming the first agricultural product produced in the city. Consequently, 520 coffee growers will participate in this event, out of which, more than 60% are from San Sebastián de Palmitas and others in sectors such as La Sierra, Santo Domingo Savio, San Antonio de Prado, Santa Elena, Belén and the commune 13.
Therefore, to materialize this strategy, the cluster hosts the Coffee Fine Experience. It is a specialized space for the transfer of knowledge and relations for different actors in the coffee chain in which they can identify new foreign and local suppliers, customers, and investments.
International speakers
This year, Cofee Fine Experience will be on August 28 and 29 at the El Poblado Business Center of the Medellin Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia. It will bring experts from renowned international companies in the sector who will provide local entrepreneurs with tools for innovation, sustainability, and positioning of coffee:
Daniela Nowitzki – expert trainer from Probat (Germany), a company leader in machinery for processing and roasting coffee.
Carlos Isaza – manager of the program Colombian coffee of the Solidaridad Network, an international non-profit organization with more than 45 years of experience worldwide in the development of sustainable value chains.
Floy Andrews – co-founder and CEO of Coro Coffee Room (United States). A company specialized in the collaborative roasting of coffee for businessmen and entrepreneurs in the production chain.
Nicole Pilz – sales manager for Europe of Ally Coffee (Germany). A global company dedicated to creating opportunities around coffee businesses.
Jack Huang – Taiwan Cupping Champion in 2018 and Commercial Director of Amativo China.
