Renault Sofasa it’s turning 50 in Colombia

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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.

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Clúster de café Medellín y Antioquia

The Coffee Cluster of Medellín y Antioquia works for the specialization of the production chain

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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.
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RWS Moravia

A Czech company from the industry 4.0 sets its eye on Medellín

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RWS Moravia is a Czech company devote to industries 4.0 which offers translation services adapted to the markets of each country, language localization and multilingual technology for large companies in the world. ACI Medellín received its representatives, who were interested in knowing the city as an investment destination to establish their second corporate facilities in Latin America.

After being a successful business model in Europe, China, and the United States, RWS Moravia opened a market in Latin America by arriving first in Argentina, and now explores its possibilities in Medellín.

Besides its headquarters in the Czech Republic, the company has offices in China, the West Coast of the United States, and Argentina. Also, they decided to widen up their area of influence, which is why they began a search process, looking for a city with economic stability, institutional support, a significant population, and talent in the areas of technology and languages.

“At the end, coming to Medellín was more attractive because it is a very well-connected city, it has the profiles we are looking for with skills in languages and English, but also, the ecosystem around the fourth industrial revolution. As an investor, this was an impressive reason when deciding to come here, it was one of the most important aspects for our decision,” says Katherine Berezowskyj, economic development manager of RWS Moravia.

Created in the 1990s in the Czech Republic, RWS Moravia has grown and expanded globally along with its customers, which are mainly large technology companies.

Currently, RWS Moravia is on a search for local talent of professionals with language skills and vast knowledge on technology and articulation with the actors that would help its installation in the short term. RWS Moravia expects to generate organic growth in Medellín through its performance in the city and by the hand of the supply and demand of its customers.

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Fahad Siddiqui el creador del modelo co-living visitó Medellín

Fahad Siddiqui, the creator of the co-living concept, visits Medellín

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In 2010, Fahad Siddiqui decided to start a business model based on temporary rentals for foreign students. In a short time, this pilot project changed from leasing and buying properties to develop them.

Co-living is a shared-housing trend similar to co-working in which each tenant rents their apartment but shares common spaces such as dining rooms, gyms, and workrooms, among others.

After his success in the U.K., the CEO of Casa Campus, decided to bet on the Latin American market. So, he arrived in Argentina in 2014 and then in Chile. Nowadays, this business serves not only to foreign students, but local and young professionals who pay for a package which includes utilities (water, electricity, etc.), cable, internet, cleaning, and property management.

Based on an international expansion plan, the partner and also founder of Casa Campus is in Colombia to evaluate our country as a possible investment destination. In Medellín, his work agenda included meetings with entities from the public, private, and academic sectors.

“We are here in Medellín to meet with local partners and carry out co-living projects. The city has very interesting audiences for us: students, businessmen, and tourists. Besides, the city is very beautiful,” Siddiqui said.

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WCS - Cumbre Mundial de Alcaldes

Cities are becoming increasingly fundamental in improving the quality of life of the planet. World Cities Summit

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“This is the most successful forum of mayors of them all” the executive director of the Center for Liveable Cities of Singapore, Khoo Teng Chye, said. “It’s been three incredible days. This is a very enriching experience which shows why Medellín was worthy of the Lee Kuan Yew Award. The city has shown the world its true face, a project characterized by citizen participation and social investment,” the director said.

300 leaders from 80 cities attended the summit which left new cooperation alliances, half a million dollars in economic benefits and the promotion of the transformation of Medellín in the international media.

In the 10th Mayors Forum of the World Cities Summit, the leaders signed a declaration where they commit to working for habitable and sustainable cities.

The tour on the commune 13 was full of expressions of admiration from the mayors and delegates participating in the World Cities Summit. Far from the protocol, they enjoyed music, art, gastronomy, and expressions of affection from the people of Medellín. The language was not a barrier to spontaneous conversations.

As requested by the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga, the Summit was also lived in the streets and with the citizens as a way to address the central theme of the meeting: the building of trust in the institutions from the projects of urban and social transformation.

“We want to thank the people of Medellín for being such great hosts. This meeting is a recognition of the city, its people, and its communities. As one of the mayors said, Medellín is a city with lots of charisma, and today we can say that we are in line with the global trend of building trust through citizen culture and inclusion,” said the local leader.

New cooperation alliances

Mayor Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga held meetings with his peers from Bilbao, Jakarta, Singapore, and Seoul; he signed a memorandum of understanding on sustainable mobility and economic development with the latter, which will give continuity to the work being done with the Ministry of Transport of South Korea and the largest international cooperation that Medellín has received to improve technology in sustainable mobility.

There were also parallel events such as the 30 young leader’s symposium; the session of the C40 group on sustainable mobility; the meeting of Asocapitales and the forum on technology and innovation of Ruta N, in addition to seven business rounds.

300 people of high political and institutional level from 80 cities around the world, including Seoul, Moscow, Jakarta, Delhi, Doha, South Miami, Panama, Chapeco, and Bilbao attended the event.60% of the international delegation comes from Asia and Africa.

The economic benefit for the city was half a million dollars. Occupation of 65% was registered in the hotels in which the visitors stayed, specifically due to the World Cities Summit.

Diverse cities with common challenges

Despite the geographical and cultural differences, the concerns of large cities are common: climate change, transport, public infrastructure, waste management, environmental sustainability, public services, joint work with citizens and the construction of trust.

In this sense, the leaders participating in the 10th Mayors Forum of the World Cities Summit signed a declaration where they commit to working for livable and sustainable cities to achieve public trust.

One of the main conclusions has to do with the responsibility of cities when taking action against climate change, promoting public and private transport systems with zero emissions and incorporating clean fuels.

This afternoon the participants of the Summit toured the Center of Medellín, the tramway of Ayacucho, and the Metrocable La Sierra. There, they will be able to witness the environmental urbanism implemented in the city and that which has allowed the decrease of the temperature in the city, as well as the reduction of emissions to the environment, thanks to the clean transport systems.

Medellín will be present at the next Summit to be held in Singapore on June 2020.

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Taller C40 cero emisiones

Mayor of Medellín Federico Gutierrez calls for Latin American cities to embrace zero-emission transport and lead the world on climate action

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During the World Cities Summit held in Medellín, Mayor Federico Gutierrez calls for Latin American cities to embrace zero-emission transport and lead the world on climate action.

Mr. Federico Gutierrez, Mayor of Medellin, said: “Our citizens have the right to breathe cleaner and healthier air. We, as mayors, are entrusted with the responsibility to work for the reduction of pollutant agents emissions in our territories. This is an invitation to all Latin American cities to join us on this journey. So together, we implement zero-emissions transportation systems and strategies that lead s to a cleaner future.”

This call to action comes as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Santiago, Chile announced their commitment to the C40 Green and Healthy Streets Declaration. The cities join 27 others including Medellín, Quito and Mexico City in committing to procure only zero-emission buses from 2025 and ensure that a major area of the city is zero emission by 2030. The policies are designed to fight air pollution, improve the quality of life for all citizens, and help take more climate action.

If all C40 cities meet the commitments of the Green & Healthy Streets Declaration and encourage more people out of their cars, it could prevent more than 45,000 premature deaths each year.

64 new electric buses will be on the streets of Medellín by August 2019, creating the largest fleet of electric buses in Colombia.

Santiago de Chile is already a world leader in electric transport, now home to over 200 zero-emissions buses on the streets of the Metropolitan Region and with 183 more due to be introduced in August.

In Rio, transport is responsible for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions and over 75% of the highly dangerous pollutants in the air that cause lung and heart disease, early deaths and hospital admissions. Taking action on transport in Rio will vastly improve the public health of citizens and ensure their right to breathe clean air in the city.

Mark Watts, C40 Executive Director, said:
“Air pollution caused by petrol and diesel vehicles is responsible for the early deaths of millions of people in cities around the world. Emissions from these vehicles are also contributing to the climate crisis that threatens us all. By committing to the Green and Healthy Streets Declaration Medellin, Rio and Santiago are ensuring a healthier and more sustainable future for their citizens and contributing to the global leadership of mayors in fighting climate breakdown.”

Alongside the WCS, the City of Medellín in partnership with C40 Cities and Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) will host a workshop for city officials to explore how cities can deliver sustainable mobility and zero-emission areas in their cities.

C40 Cities is working with other Latin American cities to address climate change, including in Bogotá, where the C40 Cities Finance Facility is working with the city to create a brand new ‘Quinto Centenario’ Bikeway, stretching 25 km and supporting 34,000 bicycle trips during peak hours. Investment in cycling in Bogotá has resulted in more than 150,000 extra trips by bike every day in 2018. Over the past two years, the city’s network of bike lanes has increased by 80km.

Notes:

About the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group
Around the world, C40 Cities connects 96 of the world’s greatest cities to take bold climate action, leading the way towards a healthier and more sustainable future. Representing 700+ million citizens and one-quarter of the global economy, mayors of the C40 cities are committed to delivering on the most ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement at the local level, as well as to cleaning the air we breathe. The current chair of C40 is Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, and three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the Board, and the Mayor of Medellín, Mr. Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga is a member of the Board and one of the Representatives of Latin America. C40’s work is made possible by our three strategic funders: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and Realdania.

To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit our website.

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The 10th World Cities Summit Mayors Forum started today in Medellín

The 10th World Cities Summit Mayors Forum started today in Medellín

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Executive Director of Singapur’s Centre For Liveable Cities Khoo Teng Chye and The Mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez, officially inagurated the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum that will be held in the city with the participation of over 200 leaders from all regions of the world.

According to the representative of Singapore, Khoo Teng Chye, the mayors and leaders attending the Forum will discuss the main urban challenges and share the best practices of their governments, all which help to build trust in cities and institutions, and how cities must plan economic and environmental security.

The event will bring together over 200 participants from around the world, including mayors, city leaders, and senior leaders from the industry and international organisations, with representatives from all regions of the world.

“We are very happy to hold the tenth edition of the Forum in this city that is an example of social innovation for the world. I know that many of us will be surprised by the level of development that Medellín has achieved in the last 20 years. We could not have chosen a better city for this meeting”, added Khoo Teng Chye, Executive Director for Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities.

Mayor Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga highlighted the importance of the Mayors Forum that will allow Medellín to continue working hand in hand with other mayors of the world to have cities with a better quality of life.

“We are the cities that have to take on the most important actions in the face of the main global challenges that the planet has today. Today the most important is climate change. There are 1’961,969 cities in the world and most of the climate change summits are attended only by heads of state. But it is from the local level where actions must be generated to positively impact air quality and reduce pollution and deforestation”, said Mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

During the Forum, participants will learn about the urban and social transformation of Medellín through the tours of Comune 13 San Javier, Comune 10 La Candelaria and Comune 8 Villa Hermosa.

“The relationship with Singapore is a long-term relationship that we will continue to strengthen. This meeting is not only important for the city but also for the country and the entire region. Investors have been looking for opportunities in our country”, added Mayor Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

It is expected that the central and parallel events generate advances both in international cooperation for the city and for businessmen, and future commercial agreement opportunities. There will be delegations from cities around the world, especially from Asia; and there will be prominent businessmen with whom there will be seven business rounds.

Participants of the Forum will get to know Medellín’s social and urban transformation by visiting some of the city’s comunes.

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Holberton, la academia de programación de Silicon Valley, abre campus en Medellín

Holberton, a programming academy from Silicon Valley, opens its new campus in Medellín

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Holberton, from Silicon Valley, launches its program on July 10 at 5:30 pm in the auditorium of the Museum of Modern Art.

Medellín, June 8, 2019 – Founded in 2015 by members of companies such as Docker, Apple, and LinkedIn, Holberton uses a project-based methodology and peer-to-peer learning to train people in software development in a two-year intensive program.

“Nowadays, Medellín hosts the center for the fourth industrial revolution and the cluster of digital businesses, so we set ourselves to train professionals capable of competing with any other city in the world referent in terms of technology. We believe in the potential of Colombian talent and the ability of this type of programs to boost the development of the country,” said Hernando Barreto, director of Holberton School in Colombia.

The Lumni Impact Fund, the startup Rappi, and the Torre business group are investors with 690 million pesos to finance the training of students. Also, Comfama, PSL, Socialatom Ventures and Coderise joined forces with this academy in the country.

The academy has open registrations for its term starting on September in all its offices in Colombia.

About Holberton School

With campuses in San Francisco (California), New Haven (Connecticut), Bogota, Medellín (Colombia), and soon Tunisia (Africa), Holberton trains software engineers using a disruptive teaching method based on projects and peer-to-peer learning. This academic alternative is free until the graduates find work.

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Sun Yu-li, uno de los artistas más importantes de Singapur llega a Medellín

Sun Yu-li, one of the most important artists in Singapore arrives in Medellín

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Within the framework of the World Cities Summit, held in Medellín from July 10 to 12, the artist Sun Yu-li makes a gift to the city: 16 totems and a mural in the corridor of Calle 10. The artistic construction of the works will involve the participation of 10 children of the Bueno Comienzo Program and young members of the Youth Ministry programs.

The artist has expressed his interest in making this experience an opportunity to connect Medellín and Singapore as cities which seek to positively impact the lives of their citizens.

Sun Yu-li, uno de los artistas más importantes de Singapur llega a Medellín

One of the main activities of the World Cities Summit will be the gift of the Singaporean artist, Sun Yu-li, to Medellín, a beautiful legacy of his artistic production evoking the ties that connect Singapore and Medellín as flagship cities in Asia and Latin America for its urban and social development.

The artist will work with children and young people from Medellín to interact with them and make this experience an essential seal of both cities as a legacy of this World Summit.

Sun Yu-li will work in the following spaces and places:

  • Tuesday, July 9 from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.Calle 10, El Poblado.
  • Wednesday, July 10 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Plaza Mayor Medellín.
  • Thursday, July 11 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Mural Delivery Ceremony on the 10th.

Brief bio.

Sun Yu-Li is an architect at the Tung-Hai University of Taiwan, Master of Architecture at the Catholic University of America and Master of Urban Planning at the University of Illinois, United States. He is a member of the Board of the International Young Artists Exchange (IYAE), director of the Square of Sculptures in Singapore and advisor to the Sculpture Society of Singapore since 2001.

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Metro

Medellín’s internationalization model will be socialized in Barcelona

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Medellín will be one of the cities presenting its experience in the International Strategies in Metropolitan Areas event. The entity in charge of representing the city will be ACI Medellín, due to its trajectory in the internationalization of the capital of Antioquia.

Between July 4 and 5, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona – AMB, together with the Institute of International Studies – IBEI and the Center for International Affairs – CIDOB, both entities based in Barcelona, will host the International Strategies in Metropolitan Areas event.

Since 2018, Medellín and its metropolitan area are study cases for these entities. With the help of ACI Medellín, they identified the success factors and lessons learned of the city in terms of internationalization. For this, ACI Medellín was invited to present the results of this research at the event, along with four other cities: Durban (South Africa), Montreal (Canada), Seoul (South Korea) and Vienna (Austria).

At the end of the presentations, the participant cities will have the opportunity to discuss key elements in their internationalization strategies in a workshop led by the Euro-Latin American Alliance of Cooperation among Cities -AL-LAs – international network Medellín joined on 2013).

“ACI Medellín considers these spaces a vote of confidence because these same cities and territories are those which today see us as a benchmark for internationalization. This undoubtedly guarantees that cooperation and foreign investment consider Medellín as a good partner,” said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, executive director of the Agency.

 

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Medellín is awarded by the Ashden 2019

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The 30 Green Corridors project won at the 2019 Ashden Awards in the category Cooling for People for its contributions to improve the thermal sensation of Medellín. This is the first time Ashden opens this category, an to do it, they joined world-renowned organizations such as Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL).

The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellín together with the Secretariats of Environment and Physical Infrastructure, led the application process for the award, thus contributing to the international positioning of Medellín and its best practices.

Ashden is a British charity which defends and supports sustainable energy leaders to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon world. On June 26, they recognized the 30 Green Corridors project as the absolute winner in the category Cooling for People through its social networks.

The award ceremony will be held within the framework of the first Week of Climate Action in London on July 3 at the Royal Geographical Society. Mary Robinson, the first woman to hold the presidency of Ireland and defender of human rights associated with the concept of climate justice, will preside the event.

The 30 Green Corridors project was selected for its contribution to the relief of heat stress in the city and it stood out from other world experiences such as Addis Ababa (Capital of Ethiopia) and the City of Singapore.

“Medellín is a city which has overcome countless challenges. At this moment, caring for the environment and our air quality are two crucial issues we are facing. Structural solutions such as the Green Corridors are a strong commitment to improving the lives of our citizens. We are very excited that Ashden selected us and to be a benchmark for sustainability for the world,” said the Mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

About Green Corridors:

The project consists of planting trees, shrubs, palms, and green cover in an environmental network which connects: streams, hills, parks, and roads.
The Green Corridors are part of the strategy A greener Medellín for you, which consolidates an ecological network consisting of 18 roadways, 12 river basins and the Nutibara, El Volador and La Asomadera hills.
The Green Corridors offer a variety of ecosystem services, among which are the following:

  •  An estimated reduction up to 2°C of the environment temperature.
  •  The decrease of the heat island effect.
  •  The capture of particulate matter, improving air quality.
  •  The improvement of conditions for the conservation of biodiversity and the increase in the types of flora species.
  •  The consolidation of an ecological network which allows the generation of new city scenarios, through the recovery and programmed sowing, the greening and modeling of the landscape within the framework of the man – ecosystem relationship.
  •  The prioritization of the safety of pedestrians facilitating their mobility on crosswalks through planters and sidewalks.
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Medellín destacada por el Observatorio para la Innovación del Sector Público de la OCDE

OECD included two best practices of Medellín in its Observatory of Public Sector Innovation

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The Observatory of Public Sector Innovation – OPSI of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development – OECD- highlighted MEData and Día Blanco, two best practices of Medellín for their innovation and inspiration in the promotion of research on open government trends.

ACI Medellín, the Administrative Department of Municipal Planning and the Secretariat of Citizen Participation of the Medellín Mayor’s Office, carried out the application of these initiatives to the OPSI platform of the OECD, thus contributing to the international positioning of Medellín and its best practices.

MEData is Medellín’s commitment to an intelligent government, which allows the opening, appropriation, and use of public data for decision-making. It is the only open government data strategy in the country which promotes and encourages the use of data by citizens, with a different approach based on their capacities and needs.

On the other hand, Día Blanco [White Day] promotes the creation of trusting bonds and legitimacy among communities. This innovative experience has mobilized more than 35,000 citizens in the last 3 years through social accountability exercises where local and community organizations inform their communities about their management and impact on local development.

OPSI is a global forum for public sector innovation that works with governments to encourage them to use new approaches and address complex societal problems through tools, connections, and training for public servants.

Colombia joined the OECD in 2018, in other words, the country earned a space to exchange best practices between member countries, among other benefits.

To learn more about these initiatives and visit the Observatory consult the following links: MEData and Día Blanco.

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Según el ranquin fDi Intelligence del Financial Times, Medellín ocupa el cuarto lugar en estrategia de atracción de inversión extranjera

Medellín ranks fourth amongst the top American Cities of the Future in terms of Foreign Investment Strategy

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Medellín is fourth in the ranking of American Cities of the Future by fDi Intelligence in the category foreign direct investment strategy. fDi Intelligence is a global market intelligence service specialized in investment, promotion, and economic development, of the British magazine Financial Times.

Download the complete report [here]

The ranking seeks to highlight the most promising cities in terms of foreign investment based on the analysis of global market attraction data from the specialized firm fDi.

New York, Chicago, and Montreal are the top three on the list and Medellín is the first Latin American city in the ranking.

The article highlights Medellín’s privileged position due to its significant investment in creative industries, infrastructure, construction, tourism, textiles, health services and industries 4.0; also for its tax incentives as a stimulus from local government and its commitment to the development of film production, since it is the only city in Colombia with a film commission.

ACI Medellín and the Secretariat of Economic Development have undertaken an articulated work to encourage the attraction of foreign investment, the promotion of Medellín as an investment destination, and the strengthening of the capacities of the different sectors of development.

 “Es un gran orgullo para Medellín. La inversión extranjera directa llega a nuestra ciudad porque hemos logrado construir confianza. Hemos tejido una relación estrecha, basada en los propósitos comunes con el sector empresarial, el académico y la ciudadanía”, destacó el Alcalde, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

El estudio resalta la labor de la Agencia de Cooperación e Inversión y el Área Metropolitana, ACI Medellín, como entidad promotora y facilitadora de la atracción de inversión extranjera directa en la ciudad, en estrecha colaboración con diferentes cámaras de comercio del país y Procolombia.

“We received this recognition as a commitment which invites us to continue strengthening the city’s articulation strategies and the actions to attract foreign investment into the city. This is reflected in the generation of qualified employment, dynamization of the different economic sectors of the city for the improvement of the economic development and quality of life of our inhabitants” Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga, Mayor of Medellín, said.

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Medellín, sobresalió por su compromiso con la movilidad sostenible en Latam Mobility

Medellín stood out for its commitment to Sustainable Mobility in Latam Mobility

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Between June 4 and 5, Medellín hosted the third Latin American Meeting on Sustainable Mobility Latam Mobility Summit 2019. This event was attended by more than 450 Latin American leaders. They discussed and designed strategies for the future of mobility in the region.

Betting on comprehensive electric mobility which involves different public and private actors is one of the goals of Medellín towards the implementation of environmentally friendly transportation systems.

Latam Mobility was the ideal stage for Medellín to present, from the voice of its mayor, how the city conceives mobility from the perspectives of sustainability and social inclusion: “the future of cities depends on how we move and, in that sense, Medellín understood that besides physical infrastructure and the use of clean technologies, public transport systems allow transforming territories with social investment,” the mayor said.

The city aims to privilege pedestrians and promote the use of bicycles; to the modernization of public transport and the use of clean technologies.

The local leader highlighted the vision of Medellín, that of becoming the capital of electric mobility in Latin America and its link to the international network of cities C40 (Climate Leadership Group), for which he serves as vice president for his leadership in climate change.

Latam Mobility Summit 2019, also featured presentations by prominent public representatives such as the Minister of Mines and Energy of Colombia, María Fernanda Suárez and the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ricardo Lozano. Likewise, executives of companies from the energy and automotive sectors and experts in sustainable mobility met in panels to address this issue and strengthen business synergies for the development of Colombian and Latin American cities.

The organizers of Latam Mobility confirmed their interest in returning to Medellín by 2020.

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Por qué Medellín en San Francisco

Medellín promotes foreign investment in San Francisco, California

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On Monday, June 3, Ruta N and ACI Medellín will host the event Why Medellín? at WeWork’s facilities in San Francisco, United States. These spaces seek to show the strengths of the city as a destination for the investment of companies devoted to science, technology, and innovation.

It will be a good opportunity to make Medellín known as the ideal city for the installation of foreign companies.

Next Monday, June 3, Medellín will be in the spotlight of investors in the facilities of WeWork San Francisco: 600 California Street, 11th floor. This will be a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs interested in investing in the city to know the advantages Medellín offers for the installation of foreign companies.

Together with Ruta N, ACI Medellín will also carry out a networking workshop aimed to strengthen the bonds of Medellín with important technology and innovation companies.

In addition to the capabilities offered by the city for new investors, the recent opening of the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution will be another topic of interest to raise awareness during the realization of the event.

Entrepreneurs are welcome to attend this Why Medellin? in San Francisco, it is a free event and open to the business public. Registration at the following link: [ click ]

Por qué Medellín en San Francisco

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Latam Mobility en Medellín

Medellín, a Latin American hub of Sustainable Mobility

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The capital of Antioquia will host the 3rd Latin American Meeting of Sustainable Mobility, the Latam Mobility Summit 2019. The mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez and the Minister of Mines and Energy of Colombia, María Fernanda Suárez will be present at the event.

More than 60 national and international entities support the event, such as UN Environment, ProColombia, FIA, FIM, and ACI Medellín, among others.

According to the UN, ” transport produces a quarter of gas emissions that cause climate change. Which is why the development of sustainable mobility systems will be crucial to meet the 2030 Agenda and its 17 objectives.” Based on this, nearly 300 Latin American leaders will meet to discuss and design strategies for the future of mobility in the region at the Latam Mobility Summit 2019 event, on June 4 and 5 at the Orquideorama of Medellín’s Botanical Garden.

“Medellín is a growing city which developed innovative solutions to face the problems of drug trafficking and became the 1st city of Colombia to have a metro system. Also, it is one of the pioneering cities in the promotion of electric vehicles in the region.” The organizers expressed when investigating the reasons to choose Medellín as hosting city.

More than 100 speakers from the public and private sectors will address issues such as investment in infrastructure, improving public transport conditions, technological innovation, electric mobility, road safety, and mobile applications, among others.

To learn more about Latam Mobility Summit 2019 visit the website: Latam Mobility.

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New assisted living facility for elderly arrives in Medellín

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Casa Nua MG, a project operator specialized in the elderly, sets its first assisted living project in Medellín as the beginning of its expansion plan in the country. Casa Nua San Lucas is their first project of this kind in the city. It is located in El Poblado and will start operations in August 2019, advised by Active Living International and CES University

Casa Nua is a platform for residential projects with comprehensive solutions for the elderly, in which they will receive specialized attention and lodging. The residents will have health and recreation programs, physical activities, food, a library, education, culture, among other welfare components.

The project responds to global trends of increasing population age and the demand for solutions for an increasingly active age group with possibilities to explore new options to enjoy their adult years. In Colombia, the percentage of people over 60 years old represents 9.23% of the total population, according to data from the last census of 2018.

Medellin was chosen for its good development conditions: high levels of services for the elderly, specialized human talent, a favorable climate for their well-being and institutional support through the public policy of aging and old age, materialized in the Gerontological Plan 2017-2027 of the Medellín Mayor’s Office.

Bernardo Azuaje, a founding partner of Casa Nua, highlighted Medellín’s investment potential and its good real estate valuation, which favors infrastructure and the acquisition of services.

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WISE-QATAR recorrieron Medellín

Representatives of WISE-QATAR visited Medellín to learn about its Education and Innovation Ecosystem

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The WISE – QATAR Foundation conducts studies and programs to promote innovation in education. WISE was created in 2009 by the Qatar Foundation under the ruling of His Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser.

So far, they have held events in Tunisia, China, Spain, Ghana, the United States, France and are exploring an upcoming version in Colombia.

A delegation from the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE-Qatar) led by Elyas Felfoul, Director of Policy Development & Partnerships; and Aurelio de Amaral, Partnerships and Policy Development Officer, visited Medellín to learn about the city’s education and innovation ecosystem.

WISE develops biannual conferences and summits in Qatar and other countries of the world.

During their visit led by ACI Medellín, they learned about the city’s transformation process and made a tour around Ruta N’s facilities, its Innovation Laboratory and the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Afterward, they met with allies from the educational ecosystem of Medellín such as Vivero del Software (Software Nursery), the Teacher Innovation Center – MOVA, the Academia, Private and Public Sectors Committee (CUEE), Comfama and Proantioquia to exchange knowledge and best practices.

These meetings show the joint work and efforts which generate trust in Medellín and allows it to be a laboratory of living experiences in the field of innovation for education.

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ciudades intermedias

Medellín will discuss the potential of intermediate cities in Colombia

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The center of strategic thinking for the development and transformation of Medellín, the Aburrá Valley and Antioquia through Engineering and Architecture – SAI – will hold the first Seminar on Intermediate Cities and Port Cities. The event requires prior online registration

According to the global network of United Cities and Local Governments – UCLG, intermediate cities are those that “have between 50,000 and one million inhabitants, hosting 20% of the world population and a third of the total urban population.” In this sense, intermediate cities play a decisive role in the achievement of urban settlements “inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” (SDG 11), which poses great challenges in terms of development planning and orderly growth of the territory.

Under this vision, Antioquia’s Society of Engineers and Architects – SAI- will hold the Seminar on Intermediate Cities and Port Cities on June 13 and 14, 2019 in the IDEA’s Auditorium. This is a scenario which aims to contemplate the potential of the local territory from an international perspective as a key player in generating opportunities and revitalizing the economy.

In this sense, the seminar will feature speakers from multilateral organizations such as the IDB, the UN, the World Bank; and national and local government experts, businessmen and academics, among others; that will address the strategic planning and urban governance capacities of intermediate cities from their contexts.

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The leading technology academy, Acamica, arrives in Medellín

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Acamica consolidates its educational offer in Colombia with an initial investment of more than $ 300,000,000 and agile and highly certified innovative methodologies. 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. Acamica will open spaces for more than 1,000 students in Medellín between 2019 and 2020.

“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 Acamica said.

Under a 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.

Acamica

It is a short-careers academy focused on training digital talent with an innovative methodology enhanced with its own tools and a key differentiator: the association with leading companies such as Globant, IBM, Aerolab and Mercado Libre to create and certify the programs.

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Endava opens its second office in Medellín

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“We believe in the talent of Latin America, in the quality of its professionals. That is why we see in Colombia the opportunity to develop first level technology centers thus, providing world-class services. The new office in Medellín is one more step on the road towards strengthening our operation at a national level, and the consolidation of highly effective interdisciplinary teams that allow the sustained growth of Endava and the countries where we operate,” said Kumail Jetha, Regional Manager for North Latin America.

The new space is located at Tinkko Co-Working Milla de Oro, the business heart of Medellín.

This commitment to the development of the region is possible thanks to the coordination of the Endava offices in Bogotá and Medellín. This exercise has resulted in the positioning of Colombia as one of the delivery units with more possibilities of gradually increasing the work team and attracting clients that require cutting-edge solutions in digital evolution, Agile transformation, and automation.

On July 27, 2018, Endava opened its doors on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol “DAVA.”

Endava’s work model has been key to the company’s sustained development since it generates solutions based on design, production, implementation and continuous work. Therefore, 89.1% of annual revenues come from clients that have been remained faithful over time. In 2014, the company received $64 million US dollars, and by 2018 the figure amounted $217.6 million US dollars, representing a growth of 36.5%.

The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellin, supported the company through the articulation with public and private entities and local partners to positioning it and its successful settlement in the city.

About Endava

Endava is a technology company with more than 18 years of experience working with some of the world’s leading finance, insurance, telecommunications, media, technology, and retail companies. By providing solutions on digital evolution, agile transformation and automation, Endava helps its clients to become more attractive, receptive and efficient, supporting them from the design process until production. It has more than 5,400 employees located in offices in North America and Western Europe and delivery centers in Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Colombia.

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Do you know ACI Medellín’s Media Outlet?

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The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellin and the Metropolitan Area -ACI Medellin- has several communication channels that will help you to keep up to date with the main news in terms of international cooperation and foreign investment; also, you will learn about Medellín’s progress in positioning and internationalization, and find out the visits of authorities and government representatives to Medellin who come to learn about our transformation process and the impact of the actions on issues related to urban planning, environment, mobility, peacebuilding, government, and economic development .

Therefore, we invite you to read and follow the activities of the Agency in the following media:

Link Magazine: It’s an annual publication specialized in international news with articles on issues related to cooperation, investment, and city positioning and its impact on the development of the quality of life of citizens.

Website: It’s a portal in both, English and Spanish, with complete information on the management of the agency, its members, current news on cooperation and investment, our networks, publications, among other public information.

Social Network:

Instagram @acimedellin: You will find graphic notes portal with the latest news on the management of ACI Medellín.

Twitter @acimedellin: It has all the news of interest on issues related to internationalization, investment, cooperation, and city positioning, taking into account what other entities and characters think and comment on Medellin, and the scope and impact of our actions.

Facebook ACI.Medellín: It’s a space for the publication of notes of interest on topics related to the management of the Agency.

Linkedin ACIMedellín: It has key contents on business management, foreign investment, city internationalization and other strategies that allow managers and executives to know the advances in investment and cooperation.

Newsletter:

Internal newsletter: It provides important information to the members of the Agency in order to keep them informed about administrative issues and current management of the Agency.

Knowledge management newsletter: It offers contents of interest on the exchange of knowledge, learning and other actions that benefit the public of ACI Medellín.

Management control newsletter: It’s a document with current information on compliance with current legal regulations and the impact on quality management of the Agency.

Newsletter: It’s made up of short notes on issues of impact and interest that seeks to inform key audiences about the current management of the Agency.

 

 

 

Illustration: freepik

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Medellín takes the lead in Latin America’s Fourth Industrial Revolution

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The capital of Antioquia will become a regional platform for the development of public policies and regulations for the implementation of technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution will put Colombia at the forefront of regulatory matters. Also, it will enable the creation of quality jobs, seize international knowledge networks, and the development of new businesses.

The joint contributions between the Presidency of Colombia and the Municipality of Medellin and the allocation of more than 3 million dollars allowed the opening of this Center.  

The World Economic Forum opens Latin America’s first Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Medellín and the fifth in the world. This will position the city as an international benchmark in the progress towards a new model of business, economic and cultural development. Medellín was chosen for its innovative culture in science, technology and entrepreneurship, and its social and economic transformation. This initiative is achieved thanks to a partnership between the National Government and the Medellín Mayor’s Office.

The Center will begin operating in the Ruta N facilities and will focus on developing public policy frameworks to accompany Colombia and the countries of the region in the implementation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“Colombia feels extremely proud about hosting one of the three centers for the Fourth Industrial Revolution which will be inaugurated in 2019,” said President Ivan Duque, after stating that our country became the first in Latin America and the first Spanish-speaking one, hosting a Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He said, “This Center will have a great global and regional impact.”

He added that, indeed, Medellín will become the regional epicenter of the development of important topics such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things and the blockchain technology for encrypted security.

Likewise, he indicated that this Center will allow “developers, public agencies and the private sector to present projects which can be scaled worldwide.”

The Center Affiliated with the World Economic Forum for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Colombia will begin to work specifically on projects aimed at improving public-private capacities, defining the necessary regulatory frameworks to address issues like corruption, and generating opportunities for people through the implementation of technologies such as Blockchain, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence.

“Having the allied Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Colombia and for Latin America in Medellín is a very important recognition. This is a city that has been increasing its investment in science, technology and innovation to transform its economic vocation, and supporting its institutional strength. For the new technologies can generate economic and social development, our purpose is for this Center to focus on a revolution not only on technology, but on talent,” said the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

Although this Center will not be focused on the development of technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, nor on technological research, it will do so in structuring regulatory frameworks supported by other the centers which can carry out this type of activities.

“Colombia is taking a step forward as a leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution with this new Centre in Medellin. They are the first to open a Centre like this in Latin America. Emerging technologies can benefit all of society, but they must be shaped. We are looking forward to working with Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Colombia to accelerate and scale what we have learned across our global network of Centres” said Murat Sonmez, Member of the Managing Board and Head of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network.

The global network of Centers for the Fourth Industrial Revolution brings together governments, leading companies, civil society and experts from around the world to jointly design and test innovative approaches applied to policies and governance of technological development. The network will develop, implement and replicate pilot projects focused on the human being that can be adopted by policymakers, legislators and regulatory bodies around the world.

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Medellín will attract American investment in Austin and Miami

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The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellín, will present the reasons why Medellín is an ideal destination for foreign investment to businessmen and executives interested in investing in the city. This event will take place on Tuesday, April 30 from 1:00 pm at the Capital Factory facilities, ACL Room (701 Brazos Street, Suite 1601 – Austin, TX 78701 United States); and next May 2 at the same time in Miami, Florida, at the Consulate of Colombia located in 280 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables FL33134.

Austin, the capital of the state of Texas, stands out as one of the most enterprising cities in the United States and is home to large multinational companies.

Miami, the economic capital of Florida, headquarters important infrastructure and real estate companies.

These meetings are called Why Medellín? and have become the tools for ACI Medellín to present investors with the advantages of the city as a business destination, its investment climate, its innovation ecosystem, and its growth as a technological development hub.

Supported by entities such as Procolombia, Ruta N and Capital Factory, the meeting will show some success stories of American companies installed in Medellín: Accenture, DAPI, IBM, Team International, Astound Commerce, Owens Illinois, Stanley Black & Decker, among others.

Medellín will host the first Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Latin America, joining the network of centers in San Francisco (United States), Tokyo (Japan), Beijing (China) and Mumbai (India). 

 

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La ACI Medellín recibe reconocimiento al Mérito Cívico de la Cámara Colombo Americana

AmCham awards ACI Medellín with the Civic Merit

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The Director of ACI Medellín, Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, received the recognition from the hands of Carlos Quijano, Executive Director of the American Colombian Chamber Antioquia – Caldas Chapter. The Civic Merit highlights the fulfillment of duty towards the service and welfare of citizens.

In 2019, ACI Medellín celebrates 17 years serving the city through the attraction of foreign investment, the promotion of international cooperation and positioning it around the world.

Since the birth of the Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the metropolitan area in 2002, the institution has focused on the strategic development of foreign investment, international cooperation and the positioning of the city in the world. Its tireless work has been key to generating employment, social and economic development, and improving the image of the city abroad.

Some of the aspects that AmCham took into account to grant this recognition are in agreement with the corporate values of the Agency, such as solidarity, loyalty, respect, honesty and responsibility, and with its main mission: contributing to the improvement of the quality of life of Medellín’s inhabitants from the economic and social development.

Not in vain in the last three years (2016 – 2018), ACI Medellín has achieved the attraction of foreign investment totaling 836 billion dollars; generating 8,911 jobs for the city and the metropolitan region; it has managed the attraction of 30 million dollars in international cooperation for economic and social development; and has received 503 delegations from 57 countries interested in knowing the work of Medellin in aspects related to urbanism, environment, mobility, transformation, investment, peacebuilding, government, security, and economic development.

The fact that Medellín will carry out the General Assembly of the OAS, the World Mayors Forum, the Meeting of UNESCO Learning Cities and the World Avocado Summit 2019 , as well as becoming the host for the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution for Latin America, confirm the work of the Agency towards the international projection and the transformation of Medellín.

“Thanks again! And of course, we would never have achieved this recognition without the support and trust of institutions like the American Colombian Chamber and the good results of our management,” said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, executive director of ACI Medellín.

 

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Teleperformance es el tercer generador de empleo en Colombia

Teleperformance is the third largest employer in Colombia

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Teleperformance is a worldwide leader in customer service solutions with a presence in 80 countries, serving more than 170 markets and 25 years of experience in Colombia. They are considered as one of the five largest employers in Colombia and one of the main sources of first employment.

The company closed 2018 with 18 thousand employees in its operations centers in Bogota and Medellín. In the first half of 2019, they will open a new operations center in Medellín.

After the acquisition of Teledatos in 2010, Teleperformance began operating in Medellín and then expanded its services to Bogotá, where they work with large multinationals in the health, transportation, energy, food, services, entertainment, and other sectors.

As part of its expansion plans, they will open a new services center in Medellín during the first half of this year with the best technological infrastructure, solid energy conditions, connectivity, and human capital.

Ruta N, Procolombia and ACI Medellín have supported Teleperformance in its expansion process, developing innovation projects, attracting bilingual talent and positioning the company in the local market.

“Customer service in Colombia is one of the best in the world because of the good attitude of young Colombians. Teleperformance not only exports services, but also talent and innovation. Many of our clients use technological tools developed in their home countries which are now considered to be best practices in other offices at the international level” said Juan Carlos Hincapié, CEO of Teleperformance in Colombia.

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A Plan to Transform the Future

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There is a combination of partnerships, technical knowledge and policies that are being developed to meet the SDGs and not leave anyone behind. An urgent and ambitious agenda.

The plan to put the world on the path to a more prosperous and sustainable development for all has been a vision shared by 156 countries that has involved the implementation of national and local action plans, the commitment of companies, media, academy and civil society.

The agenda, which focuses on achieving fair, equitable and inclusive territory, hopes to eradicate extreme poverty, put an end to all forms of malnutrition and discrimination against women and girls, guarantee universal access to energy services and significantly reduce all forms of violence, among other 169 goals within the 17 SDGs.

Progress has been made thanks to the joint efforts of governments and their alliances. For example, by 2018 labor productivity increased and more than a hundred countries have sustainable consumption and production policies and initiatives. However, there is still more work to be done to close the gap and address issues such as the risk of youth unemployment, pollution in cities and continue to maintain timely responses to issues such as armed conflicts, climate change and inequalities.

For António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, “only twelve years away from the 2030 goal, we must promote the notion of urgency. Meeting the agenda requires immediate and accelerated actions by countries, as well as collaborative partnerships between governments and stakeholders at all levels.”

Some of the initiatives that have been taken in this regard are the creation of the Mainstreaming Acceleration Policy Support, MAPS, an agile and common approach that is sustained in the mainstreaming, acceleration and support for policies, and the creation of the SDG Center for Latin America and the Caribbean CODS, by its acronym in Spanish, the first in the region located in Colombia, with the support of universities from Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru.

“By investing in the SDGs, we invest in the future, ensuring a world in which we strive for peace, stability and prosperity; we pledge that no one will be left behind.”

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

The urgent call is for all civil society to embrace this agenda of sustainable development as a way and an opportunity to make any corner of the world a better place to live.

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Compañía inmobiliaria RE/MAX expande sus negocios en Medellín

RE/MAX expands its business in Medellín

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The North American real estate firm RE/MAX arrived in Colombia in 2010 and currently has 35 offices and more than 350 associated agents. They opened their first facilities in Medellín in December 2018 and will open two new offices in Laureles and Envigado.

The international real estate company RE/MAX, with more than 40 years in the market, continues its expansion plan in Medellín with the opening of new offices.

RE/MAX included Medellín in their expansion plan for its real estate potential, its projection as a destination for the foreign market, the country’s political and economic conditions, and the availability of human talent, among others. “Colombia’s talent, especially the one in Medellín, is key for our project. We want to highlight the entrepreneurial spirit which is key in our way of doing things,” says María Eugenia Hermelo, general manager of the company.

Since December 2018, they started operations in Medellín with its RE/MAX Coffee Realty, a collaborative and experiential space which offers their agents a place to develop real estate businesses.

Its operations in the city consist of facilitating the real estate purchase and sale in the local and international market. This is possible due to the connection with its worldwide network of 8,500 offices in 105 countries.RE/MAX brings to Medellín a professional real estate brokerage model which benefits buyers, sellers, investors, builders, and developers.

The Role of ACI Medellín

The company acknowledges the role of ACI Medellín during its exploration and installation process in the city and highlights the importance of being clear about the conditions and advantages for foreign investment in the territory. Also, they value ACI Medellín’s support in positioning them in the local market, attracting and connecting them with investors to strengthen their relationship.

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Congreso de Movilidad Futura

The challenges of urban mobility were discussed in the First Future Mobility Congress held in Medellín

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The Future Mobility Congress developed by the Medellín Mayor’s Office together with the EAFIT University, the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities and the Despacio research center, presented the main challenges of the city in this area. The event was the opportunity to show the role of Medellín as a city committed to the implementation of innovative and inclusive mobility options and the exchange of meaningful experiences.

Presentation by the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

Pursuing its goal of becoming the Latin American capital of electric mobility by 2030, the Medellín Mayor’s Office and its Mobility Secretariat, carried out the first Future Mobility Congress on April 2, 2019, at Plaza Mayor conventions center.

The Secretary of Mobility of Medellín, Humberto Iglesias said: “Our goal of becoming the Latin American capital of electric mobility is not about ego or vanity, but because we want to strongly commit to improving the air quality of our city.”

The Congress showcased panelists and lecturers from Chile, Holland, Russia, and Colombia; and addressed not only the electrical dimension of mobility but the orientation towards a comprehensive look on road safety, efficiency, and care of the environment.

“Medellín is an example of how a city faces its problems and exercises leadership in the world. Few cities have made such transcendental and concrete decisions as Medellín, that of reducing their emissions and improving mobility,” said Manuel Olivera, Climate Leadership Group C40 Regional Manager Latin America chapter and speaker of the Congress.

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Medellín’s Green Corridors nominated to the Ashden 2019 International Awards

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The 30 Green Corridors project has been chosen as one of the four projects in the long list of the Ashden 2019 Awards in the “Cooling for People” category for its contributions to improve the thermal sensation of Medellín. This is the first time Ashden opens this category, for which they joined world-renowned organizations such as Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL).

The Medellín Mayor’s Office presented this initiative as a product of the articulated work of the Secretariats of Environment and Physical Infrastructure. The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellín, together with these secretariats, led the application process for the award, contributing to the international positioning of Medellín and its best practices.

Ashden, a UK non-profit organization which defends and supports sustainable energy leaders in the quick transition to a low-carbon world, recognizes the 30 Green Corridors project in the version of its 2019 award as one of the finalists in the Cooling for People category.

The 30 Green Corridors project was chosen for its contribution to the relief of heat stress in the city. It stands out together with other global experiences with innovative approaches in urban areas such as Addis Ababa (Capital of Ethiopia) and the City of Singapore. See the article published by Ashden.

The Awards were established in 2001 and are recognized worldwide as a mark of excellence in the field of green energy. The awards ceremony will be held in London on July 3 as part of the first London Climate Action Week.

“Medellín is a city which has overcome countless challenges. At this moment, caring for the environment and our air quality are two crucial issues we are facing. Structural solutions such as the Green Corridors are a strong commitment to improving the lives of our citizens. We are very excited about Medellín’s nomination to the Ashden Awards,” said the Mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

Green Corridors is presented as an example of sustainability

In line with this news, during the fourth meeting of the Urban Greenup project, held in Brussels, Belgium the progress in greening actions, the establishment of corridors and green walls, and changing hard floors to soft ones was exalted.

The project, funded by the UN’s Horizon 2020 program, aims at the development, application, and replication of Urban Renaturing Plans in several European and non-European cities (8 in total). Its purpose is to mitigate the effects of climate change to improve air quality and water management, as well as increase the sustainability of participating cities through innovative solutions based on nature.

“Green Corridors was gladly received. None of the participating cities showed physical advances in their projects. They all showed planning in their territories, but Medellín was the only city that demonstrated the execution of the projects. With our example, they realized that they can do things,” said Secretary of Environment, Sergio Andrés Orozco Escobar.

About Green Corridors

The project consists of planting trees accompanied by shrubs, palms and green cover in an environmental network which connects streams, hills, parks, and roads. During its execution, 8,800 trees and palms have been planted with an investment of 49 billion pesos.

The Green Corridors are part of the strategy A greener Medellín for you, which consolidates an ecological network consisting of 18 roadways, 12 river basins and the Nutibara, El Volador and La Asomadera hills.
The Green Corridors offer a variety of ecosystem services, among which are the following:

  • An estimated reduction up to 2°C of the environment temperature.
  • The decrease in the heat island effect.
  • The capture of particulate matter, improving air quality.
  • The improvement of conditions for the conservation of biodiversity and the increase in the types of flora species.
  • The consolidation of an ecological network which allows the generation of new city scenarios, through the recovery and programmed sowing, the greening and modeling of the landscape within the framework of the man – ecosystem relationship.
  • The prioritization of the safety of pedestrians facilitating their mobility on crosswalks through planters and sidewalks.
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