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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
