There is no doubt that the reflections, analyses and learnings left by the Medellín Lab 2018 will be of great use for the growth of the participating cities in this second edition of the laboratory of living experiences of Medellín. This second edition of the Medellín Lab included tours around the city projects, joint creation workshops and presentations of positive city proposals.
29 participants from Chongqing (China), Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Dakar (Senegal), Ho Chi Min (Vietnam), Nairobi (Kenya), Johannesburg (South Africa), Cape Town (South Africa) and Jakarta (Indonesia) visited important urban interventions in the social and cultural transformation of Medellín.
The attendees from the government sector of Asia and Africa, accompanied by ACI Medellín and the World Bank, had the opportunity to visit projects and programs such as: the green corridors of El Poblado Avenue and the Oriental avenue, the EnCicla project, the Ciudad del Río sector, the Metro, the tram, the Metrocable (cable cars), the renovation proposal of the Medellín Center, the Comprehensive Urban Projects (PUI), the Commune 13, among others.
They also learned about Medellín’s mobility, transport, infrastructure, urban planning and risk management models.
During the Medellín Lab 2018, Mayor Federico Gutiérrez talked to the visitors and highlighted the achievements of the transformation of the city as a scenario for the exchange of knowledge.
“When people talk about Medellín today, the present acquires value due to the difficulties we had experienced in the past. That is one of the greatest characteristics of Medellín: How did one of the most violent cities in the world, which in 1991 had a homicide rate of 381 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, to get be considered one of the most innovative cities in the world in just 27 years?” said the mayor.
According to the participants of the event, some of the most valuable learning is related to the sense of the articulated work between the business sector, the universities, the community and State for the construction of long-term public policies. Also, the evident work in social inclusion with one integrated ticket for transport and mobility systems and the accountability and efficiency of resources to increase the citizen trust.
The Metro Culture, the Public-Private Articulation, the sense of belonging and the continuity among policies were the learnings highlighted by the attendees of the Medellín Lab 2018.
The attendees were surprised with the importance of promoting a sense of belonging for the care of the public infrastructure like the Metro Culture does. At the same time, they highlighted the continuity in the public agenda, despite the changes of government, for the development of the territory.
The participating cities are expected to replicate some initiatives and best practices of Medellín in the short, medium and long term. Besides, the organization of the event will apply the recommendations offered by the attendees to improve future versions.
“The Medellín Lab was a very enriching experience with other cities of the world on learning and exploring what can be done in our territories to achieve progress. It is not just what the city shows, but also what it can learn and exchange in that process of achieving better living conditions for the citizens of the world. That is the purpose of this City Laboratory” said Catalina Restrepo Carvajal, Executive Director ACI Medellín
With this second edition, the Medellín Lab becomes one of the most important laboratories of living experiences in the country and ratifies its valuable contribution to the construction of the territory based on an innovative dynamic through the knowledge and experiences of all cities of the world.
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