Discussion on Question # 2 - Cities for People

[RicardoJimenez]

I would respond to question # 2:

2. It is quite evident that the concept of Urbanization is changing.
I would like to present briefly the perspective of Bogota and
Medellin, both of which are constantly growing. Ten years ago when
Enrique Penalosa was in office, the city was well recognized for the
achievements of TransMilenio, the new massive transportation system.
Nonetheless, more investments were put into social programs to promote
high quality education in the most poor neighborhoods of the city,
many of which may be considered slums. Interestingly, Bogota's
policies went beyond and influenced positively much of the "social
urbanism" that today characterizes Medellin. Both cities have
implemented policies and programs which have promoted more inclusive
cities which at the same time integrate several dimensions: poverty
aspects with a) economic development, b) access to transportation
systems and public spaces, c) citizens' safety, d) environmental
improvement and protection, and most importantly, e) quality of life.
All of this are integrated to the more 'traditional' city planning
instruments (e.g. master plans) but these two cases demonstrate that
cities have become complex systems that need to be addresse through
multi-disciplinary thinking and actions. At the end, cities are about
people and they could become increasingly the collective environments
in which humans develop more as equals. The technical, physical and
economic instruments can support the development of such.

Although Bogota, today, faces enormous challenges, I consider that
city institutions are learning to work more closely across
disciplines. I ackowledge that is not easy in the ground, but urban
professionals and public managers and officials can be encouraged to
infuse that mindset. Yet we need to learn to work more closely with
communities and private sector companies involved directly in urban
development (e.g. construction companies, transport, developers,
etc.) Perhaps, it is the initiation of an era in which working with
the city administrations means to rely and attract the best human
capital to address the various local demands, challenges and
opportunities.