13
2011
experience Fashion workshop
The network of Antioquians abroad editorial
engaged with Medellin
“Sos Paisa” is a special programme of the grown importantly in demographic terms, The international congresses of the IAEC 
Mayor’s Office of Medellin rolled out by the from 168,000 inhabitants in 1938 to 2,340,000 are considered as milestones for exchange, 
Agency for Cooperation and Investment. in 2010. 12% of the country now resides there. learning and reflection amongst the member 
It arose in 2004 as part of the process of cities; they are a unique opportunity to learn 
internationalisation of the city. It seeks, In the last decade, the city has gone through about the experiences of the city hosting the 
through the Antioquian diaspora the a major process of transformation thanks to congress thanks to in the field visits, as well as 
transformation of the city and a rupture the decision of the municipal government to a way of expanding the Association. 
with the negative historical stigmas that improve the quality of life of its inhabitants, 
Under the theme “Green Environment, 
associate the city with drug-trafficking and promote education and civic culture, 
Creative Education”, the next Congress 
delinquency. strengthen social capital and citizen solidarity. 
will be held from 26 to 28 April 2012 in 
Proof of this process is the fact that in 2010 
Changwon (Republic of Korea). This is the 
Located in the north-west of Colombia, Medellin was ranked as the municipality with 
first time that an International Congress of the 
Medellin is the capital of the Department of the best quality of life in Colombia by the 
IAEC will be held in Asia. 
Antioquia and the second largest city in the National Competitiveness Council. 
country. In the last 70 years Medellin has In order to roll out the theme of the 12th 
One of the programmes that forms part Congress and involve different municipal 
of the Medellin Development Plan is the departments, three thematic axes are being 
Network of Antioquians abroad: “Sos Paisa”, proposed, which cover several sub-themes: 
“Sos Paisa” is an initiative of through which the City Council wants to make 
1. Policies, green urban planning and 
the Mayor’s Office of Medellin the paisas, that is to say people born in the 
sustainable infrastructures: urban planning 
Department of Antioquia, living abroad as 
that seeks to foster among its design and city infrastructures should be 
active boosters of the city. Appointed goodwill 
modified, bearing in mind sustainable criteria, 
expats a sense of belonging to ambassadors of the city, they have the task 
including the fostering of a more ecological 
of legitimising the process of transformation 
the city, making them goodwill mobility and the conservation of bio-diversity. 
through solidarity and improved performance. 
ambassadors and promoting Through strategies of personalized tutorials 2. Inclusive governance, social justice, 
the City Council attempts to empower them in community empowerment and capacity 
their active participation in their diplomatic mission. building: facing environmental problems 
the city’s development. (continued on page 2) (continued on page 3) 
experience
The network of Antioquians abroad 
engaged with Medellins
At this time the Network has 9,400 registered 
expats residing in 72 different countries, 
mainly in the USA, Spain, Canada, Venezuela, 
Panama, Italy, France and Mexico. 
This is a pioneering experience in terms of 
format, which gives emigrants back their status 
as active citizens, making them promoters 
of the city, strategic allies of its integral 
development and multipliers of positive 
experiences. Without a doubt, this is a rather 
unconventional tool of citizen participation 
based on an alternative perspective on 
International trade worskshop Orchestra direction migration and new forms of governance.
The proposals for participation are varied. entities, etc. in order to open new paths of 
For example, through the www.sospaisa.com cooperation and work. Another possibility 
communication channel expats are invited to that they have is to make donations in kind, 
remain abreast of the news, programmes and time and knowledge to the different social 
activities that are going on in Medellin and programmes of the city. Thus, for example, 
to spread the word about them through the expats that visit Medellin can share their 
communities in which they reside, as well as knowledge acquired abroad through talks 
recommend the city as a tourist destination that the City Council organises on issues 
and host for events and conventions. They relating to their specialities; they can   
can also provide the Mayor’s Office of also volunteer for social projects or make You can also find more detailed information about 
Medellin with their contacts with academics, donations of school and health equipment, this experience at the website: www.edcities.org 
politicians, cultural and commercial etc. 
presentation: contact: Ms. María Teresa Betancur 
Mayor’s Office of Medellin,
e-mail: sospaisa@acimedellin.org
Agency for Cooperation and Investment
web: www.sospaisa.com
cities networks
    3 rd Meet ing  of  the  Asia-Paci f ic 
Network
Representatives of 13 Asian member cities 
participated in the 3rd Meeting of the Network 
in Changwon on 14 November, in which it was 
agreed to start up cooperation projects in 
the region, set up a regional bureau for Asia-
Pacific and a schedule for future meetings, 
among others. More than 100 delegates and 
experts participated subsequently at the 
International Symposium “Educating Cities 
and Sustainable Development”, held on 15  Conference of the Central European  4th National Congress of the Mexican 
November and organized by Changwon City Delegation Network 
and the Korean National Commission of Katowice organised a Conference on “Man- The members of the Mexican Network met in 
UNESCO. Education-Art-Contact: Practice and Future Tenango del Valle on 4 and 5 August on the 
Prognosis” under the auspices of the occasion of the 4th national Congress, which, 
Polish Presidency of the European Union. under the title “Environment and Creative 
The conference fostered an exchange of Education” was designed to prepare the 
experiences amongst the more than 100 participation of the Mexican cities at the next 
experts from different cities in the field of International Congress.
socio-cultural action and education through 
art. More information at www.edcities.org  
02 Educating Cities
interview
Mr. Moon, Dong-Shin
Mayor of Gunsan, Republic of Korea editorial
requires new forms of governance that pool 
efforts and involve the citizenry; by adopting 
this new focus, awareness and capacity 
building play a key role.   
3. Green economy, green jobs and green 
energy system and technologies: in the 
construction of more sustainable cities 
should also include the implementation of 
more efficient, clean production systems, 
the commitment of companies to social 
and environmental criteria and a change in 
consumption habits.
Lectures, round table discussions and the 
presentation of experiences at the workshops 
What are the main areas of action of the spares no effort in providing equal education and poster spaces, as well as “on site” visits 
local government of Gunsan City? opportunities. In this sense and in its endeavor to the experiences of Changwon, will offer the 
to become an educating city, Gunsan has participants the chance to share and debate 
Gunsan City has been carrying out its vision expanded its education infrastructure, has their proposals for sustainable development 
consistently in order to reach its goal of built children’s and community libraries and around these three axes of work. 
building an “international business and lifelong education centers. 
tourism city of half a million citizens”. Gunsan In order to foster participation, the Organising 
has emphasized making itself a business hub What environmental policies and initiatives Committee offers a broad policy of discounts 
for northeast Asia and becoming a model of are being promoted by the local government? and waivers of registration fees. 
prosperity, harmony and dignity.
Gunsan City is striving to create job We look forward to your participation!
Gunsan decided that its lines of action should opportunities and economic growth by For more information on the 12th Congress 
be as follows: attracting high-tech industries, but it is also please go to: http://www.iaec2012.go.kr
not skimping on its effort to bequeath upon 
• Creation of a prosperous business city: the next generation a greener industrial The Secretariat of the IAEC
Gunsan has attracted 397 businesses to complex by reducing CO  emissions and c/ Avinyó 15, 4th floor
2
its industrial complex, including the engine developing green industry. 08002 Barcelona (Spain)
and high-tech industries, the key sectors for Ph. + 34 93 342 77 20
Gunsan to become a prosperous business city. In order to create green spaces in an urban Fax. +34 93 342 77 29
area, Gunsan has been rolling out its “urban E-mail: bidce@bcn.cat
• Creation of an appealing tourist city: since 
forest” and “cypress forest” projects. On the 
opening the 33.9 km-long Saemangeum 
other hand, different programs and activities trained to provide better citizen services 
causeway in April 2010, the number of visitors 
are contributing to improving air quality. and for them to learn about their duties as 
has hit 10 million, which makes Gunsan one of 
These environmental practices are some of public servants. They are also being trained 
the “must-see” places in Korea. Gunsan has 
the measures being taken to deal with climate in organizational skills in order to improve the 
a long-term strategy to create a tourist belt 
change. effectiveness of the municipal administration.
uniting the Saemangeum area, the Gogunsan 
Islands, the Eunpa Tourist Park, the old city 
What changes have been introduced into What are the benefits for your city of 
center, and the Geumgang River. 
the administration and what communication belonging to the International Association 
• Creation of a balanced city and pole of mechanisms have been developed? of Educating Cities?
attraction for growth: Gunsan is striving to 
expand its urban infrastructure, for example, In order to achieve a responsible Joining the Association has allowed us to 
through the construction of different roads administration, self-evaluations in the main increase our international contacts and raise 
that connect better the city. areas of activity are carried out every quarter. brand awareness of our city. Through the 
A citizen participatory budgeting system has IAEC Gunsan can now share best practices 
been set up along with a public information and ideas with 450 cities in 32 different 
What initiatives are being carried out in system, and a local rendering of accounts countries. Of special note is the Educating 
order to achieve social cohesion among your system, etc. These services have been created Cities International Documents Databank 
citizens? to make our administration more effective which contains experiences collected over the 
and open to the citizenry. last 20 years. 
In order to building a harmonious city that  
can make all the social classes cohere, Gunsan Furthermore, our municipal workers are More information at www.edcities.org
03 Educating Cities
Through the “this is not a 
plot” project, the city council 
of Zaragoza is temporarily 
experience reconverting abandoned 
lots, involving citizens in the 
design of the new uses and 
‘this is not a plot’, a proposal from fostering job finding for the 
Zaragoza for reconverting public spaces unemployed.
Zaragoza, a Spanish city of 675,121 educational process in itself, the creation-
inhabitants located on the banks of the reconversion of all types of spaces for people 
Ebro River, started up an employment plan of all ages has resulted in gaining: children’s 
in 2009 aimed at the long-term jobless play areas (Parcheesi and Goose chase board 
through the clean-up of abandoned public games painted on the ground, tricycle tracks, 
and private lots in the historical centre of etc.), petanque, basketball, volleyball and 
the city. Based on this employment plan, futsal courts, urban vegetable gardens, a 
the Municipal Housing Society of Zaragoza beach-park, green walls, etc. 
came up with a project called “this is not 
a plot” which, beyond its initial objective, Thus, empty lots have been reconverted for 
attempts to temporarily reconvert spaces the use and enjoyment of the citizenry. Proof 
at low cost for the citizens of Zaragoza. of this is the large variety of activities that are 
organized by neighbourhood groups in these New leisure espaces 
One of the keys to “this is not a plot” spaces: open-air movie screenings, educational 
project is that it enjoys citizen participation. workshops on contact with nature for children, 
Before each intervention, the town-planning neighbourhood sports competitions, etc.
and socio-economic context of the area 
in which the space is located is analysed. The success of the application of the program 
Once there is an agreement with the in the city centre led to the programme’s 
owners of the land, meetings are organised extension to other districts. Since its 
with the representatives of civil society beginning, interventions have been made in 
(neighbourhood associations, schools, cultural 29 different spaces, reconverting 42,000 m2 of 
and sport associations, elderly care centres, lots and providing jobs to 110 people who were 
etc.) in order to identify the main needs of unemployed. All of this was in collaboration Preparing an urban vegetable garden
the community and to agree on the new uses with 60 entities of civil society and an annual 
and the design of the spaces. To achieve this budget of Euros 2.2 million (2011).  initiative in 2011 awarded by the Eurocities 
Municipal District Councils are involved in the network as well as the Dutch Institute of 
project. “This is not a plot” has won numerous Spanish Architecture Prize. 
and international awards for architecture and 
Thanks to this participatory management town planning, including, of special note, the You can find more detailed information about this 
of public space, which has been a major Prize for the best participatory town planning experience at the website www.edcities.org 
presented by: City Council of Zaragoza, contact: Ms. Patrizia Di Monte                                         
Municipal Housing Society e-mail: pdimonte@zaragozavivienda.es                                              
did you 
know that... the voices of the cities
 The third issue of the Monograph collection 1 .  Avilés  (Spain) has opted for the 
has been released under the title: “City, Youth democratisation of access to the Information 
and Education”, now available through the portal. Society and the struggle against the “digital 
 The Educating Cit ies International gap” through its Local Technological Booster 
Documents Databank of has a new on-line Centres, which offer citizens the chance to 
publication: Focus Experience. receive free of charge training in the use of 
ICTs.
 The Charter of Educating Cities has been 
translated into Arabic, Chinese and Japanese.
 Guadalajara received the Training Seminar 2. The Local Volunteer Bank of Águeda 3. We Are All Artists, is an initiative 
entitled “Educating City and Local Governance”, (Portugal) fosters volunteering in areas promoted by the Solís Theatre of Montevideo 
from 8 to 10 December. including the environment,  education, (Uruguay) whose goal is to bring children in 
 The experiences submitted to the sport and health, and foments the coming touch with the scenic arts through different 
Contemporary Issue: “Social Inclusion: betting together of supply of and demand for these activities carried out at the primary schools 
for Equal Opportunities” will be published soon. services. and at the Theatre.
04 Educating Cities
D.L.: B-31.664-2007 / ISSN: 1887-9640