Traslated by Andrés Martínez Forero
At the Manitas Citizen Service Center (SuperCADE) in Ciudad Bolívar, Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán met with Elkin Velásquez, Regional Director of UN-Habitat, and a delegation from the Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities, also known as the Shanghai Global Award. The main goal of the meeting was to showcase Bogot’s urban development strategies, strengthen knowledge exchange, and explore opportunities for international recognition of the city's most innovative projects.
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The meeting served as a platform to reaffirm Bogotá’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda and to highlight initiatives that position the city as a regional leader in nature-based solutions, adequate housing, and urban revitalization.
Mayor Galán emphasized his administration’s holistic approach to advancing the SDGs and transforming urban areas with principles of sustainability, equity, and resilience.
During the session, the city shared three strategic initiatives aimed at boosting international cooperation: implementing the sponge city model through Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), promoting sustainable housing and construction, and strengthening public services in rural areas with a climate-focused approach.
These initiatives not only improve quality of life but also directly address global challenges set out in the SDGs. Highlights in the area of housing and sustainable construction include new housing supply projects and rental opportunities in repurposed buildings, as well as studies on the carbon footprint of the construction sector, aimed at reducing its environmental impact.
Another key focus was the presentation of successful experiences like the Revitalize Your Neighborhood strategy, which seeks to holistically improve public space, social infrastructure, safety, and urban services in historically marginalized neighborhoods and areas near mass transit systems.
This approach is complemented by the Comprehensive Revitalization Project around the San Cristóbal Cable Car. For the first time, ten public entities are working together under an interagency agreement to implement an integrated intervention that includes housing, mobility, culture, recreation, social inclusion, education, women’s rights, and the environment.
Elkin Velásquez, UN-Habitat Regional Director, recognized Bogotá’s leadership in implementing urban policies with real territorial impact:
“Bogotá shows us how a city can make tangible progress toward urban sustainability with innovative, scalable solutions that benefit communities. It’s a powerful example of what the 2030 Agenda aims to achieve on the ground,” he stated.
The interest shown by UN-Habitat and the Shanghai Global Award delegation opens the door for Bogotá to be nominated for the award, as well as to establish new strategic partnerships. This meeting aligns with Bogotá’s internationalization policy, which seeks to strengthen its global presence through knowledge exchange, attracting international cooperation, and showcasing best practices on global platforms.
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With these advancements, Bogotá continues to open its doors to share the best of the city with the world—and to welcome the best the world has to offer—as it builds a more just, resilient, and sustainable city for all.
*This article was created using information provided by the Bogotá’s International Relations Office and curated by a journalist from Portal Bogotá. For suggestions, questions, or more information, visit Bogotá Te Escucha: https://bogota.gov.co/sdqs/
