The mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López, met this Thursday with the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme UN-Habitat, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, who has been promoting global initiatives for sustainable development and climate action in cities.
On the first leg of their encounter, they took a tour of Ciudad Bolívar and then held a meeting where they signed a Memorandum of Intent for co-operation projects related to sustainable urban development, social inclusion, peace-building, mobility and information systems.
The mayor of Bogotá pointed out that UN-Habitat has been instrumental in the implementation of areas of the Master Plan regarding the proposal of affordable housing, greening, Care System, the implementation of a clean and sustainable transit system, among others. Mayor López took to the public and said, “we have signed a memorandum of understanding because it will allow us to execute the Master Plan; to execute the most innovative, social and greening projects in Bogotá.”
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On the second leg of their journey, Mayor Claudia López accompanied Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif to the CEFE El Tunal Wellness Center and the Manitas station. Once there, the UN-Habitat delegation got to experience the Care Block first-hand. The mayor highlighted that the value of these District Care Centers is reduce the gender divide and improve the quality of life of each and every woman that walks through its doors.
“With UN-Habitat we are furthering our work on the greening of the south end of the city. Detailed in the project of the Educational and Care Citadel in Kennedy and Suba, they will also help us to further our objectives with the Master Plan, in compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals of the new urban agenda that the world has agreed to have,” expressed the Mayor.
From the 'Mirador del Paraiso' station in Transmi-cable, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, stated that Mayor Claudia López's Development Plan is an invaluable instrument to spread the new urban agenda throughout the region. “You must be very proud”, exclaimed Director Mohd Sharif, “because what is happening is what is need to be done at a global level. It is an example of how housing design and shelter is a fundamental human right for people to have."
The director went on to say that it is not enough to only respond to housing solutions, but to bring services closer to the communities. “One cannot have a house without water, without work, without health, without a clean environment,” the director went on to say. ”I believe that this experience can be shared with other cities. I see that you include the community a lot, and that is very important because the communities have to feel empowered.”
During this final leg of the tour, the delegates also learned about the Transmi-cable System, which, together with the implementation of the Care System, has improved the quality of life of the citizens within its scope. The vision of the city has been consolidated in terms of care and proximity.
“When you include women and children, that's when the city becomes more inclusive, I can see that here in Bogotá, congratulations!” Maimunah Mohd Sharif exclaimed.
The tour then headed to its final destination, the Transmicable Mirador del Paraíso station, where the Museum of the Self-Built City is located. This new platform allows people to get to learn about Ciudad Bolívar and recognize the communities that build upon it on a daily basis.
“When you include women and children, that's when the city becomes more inclusive, I can see that here in Bogotá, congratulations!” Maimunah Mohd Sharif exclaimed as she brought evening to a close.
