by Jaime Hernandez*
The Citigroup with the Wall Street Journal,and the association of the Urban Land Institute launched a campaign to determine the most innovative city of the year. From an initial list of 200 cities, online public votes were asked to narrow down the list to 25, and then to three finalists: New York, Tel Aviv and Medellin.
“Few cities have transformed the way that Medellin, Colombia`s second largest city, has in the past 20 years. Medellín’s homicide rate has plunged, nearly 80% from 1991 to 2010. The city built public libraries, parks, and schools in poor hillside neighborhoods and constructed a series of transportation links from there to its commercial and industrial centers. The links include a metro cable car system and escalators up steep hills, reducing commutation times, spurring private investment, and promoting social equity as well as environmental sustainability…Medellín’s challenges are still many, particularly in housing. However, through innovation and leadership, Medellín has sowed the seeds of transformation, leading to its recognition as a city with potential for long-lasting success” http://online.wsj.com/ad/cityoftheyear
