Insper, Arq.Futuro, and Escola da Cidade are hosting Alonso Salazar, former mayor of Medellín (2008–2011), for the lecture "Education and Social Urbanism to Foster Coexistence, Security, and Reduce Inequality."
A writer and journalist, Salazar was responsible for a pivotal stage in the fight against urban violence in Medellín. Guided by the principle of providing "the most beautiful for the poorest," his administration built high-quality schools and cultural facilities in the city’s peripheral areas. The results of his work are evident in the new forms of organization and self-management within the comunas, as well as in the social tourism that these once-marginalized regions now attract.
Through urban integration—achieved via public transport and even escalators—the promotion of new governance models, and an attentive focus on Colombian youth, Alonso Salazar represents a political renewal that rejects failed strategies in the fight against drug trafficking and social inequality.
