Learning from Cities— The 2nd Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation
178 to the city is seen as the only alternative. The governor, Sergio Fajardo, has always believed in education being the engine of social transformation. It is founded on the belief that education plays a key role in generating city’s power and opportunities for a more equitable and sustainable development. Public education is understood in a broad sense, from early childhood till entrepreneurship, i n t e gr ating culture, science a nd innovation. The 80 Educational Parks that are being built are the embodiment of this idea. What started out as a competition for each municipality to “win” their Educational Park, turned into a large social mobilization around education in 109 different territories where local mayors were brought together with educators, youth groups and several other representatives of the local population, to think about strategies to improve the
□ Façade of Educational Thematic Park in the Antioquia
quality of education in their municipality An independent panel of renowned
the quality of formal education, but also
academics, educators and businesspeople,
offer alternative educational opportunities
selected the 80 winning municipalities.
to the wider community and become
The Parks do not replace formal
centers for developing community
educational institutions, but seek to
relations and citizenship, much needed
articulate and complement public and
in areas affected by violence and social
private formal and informal educational
ruptures.
programs, catalyzing innovation,
Although it is part of a four-year
creativity and change in the educational
development plan, it is a long-term
system. They aim not only at improving
project that will be part of a new policy