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of funding comes from the department
and advance extensive promotion of the
and is guaranteed through the policy
project. Extensive promotion has become
framework.
an essential part of this innovative educational park project in Antioquia.
2. Extensive Promotion and
Now, several cities in Colombia and a few
Communication
in Latin America are interested in learning
When the project was still in its
about the experience.
infancy, some political groups resisted it, claiming that it was better to invest
3. Integrating Educational
money in the traditional system. This has
Parks into Urban Construction
been overcome by the local government
Strategies
and community’s supports for the project
As a supplement to the overall youth
and the investment funds into the formal
educational undertaking of Antioquia,
schooling system would continue.
the Educational Parks for Youth Project
Eventually, political groups originally in
has been proven conducive to boosting
objection to this project were convinced
the all-round development of young
by the fact that the educational parks
people. The project looks like China’s
did not replace formal educational
youth palace program, but with certain
institutions. Moreover, there was public
distinctive characteristics in the sense
concern for the sustainability of the
that these educational parks are woven
project. To ease such concern, a public-
into the urban tapestry and are developed
private institutional framework has been
into public facilities as well as tourist
built to guarantee public funds and co-
attractions. Some of them have become a
financing, establish long-term alliances
place for leisure and fun.