Daily Transformations in Cityscape: Santiago Uribe Rocha notes City Changes Occur Regularly
Meet Santiago Uribe Rocha, a resilience warrior hailing from the calamitous lands of Colombia. Raised under fierce circumstances, he learned the power of hard graft from his determined mother. Armed with tenacity and two master's degrees, Santiago's now chasing a PhD on urban systems.
Once, Colombia was his home, but his thirst for knowledge took him to South Africa, where he got tangled in peace talks. It was the beginning of an astounding journey that transformed troubled Medellín into one of the world's most esteemed cities.
The Menace of Medellín
Peace is essential. It's Goal 16 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, and Santiago knows why:
"Without peace, there can be no prosperity for all. And without prosperity, there can be no peace for everyone."
In the past, Medellín earned the unwanted title of the world's most dangerous city, thanks partly to drug cartels that spread violence to strengthen their grip. Santiago shares his vivid memory, "In 1991, the President appointed a Minister of Peace for Medellín. The situation was that bad that the President had to create a role specifically to save the city from collapsing due to violence."
Cartels and violence weren't the root of the problems; Santiago and his colleagues discovered the real culprits lay in inequality and socio-spatial segregation.
They tackled these issues head-on by hosting roundtables in each neighborhood. This process, aptly named "alternative futures," aimed to unite a divided city by establishing a shared vision for the city's future. Coincidentally, it was identical to an approach taken in South Africa during Nelson Mandela's tenure, via local peace committees. Santiago jumped at the opportunity to share best practices between peace negotiators from the two nations.
Empowering the People
When an earthquake struck Armenia, Santiago was there to design a recovery program. Heart-wrenching tales about loss and despair led him to question what a truly resilient urban system looks like.
"I realized that a city is not just buildings or infrastructure, but the values that define its people."
Later, when a flood devastated most of Colombia's 1,126 municipalities, Santiago understood that resilient cities aren't just about infrastructure but about community and social cohesion.
The Resilient Cities Network
After years away, Santiago returned to Medellín amidst tragedy. A 28-story building collapsed, wiping out Santiago's apartment. Inspired by his expertise in conflict management, Santiago was appointed as Medellín's Chief Resilience Officer, the second ever in the world. This post was part of the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities initiative, which built a network of cooperative cities.
Interestingly, Medellín was the only city that focused on social resilience, while others concentrated on structural integrity. Santiago explains, "Our focus was on how the city could learn and recover from urban violence. That's how we understood our capacity to become a resilient city."
When Violence Paves the Path
Tackling violence was vital to Medellín's resilience strategy, contributing to the city shedding its 'most violent city' ranking in the 2000s. Santiago initiated discussions with stakeholders to establish a consensus on the city's vision. Focusing on creation of the "House of Justice" in every community, Medellín aimed to curb youth violence and promote equity and employment. The city also became famous for its cable cars, bridging impoverished high-density neighborhoods into the urban fabric.
Through sharing knowledge with other cities, Medellín continues to tackle familiar problems, inspiring change wherever it goes.
Santiago admits there's still progress to be made, but his work is far from over. A cycling enthusiast at heart, Santiago would soon hand over the reins to a new generation of resilience champions, eager to carry on the path of transformation.
- Santiago Uribe Rocha's journey began in the troubled city of Medellín, driven by the understanding that peace and prosperity are intertwined, and a resilient urban system encompasses not just infrastructure but the values and cohesion of its people.
- Embracing the role of Medellín's Chief Resilience Officer, Santiago led the city's focus on social resilience, implementing initiatives such as the creation of the "House of Justice" in every community, to curb youth violence, promote equity, and foster employment, while continuing to share knowledge with other cities to inspire change globally.
