Historic centres for urban equity

This initiative was a Triangular Cooperation effort, developed with the support of the ADELANTE Window, to tackle the lack of economic opportunities and evident social inequalities, and drive sustainable urban development in specific historical centres of Colombia. 

 Mobilising International Expertise for Historic Centre Revitalisation 

Through this Triangular Cooperation Initiative, the knowledge and expertise of the Partnership member entities on municipal associations were brought together and put to work. Provider entities collaborated to meet the needs identified by the beneficiary entities: 

• Provider entities:
  • City Council of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)
  • City Hall of Málaga (Spain)
  • Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation - AECID (Spain)
• Beneficiary entities:
  • District City Hall of Barranquilla, (Colombia)
  • Puerta de Oro Caribbean Development, (Colombia) 

Together, the partners developed a model tailored to the needs of Barranquilla's historic centre - one designed to be studied and replicated across other cities in the region. 

Strengthening the Historic Centre of Barranquilla  

The pilot initiative for revitalising Barranquilla's historic centre was designed to: 

• Be part of the city’s development plan
• Be genuinely inclusive by involving the final beneficiaries (residents and businesspeople of the historic centre of Barranquilla)
• Serve as a replicable model for other cities across Colombia and the wider region 

Through joint work and close collaboration, the Partnership developed a comprehensive strategy to reduce poverty, informality, unemployment and inequality by identifying and efficiently addressing the area's most pressing challenges, such as supporting homeless people, public safety, the deterioration of public spaces and access to adequate housing. 

Objectives

This Triangular Cooperation Initiative sought to harness the knowledge of the Partnership's provider entities to develop solutions and strategic plans for the rehabilitation and revitalisation of historic centres, with a focus on sustainable development and urban equity. 

Project activities

This initiative was structured around five activities designed to create spaces for joint working and first-hand learning from the revitalisation experiences of Málaga and Santo Domingo, before jointly identifying the critical challenges facing Barranquilla. These insights informed guidelines for the development of the Integrated Economic Recovery Plan, produced with the support of a company specialising in urban development. 

The action plan included: 

• Three study visits
• One study
• One Workshop 

Key activities 

• Capacity Building 

Representatives of the District City Hall of Barranquilla and Puerta de Oro Caribbean received training covering: 

• Public policy measures implemented by the city to revitalise its historic centre
• Protection and conservation of Barranquilla's cultural heritage

• Best practice in sustainable urban regeneration 

   

• Model Implementation 

A strategic plan for the rehabilitation and revitalisation of Barranquilla's historic centre was developed and put into practice, drawing on the guidelines and recommendations set out in the ‘Integrated Socio-Economic Recovery Plan for the historic centre of Barranquilla’ and the 'Reference Guide for the Transfer of Knowledge' the two flagship outputs of this Initiative. 

• Policy Development 

The key outputs also included a set of public policy measures for sustainable development in deprived urban areas, based on insights gathered during the study visits to the Dominican Republic and Spain. 

• Community Engagement 

The activities in Colombia included: 

• Focus groups with a diverse range of beneficiary communities - including migrants, LGBTQI+ people, persons with disabilities, women, the local business community and young people - to gather inputs for participatory and representative guidelines for the Integrated Economic Recovery Plan.
• A final workshop to present the model developed with the participation of the Partnership entities, and other relevant actors, including public and private entities and civil society, as well as representatives of other cities within Colombia. 

Cross-Cutting Themes 

Throughout the initiative, a human rights and gender-based approach was prioritised, along with a commitment to: 

• Environmental sustainability
• Climate change resilience 

 These elements were integrated into knowledge-sharing activities, and the final Integrated Economic Recovery Plan, ensuring a comprehensive and sustainable approach to the regeneration of Barranquilla’s historical centre. 

(Expected) Results

Through this Triangular Cooperation Initiative, the collective knowledge and expertise of the Partnership's member entities and the collaborating entity in sustainable city development was used to design The Integrated Socio-Economic Recovery Plan for the historic centre of Barranquilla. In addition to the findings and future prospects for the Barranquilla city centre, it offers practical guidelines for other cities with similar characteristics and will facilitate continued knowledge-sharing. 

Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 

The results of this Initiative align with SDG 11, particularly the following targets: 

• Target 11.1: ‘By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.’
• Target 11.4: ‘Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage’ 

By fostering collaboration, sustainability, and equitable cities, this initiative contributes to inclusive and sustainable urbanisation and builds capacity for participatory planning and management across Latin American cities. 

Implementing partner

District City Hall of Barranquilla, in Colombia