Page 43 - THE SOUTH CHINA BUSINESS JOURNAL
P. 43
paign, Kazan actively encourages its inhabitants to together to create green spaces as well as communities
make good use of its sports infrastructure to improve and civil-society organizations to maintain these
health and wellbeing. The infrastructure has been spaces. Wuhan’s initiative tackles waste and pollution
accompanied by urban greening campaign that has in a particular manner. The city has successfully
turned Kazan into a green, clean, and healthy city. transformed one of Asia’s largest landfill sites into a
Santa Ana’s solution to inadequate infrastructure and recreational eco-park. The landfill, using aerobiotic
to women’s empowerment emphasizes education to technologies, has only water and CO2 as emissions.
change its mobility culture. The municipality teaches The remediated ecosystem has brought back wildlife
women to ride bikes. This has provided many women and benefitted the local residents. The park also
in Santa Ana with their first truly independent means manages to self-finance its operations by including
of mobility. It also emphasizes the right to the use a judicious choice of commercial, recreational, and
of the road by alternative means of mobility and incubating activities.
has prompted improvement of road infrastructure.
Mezitli’s initiative is both a women-empowerment To recap, these stories are not stories of new scientific
story and a story of integration. In a male dominated discoveries or technological advancement. Instead,
marketplace, and with hundreds of thousands of Syrian they are stories of new – if not best – ways of tapping
refugees, Mezitili has created women-only markets, into existing resources for the common good. Just as
encouraging women to participate in economic Ms.Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of United Cities and
activities and have meaningful livelihoods through Local Governments, commented, “We [the cities and
the selling of homemade products as well as home- local governments] are not the kind of innovators that
grown vegetables and fruits. Aside from gaining more are going to bring people to Mars… However, when we
economic independence, the women have also become are in Mars, we are the kind of innovators that need to
more active in social life. organize the society in Mars.”
In the last stream, Santa Fe, Salvador, and Wuhan The curtain call of the award ceremony would not
shared how they were trying to achieve environmental take us to Mars either, but would take us to the next
and ecological resilience. Plagued with floods, Santa phase of the award cycle: the upcoming study tours
Fe is converting two reservoirs for flood management and learning opportunities in 2019. Although the Jury
into a highly-attractive protected green area. The city casted their final votes for Wuhan, Milan, Guadalajara,
is also developing urban orchards and incorporating Mezitli, and New York City as the award winners, all
low-income families into sustainable-socio-productive the 15 cities will have a chance to participate in hosting
ventures. Salvador is faced with a different challenge: a study tour, a workshop, or other peer-learning and
decrease of forest coverage in a previously lush zone knowledge-sharing activities, as well as business
of the Amazon forest. To reverse this situation, the exchange if so desired.■
city engages various municipal agencies to work
South China Business Journal 40
make good use of its sports infrastructure to improve and civil-society organizations to maintain these
health and wellbeing. The infrastructure has been spaces. Wuhan’s initiative tackles waste and pollution
accompanied by urban greening campaign that has in a particular manner. The city has successfully
turned Kazan into a green, clean, and healthy city. transformed one of Asia’s largest landfill sites into a
Santa Ana’s solution to inadequate infrastructure and recreational eco-park. The landfill, using aerobiotic
to women’s empowerment emphasizes education to technologies, has only water and CO2 as emissions.
change its mobility culture. The municipality teaches The remediated ecosystem has brought back wildlife
women to ride bikes. This has provided many women and benefitted the local residents. The park also
in Santa Ana with their first truly independent means manages to self-finance its operations by including
of mobility. It also emphasizes the right to the use a judicious choice of commercial, recreational, and
of the road by alternative means of mobility and incubating activities.
has prompted improvement of road infrastructure.
Mezitli’s initiative is both a women-empowerment To recap, these stories are not stories of new scientific
story and a story of integration. In a male dominated discoveries or technological advancement. Instead,
marketplace, and with hundreds of thousands of Syrian they are stories of new – if not best – ways of tapping
refugees, Mezitili has created women-only markets, into existing resources for the common good. Just as
encouraging women to participate in economic Ms.Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of United Cities and
activities and have meaningful livelihoods through Local Governments, commented, “We [the cities and
the selling of homemade products as well as home- local governments] are not the kind of innovators that
grown vegetables and fruits. Aside from gaining more are going to bring people to Mars… However, when we
economic independence, the women have also become are in Mars, we are the kind of innovators that need to
more active in social life. organize the society in Mars.”
In the last stream, Santa Fe, Salvador, and Wuhan The curtain call of the award ceremony would not
shared how they were trying to achieve environmental take us to Mars either, but would take us to the next
and ecological resilience. Plagued with floods, Santa phase of the award cycle: the upcoming study tours
Fe is converting two reservoirs for flood management and learning opportunities in 2019. Although the Jury
into a highly-attractive protected green area. The city casted their final votes for Wuhan, Milan, Guadalajara,
is also developing urban orchards and incorporating Mezitli, and New York City as the award winners, all
low-income families into sustainable-socio-productive the 15 cities will have a chance to participate in hosting
ventures. Salvador is faced with a different challenge: a study tour, a workshop, or other peer-learning and
decrease of forest coverage in a previously lush zone knowledge-sharing activities, as well as business
of the Amazon forest. To reverse this situation, the exchange if so desired.■
city engages various municipal agencies to work
South China Business Journal 40
