For decades Medellín has been stigmatised by corruption, violence, and drug trafficking. In an effort to renew the way politics was done in Colombia, Sergio Fajardo’s civic political movement Compromiso Ciudadano (Citizen’s Commitment) aimed to bring real social, economic and political change to Medellín, with his political career focussing on education, reconciliation and the fight against corruption.
Fajardo joins the Centre and the School of Public Policy to discuss his efforts in building a relationship of trust with the citizens of Colombia through his education programmes. Under the umbrella slogan “Medellín: la más educada” (Medellín, the most educated), Fajardo created Jóvenes con Futuro (Youth With a Future) and Entornos Protectores (Protective Environments), providing vulnerable young people with vocational training, along with sports and cultural activities, as an alternative to crime. This evening talk will cover Fajardo's commitment to education policy, specifically to use it as the "engine of social transformation".
About the speaker:
Sergio Fajardo (@sergio_fajardo) was the Mayor of Medellín, Colombia from 2004-2007. He was also the Governor of Antioquia from 2012-201. He participated in the 2018 Colombian presidential elections as a candidate. Fajardo holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin.
Chair:
Andrés Velasco (@AndresVelasco) is the inaugural Dean of the new School of Public Policy at LSE. He was the Minister of Finance in Chile between 2006 and 2010 and held professorial roles at the Harvard Kennedy School and Columbia University´s School of International and Public Affairs.
This event is being co-hosted with the School of Public Policy and with financial support from the LSE SU Colombian Society.
Image credit: Sergio Fajardo Valderrama (CC BY 2.0)