Deutsche Bank Urban Age award | Mexico City 2010
On Thursday July 22, the 4th Deutsche Bank Urban Age Award was presented to the Asamblea Comunitaria de Miravalle (Miravalle Community Council), a community-based project that runs a comprehensive set of cultural, health, environmental, educational and employment programs within a low-income neighbourhood on the outskirts of the city. Located in Iztapalapa borough and founded by indigenous people from different ethnic backgrounds who migrated to the city, Miravalle brings together a wide range of individuals as well as local and metropolitan organizations.
Among their first achievements was the transformation of a former waste dump into a public space for social interaction. The award, which includes a prize of US$ 100,000, was presented at the Indianilla Cultural Centre, Mexico City, on July 22, 2010, in the presence of Marcelo Ebrard, Mayor of Mexico City, and Wolfgang Nowak, Director of the Deutsche Bank's Alfred Herrhausen Society.
Culture Centre Consejo Agrarista-CODECO
Special mention
Founded by 30 gangs that agreed on a truce, this centre provides training on legal graffiti and art as an alternative to drugs and violence.
CODECO was founded in 1990 by 30 gangs from Iztapalapa in order to fight against marginalization, drugs, crime, violence and discrimination against youth, women and the poor. They acknowledge the existence of gangs as a legitimate means of collective identity but through a wide offer of sport facilities, working spaces, artistic workshops and a library, promote legal graffiti and artistic work as an alternative to drugs, crime and violence. These activities work to integrate the community while providing employable skills training to broaden the opportunities of the neighbourhood.
Recovering Spaces for Life
Special mention
This local community group with the support of Iberoamericana University works to recover the dignity of this historically marginalized area through the restoration of public space.
Located in Santa Fe, an area of extreme socioeconomic contrast, this project in partnership with Iberoamericana University focuses on the recovery of public spaces through different activities that create a renewed sense of belonging. The project includes a programme of environmental education, technological literacy and skills training. Iberoamericana University provides social networking support, helps to forge links that allow residents from surrounding neighbourhoods to secure jobs at the financial centre of Santa Fe, and is building a network of like-minded organisations in the area.
Rescuing the San Borja River's Ravine
Over 200 tonnes of garbage were removed from a ravine that has since been turned into a community vegetable garden. Surrounding neighbourhoods will be connected by an aerial walk.
The Álvaro Obregón borough asked the National Autonomous University of Mexico to design a comprehensive project for the rescue of the San Borja River ravine that could become a model for similar ravines in the area. Financed through governmental charges to local construction companies, over 200 tonnes of garbage accumulated over 30 years was removed by the local authorities along with the university. Pedestrian access was secured as well as the creation of a local security unit and a community vegetable garden on the bottom of the ravine. Future projects include the construction of an aerial walk to bridge neighbourhoods that are isolated by the ravine, creating more connected communities.
Restoring Santa Fe village's Heritage
Through the recovery of their natural and cultural heritage the community of Santa Fe village is restoring public space and a renewed social fabric.
The organisation Networks, Mobile Spaces for Art and Culture works with abandoned areas on the promotion of cultural and natural heritage as a process of restoring a social fabric and promoting community engagement. In partnership with the Santa Fe Village, the Bellavista Alley was restored and an open theatre was created. Both have become safe and well used public spaces for social interaction in an area historically overwhelmed by fear and violence. The reopening of the Don Vasco Hermitage created a renewed awareness about the area's collective memory and through workshops is helping to identify important communal spaces.