Traveling Film Festival “Ambulante”
This travelling documentary film festival serves as a forum for ground-breaking Mexican documentaries. read more
Knowledge city
The term "Knowledge City" is short hand for a regional economy driven by high value-added manufacturing and services created through research, technology and human capital.
Knowledge City:
Sustainability
“We are cleaning up our city and we want to project it. We want to convey the image of a green city that is committed to sustainability.”
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Martha Delgado, Secretary, Department of the Environment, Mexico City |
As in any megacity, Mexico City faces a variety of environmental challenges. Urban growth, combined with a rising middle class population, today requires innovative thinking and policies in urban planning, transportation, air pollution, water scarcity and solid waste, among others. Mexico City has adopted a 15-year Green Plan to address these environmental challenges simultaneously.
Mexico City is also providing global leadership to promote sustainability among world cities; a recent global summit of mayors, hosted by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, resulted in more than 300 cities signing The Mexico City Pact, an agreement to address climate change and reduce GHG emissions.
Facts and Figures:
- Mexico City is investing more than $1.5 billion a year (51% of all tax revenue) on improving public transportation systems, including expansion of its Metro subway system (already one of the world’s largest).
- Mexico City is upgrading the current bus system with a program to replace aging private bus and taxi systems with fuel-efficient, less polluting models.
- Mexico City implemented the Ecobici bicycle sharing system where residents can rent bikes from kiosks set up around the city.
- Providing water supplies to Mexico City’s 20 million residents is an enormous challenge, one made difficult by the fact that the city’s elevation is higher than the network of lakes, rivers and canals that must tapped to provide it. Mexico City’s government is educating business and consumers on water conservation efforts, investing in new water treatment facilities and improving water infrastructure to reduce leakage.
Focus on Sustainability:
To expand public transportation and improve the city’s air quality the Mexico City government created the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. The BRT system includes 40 kilometers of dedicated bus lanes around the capital and is comprised of 80 bus stations and 200 technologically modern, low-pollution busses.
The new busses offer Mexico City’s residents a sustainable and convenient alternative form of transportation, many of whom were previously spending several hours commuting by car each day. The busses currently serve an estimated 500,000 travelers daily.
other focus areas:
Banking & Financial Services
“Mexico is a great investment opportunity for both domestic and foreign capital. I think Mexico City is and will remain of the most attractive cities for investment.” — Ignacio Deschamps González, CEO, BBVA Bancomer Mexico City is the center of financial and commercial activity in Mexico and home to Latin… read more
Education
“Education should be at the heart of public policy, for it is through education that social issues can really be addressed.” — Mario Delgado Carillo, Secretary of Education, Mexico City Education is the foundation of a knowledge-based economy. A comprehensive education builds the skills, values and knowledge that will drive… read more
Healthcare
“In Mexico City, there is a pro bono law which ensures that anyone living here who doesn’t receive social security benefits can get free medical check-ups, medicines, analysis, scans, hospitalization and surgery, all without any cost…The backbone of the city government’s health program is preventative action.” — Dr. Armando Ahued,… read more
Human Capital
“Mexico City’s government is committed to transforming the city into a highly competitive marketplace that stands among the best in the world.” — Mayor Marcelo Ebrard The third largest city in the world in terms of population, Mexico City has more than a large labor force; it has a knowledgeable… read more
Information Technologies & Telecommunications
“This city really demands solutions up front and it generates them, too. Microsoft Mexico has developed successful strategies that have then been implemented in other countries.” — Enrique Simón Rueda, Sales OEM Manager, Microsoft Latin America Mexico City is continuing to invest in its telecommunications infrastructure so businesses and individuals… read more
Science & Technology
“Government funding for research at the universities that are generating new knowledge, when passed off to the companies, will result in processes that positively impact society and the economy.” — Dr. Juan Pedro Laclette, Senior Researcher, Institute of Biomedical Research, UNAM Mexico City is poised to emerge as a major… read more
Social Freedoms
“Mexico City’s civil society has a mature citizenship card. The dynamics of freedom and the force of public opinion are on the side of civil society...” — Rogelio Gómez Hermosillo, World Bank consultant and Chairman, Alianza Cívica Mexico City has a long tradition of respecting political liberties and freedoms. Freedom… read more
Voices from the city:
Pozole, The Mexican Comfort Food
Two shy campesinas, attired in home-made cotton dresses with rebozos draped over their shoulders, waited patiently at the counter of the carnicería. When their turn came they asked for “una cabeza, por favor” (“a head, please”). read more
February 10 – May 03, 2012
April 12 – April 29, 2012
Zocalo--La corrala del mitote,
Perfomance of Shakespeare’s Henry IV
A powerful performance of Shakespeare’s Henry IV that demonstrates rivalries and moral dilemmas were as relevant in the past as they are today. Takes place at 6:30 PM on Thursday, Friday and Sunday and at 1 PM on Saturday and Sunday. read more
April 21 – June 24, 2012
Orquesta Filharmonica de la Ciudad de Mexico - Tlalpan
Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra Performances
Mexico City’s world-renowned Philharmonic Orchestra will perform music by classical composers including Beethoven, Mozart, Debussy, Strauss, Mendelssohn, and other great names in music history. read more
May 24 – May 26, 2012
World Trade Center, Mexico City
Habitat Expo
A popular interior design and architecture exhibition that features close to 210 exhibitors. read more
May 26, 2012
Roma and Condesa neighborhoods, Mexico City
Roma Condesa Cultural Corridor
Experience the city’s avant-garde art and design and flavorful cuisine by visiting participating exhibits and restaurants. read more
Surprising Fact
Even during the current recession, foreign direct investment to Mexico City has grown by 4.5 percent.
Overheard
Culturally, the city has changed enormously in terms of all of these social accouterments that we see here in San Francisco, for example, in terms of gay unions, same sex marriage, bicycles and recycling, just all those things you wouldn’t have imagined Mexico City could actually evolve into. Into being an environmentally-minded if not an environmentally-clean city at this point, but trying all the time. That’s been a remarkable change as well.
— John Ross, San Francisco Chronicle