Cities With Ethos?

"Freedom of expression cannot survive as an abstraction"- ICORN

Cities have been studied, imagined, theorized, from different points of view. Likewise, they have been characterized by their tourist attractions and products, by their history, traditions and monuments. Almost always referring to the cities themselves, to tourists, rather than to their inhabitants. And cities have inhabitants born, the exiled, expatriates and refugees within them.

As far as refugees are concerned, the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) is an independent organization of cities and regions that offer refuge to writers and artists in danger, encourage freedom of expression, defend democratic values and promote international solidarity.

ICORN member cities offer long-term, albeit temporary, refuge to those in danger as a direct result of their creative activities. 

Since 2006, more than 70 cities around the world have hosted no fewer than 200 writers, artists and journalists. The commitment of these cities is both concrete and deeply symbolic: the agent of change, whether a writer, artist or journalist, is fleeing imminent threat and persecution; the member city offers refuge, signifying the values of hospitality, solidarity and freedom of expression.

Refugees include bloggers, novelists, playwrights, journalists, musicians, poets, non-fiction writers, visual artists, cartoonists, songwriters, translators, screenwriters and publishers.  This allows them to continue to express themselves freely in a safe, but not silent, place. By using digital and social media to reach audiences they previously did not have access to and benefiting from local networks, their voices can be heard by new audiences in their host cities and beyond. Some of these cities include Bahia; Belo Horizonte; Mexico City; Barcelona; Amsterdam; Paris; and Stockholm.

The originating project was the City of Asylum, a nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh, along with two other U.S. cities: Las Vegas and Ithaca. These were sponsored by universities; Pittsburgh operates on a different model than all the other Asylum cities. Instead of being institutionally sponsored, it is a grassroots organization, supported by individuals and foundations. Rather than focusing on emergency relief and providing a temporary way station for an exiled writer, the Pittsburgh City of Asylum's commitment is to help the writer build a new home and a new life as part of a community.

Concern for life in the city for its residents is also a growing concern and a topic of reflection by decision-makers.

The 15-Minute City

Carlos Moreno, professor of complex systems and innovation at the University of Paris, has been creating the "15-minute city" in his mind for decades and seems to have an answer to the potential problems posed by this model. "We are not talking about the transformation of the city, but about the life of the city," he argues. The idea is to locate the aspects that define this quarter-hour city, which can be summarized in "seven urban social functions that any happy citizen would want: living, working, shopping, access to health, education, culture and relaxation in harmony with the surrounding nature." 

The health crisis "has reminded us that the essential need of our lives is to bond, express ourselves and enjoy a rich social and civic life."

Moreover, Ivo Weöhrl, an expert from Pictet Smart City, recalls that the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 for 2030 speaks of ensuring inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities. 

The reflections and implementations go in the direction of moving from technical infrastructure to coexistence goods. The clamor comes from the people, tired of invasions, gentrifications, the loss of coexistence, the disappearance of neighborhood businesses, and uneducated tourism, which is imposed. 

It is necessary to emphasize what the WTO says in its defense of sustainable tourism: Travel - Enjoy - Respect.

In this, mayors have a fundamental role. Each city is different, but the function of mayors is common: to lead the potential of a city system where the core of their mandate is to create value – environmental, economic and social.

What are some of the characteristics of the most successful mayors?

1. They firmly believe that the greatest changes can be achieved from the city.

2. They know that a great city attracts talent, creativity, economic activity, civility and culture.

3. They love their city more than their political parties.

4. They speak in terms of governance as a challenge to solve problems, not as an excuse for ideological debate and immobility.

5. They are pragmatists who operate locally with national and international networks of cities.

6. They are radical by necessity.

7. They are visionaries.

In short, they do not follow the will of the citizenry: they express it, contain it and empower it in actions that the citizenry does not expect or visualize.

If cities have a soul, a vocation, a new instance of governance is also necessary, adjusted to each locality. In order to truly transform the different realities that coexist in an increasingly complex world, values must be incorporated into the system.