In light of World Environment Day, the green light (no pun intended) was given to the creation of Antioquia’s Central Park, an ambitious undertaking aimed at conserving and protecting the lands surrounding Medellín’s Metropolitan Area. It hopes to conserve forests and hydric resources, creating a greenbelt around the central portion of the department.

More than conservation, however, it’s a matter of human survival, given that most of the Aburrá Valley’s residents benefit from these natural resources. World Environment Day reminded citizens all over the world that climate change has concrete and damaging effects on our lives. Not only do we see changes in seasons, which have increased in intensity and duration as of late, also impacting food production; but natural disasters have also become more frequent due to the alteration of ecosystems.

Globally, little gets done to contain disasters of this nature, which is why any local or regional effort is significant and worthwhile. Backed by a number of national and regional institutions, the Governorship of Antioquia, Medellín’s Mayoral Office and 50 municipalities are now committed to working towards the conservation of 894.55 hectares and guarantee the wellbeing of all citizens and future generations. It will be a priority to recover, protect and preserve Antioquia’s natural resources through the declaration of new protected areas and stricter rules.

The X Regional Conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), an event that brought together police forces from 29 countries, came to a close yesterday in Medellín.

Attendants shared strategies on how to fight transnational crime. According to the head of the Chiefs of Police Commission for Central America, Mexico, Colombia and the Caribbean, Aminta Granera, the region’s countries are increasingly acting in a more coordinated fashion. “Police officers are an integrating factor in the world because we run the same risks, we have a common enemy and we share the same goals,” she said.

On Thursday, elections will be held for the Board of Directors of Medellín’s Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia, in which the multi-sectoral group led by Gabriel Harry Hinestroza will go head to head with candidates backed by Fenalco (National Association of Merchants) and led by director, Sergio Ignacio Soto Mejía. Both are campaigning intensely to secure a majority on the board.

Harry Hinestroza said the goal is to hold on to the three spots they currently have in order to ensure continuity to ongoing policies. Soto Mejía, meanwhile, said Fenalco hopes to increase its two spots to three, which would give the group better representation given it is the largest union, made up of 50 sectors.