Claudia López: How Bogotá Turned Care into a Global Innovation

The Century of Cities welcomes Claudia López, former Mayor of Bogotá and the city's first female leader, who shares how her administration redefined inclusion, productivity, and progress through one bold idea, the care blocks. From her childhood in a working-class neighbourhood in southern Bogotá to leading one of Latin America's largest capitals, Claudia traces a journey of transformation rooted in equity and imagination. She discusses how Bogotá evolved from disorganized transit and insecurity to a city of electric buses, social innovation, and global recognition for its "care economy." She reflects on the power of collaboration between cities, nations, and citizens to confront violence, empower women, and shape a future where care is not a favour, but a foundation for prosperity.