Creative Cities in the Pacific Basin of Latin American - North Latitude 0-20° (Quito-Guadalajara)

Abstract

In UNESCO' s Creative Cities Network, at the 0-20° latitude regions in our planet’s northern hemisphere, there are 10 cities recognized as being in this category, half in America and 60% of them on the Pacific Rim basin. Only two of these ten cities are included among the world’s 100 most-populated cities: Bogotá, Colombia, and Singapore. Guadalajara, Mexico, is among the most populated cities in Latin America, but its conditions have not yet been assessed in order to qualify as a creative city. Without a doubt, Guadalajara exhibits many examples of creativity. Quito, Ecuador, is considered a populous city only at the national level, and thus has not sought to become part of the unesco network. Yet, Quito has established a local development policy that includes many of the features of a creative territory. Taking into account this alignment, this study performs a first assessment of Quito and Guadalajara as creative cities. In a broader context, this analysis contributes to the challenges of the 21st century, such as the global changes that threaten the stability of life and development, demanding new and creative solutions at a local level.