TEDxCity2.0 Hoogstraat Change, sustainability and civic power

One hundred thirty eight communities around the world talked about the future of the city during the TEDCity2.0 on the 20th of September, 2013. Curaçao was one of these communities and ten local speakers shared their thoughts about the future of the island. “The reactions after the event were quite good,” Priscilla Lotman, one of the organizers of TEDxCity2.0 Hoogstraat, said. “We wanted to measure up to international standards and this was exciting; we are happy everyone was truly satisfied.”

Text Elisa Koek

Change
Around 100 people gathered at The Triangle, a sustainable office building in Otrobanda, where the TEDxCity2.0 Hoogstraat was held. Some were individuals looking for inspiration; others came with colleagues looking for new ideas for their work field. One thing became really clear that day: Curaçao needs change and the people of Curaçao are ready to take on the challenge to make those changes. TEDxCity2.0 Hoogstraat speakers, as well as visitors, emphasized the importance of sustainability and creativity to develop the island. TEDCity2.0 speakers in New York, shown via live stream, also inspired the public to think outside the box and make changes happen. Examples are Janette Sadik-Khan who puts pedestrians at the forefront of transportation policy in New York City, and Robin Nagle who creates beauty from trash.

Everything is possible
Local speaker Kurt Schoop can certainly relate to creating beauty out of trash. Schoop is the man behind Oasis Game, a project from Brazil that he implements on Curaçao. The idea of Oasis Game is to help residents improve their neighborhood with materials that seem worthless. He starts every project with charting the dreams of the participants. The next phase is to take one big dream and make it a reality. “There is a connection between your life, your house and your neighborhood. I learned from a very young age that all three influence each other,” Schoop explains. “I help people improve their neighborhoods and at the same time their life.” The Oasis Game already took place in Otrobanda, Nieuw Nederland and Klein Santa Martha. “I have seen great things. In Klein Santa Marta the residents created a meeting point which includes a sports area and a shelter for the sun. Some attendees are really creative and show others that everything is possible. This goes for the government as well: if you show them it can really happen, they start believing too.”

Make change happen
Building a city, or an island in this case, in a sustainable way is something local TEDxCity2.0 Hoogstraat speaker Andres Casimiri has tried to ‘sell’ for years. The founder of Greentown explained how Curaçao could be an example for the whole world. “Every country has ‘brown fields’,” Casimiri states. “In Curaçao this is the location of the refinery. We can show the world how to preserve this area and how to make it profitable.” Although Casimiri is a little disappointed to see a lot more familiar than new faces at this TEDx event, he thinks the discussion about sustainability is ongoing and that awareness is growing. “I would like to see other faces, people who don’t know about Greentown or about creating a green environment, but durability is not appealing to everybody yet. However, I think we are in a transition period; the whole world is. Young people are sick of how things are being run and there is a plea for change. The next generation will make change happen.”

“I see Curaçao as a company”
Raygen Zuiverloon, CEO of Downtown Management Organization (DMO), attended TEDxCity2.0 Hoogstraat to get inspired. He has always loved cities and even feels that they made him who he is now. “I lived in Rotterdam for years and as a result I started DMO. However, I’m not attending TEDx just for the future of Punda and Otrobanda. I see Curaçao as one big city where development needs to grow. I see this island as a company: you need to work for it.” Zuiverloon also feels the world around him is changing and Curaçao needs to keep up with this. “While society used to outpace people, people are now outpacing society. There is less certainty and the world powers are slowly losing their grip. It’s time to make change happen ourselves. How are we going to handle this?”

Bianca Neman, another TEDxCity2.0 Hoogstraat visitor, totally agreed with this point of view. She feels changes should be made by citizens. “You can’t count on government anymore,” Neman says. “Our children are going abroad to study, but most of them don’t return. We need to think about ways to make the island appealing again and stop the brain drain. We can’t wait for the government to start building the island; we need to do it ourselves. I think this day showed us that many people in Curaçao have great ideas and are ambitious. I have heard wonderful stories today and got inspired to make a change.”

138 communities kept each other in the loop
Organizer Priscilla Lotman is very satisfied with the result of TEDxCity2.0 Hoogstraat. Lotman and the rest of the team started with preparations only six weeks before the event, but managed to create a well-organized day. “When we initially signed up for TEDx, there were only 50 participating communities. It’s amazing that it ended up being 138 communities organizing this TEDx event.” On a special Facebook page, all 138 communities kept each other in the loop with preparations and ideas. On the event day, there was a live chat in case of trouble. “Luckily we didn’t have to use the live chat. Almost everything went according to plan. The sponsors, volunteers and live speakers did an amazing job.”

Although TEDxCity2.0 Hoogstraat was just one day, it sparked the momentum to get the movement started. On a special TEDxCity2.0 Hoogstraat LinkedIn page, people are sharing their ideas and continue brainstorming. If it is up to organizer Priscilla Lotman, the inspiration to elicit change will continue: “It is great people still talk about TEDx Hoogstraat. When I go to seminars, I see people writing down ideas in the notepad they received at the TEDx; I hear them talking about the event and discussing the ideas that were shared. We want to create awareness and recognition for concepts like civic power, pedestrian spaces and decentralized the leadership. Maybe most people aren’t thinking about this on a daily basis, but I hope their mindset has changed. I think this is a good start.”

Depending on the date of the next TEDCity2.0, we may
see another TEDx Hoogstraat on the island. Check out the
Facebook page, www.facebook.com/tedxhoogstraat or
LinkedIn for more information.