Paradiplomacy and City Branding: The Case of Medellín, Colombia (2004–2019)

The city of Medellín, Colombia has undergone drastic changes in recent decades. Known as “the most dangerous city in the world” in the 1990s, Medellín was nominated “the most innovative city in the world” in 2013. Due to this changed image, the city managed to attract foreign investors, international companies and tourists from all over the world. The city has even become a model for social progress. This positioning of the city image has been achieved thanks to the technological, social, cultural and educational projects and programs that have been proposed in the local development plans. All this change, of course, could only happen with public policies and social programs that have managed to affect the inhabitants of the city through a process of citizen participation. This chapter analyzes the development plans and management reports of Medellín between 2004 and 2019, using qualitative content analysis, to identify the city’s paradiplomacy and city branding strategies.