How was the Antioquia project born?
Antioquia was the third city of the Roman Empire and one of the great cities of the Byzantine Empire. It is par excellence the city of diversity and multiculturalism where Christians, Jews and Muslims coexist in an exemplary way.
On February 6, 2023, two earthquakes of magnitude 7.8 and 7.6 devastated Antioquia, the epicenter of the earthquake, causing the death of more than 60,000 people in the 11 affected Turkish cities where 16.2% of the total population of the country is located. country.
With 14 million inhabitants, 21.3% corresponds to the child population (4,805,937 children from 0 to 17 years old). The Syrian migrant population established in the area was 1.7 million with 50% children.
Antioquia is the capital of the Hatay province. The historic city is located in southern Turkey, bordering Syria. In the province of Hatay, there were 1,686,043 people (50% under 29 years of age) and 537,008 children.
Of the almost 5 million children affected by the earthquake, 1.6 million began classes in containers in September 2023.
In this context and being aware of the importance of the private sector in development projects of global impact, various companies have joined together in a public-private collaboration with Spanish, French and Turkish institutions and organizations, in the construction of two reference educational centers and economic and social impact for those who will preserve the history of the city of Antioquia .
The importance of establishing earthquake-resistant cities and infrastructure has been demonstrated once again. Reactivate cities with investment in alternative models and techniques that allow the expansion of earthquake-resistant settlements.
It is necessary to make systemic changes that increase resilience against disaster risk, taking care of the implementation and cooperation of all actors: citizens, governments and public institutions, NGOs, professional associations, academic circles, as well as the intervention of the private sector, both in infrastructure sectors (potable water-sewerage, municipal services, energy, transportation and communication), as well as in economic sectors (agriculture, mining, industry, manufacturing and tourism), minimizing risks in housing, education, health, employment and the environment.
What does the Antioquia project consist of ?
Our project consists of the construction of two reference educational centers with indigenous, sustainable, innovative materials adapted to climate change, on two plots of 8,000 and 10,000 square meters, which will also support the local economy of an emerging industry.
The first school will be located on a 10,000 square meter plot of land and will house 600 children in early childhood, primary and secondary education. The project has been carried out by the Turkish architects Dr. Erdem and Ekin Güven based on a technically superior, resistant, anti-seismic and sustainable structure that ensures confidence in the construction of new buildings.
It has the participation of the organization Dünya Doktorlari Derneği (DDD) and the French studio Architectes de l’Urgence . It is currently deposited with the Turkish Ministry of Education and bidding for construction has begun. The second school has a land area of 8,000 square meters and is planned for a total of 480 children. On this occasion, the municipality of Hatay will transfer the land.
We develop cooperation with industry so that education is not interrupted.
What is the objective of this project?
The Antioquía project is a pilot educational investment project with economic, social and environmental impact. A model of good business practices with return on investment.
he objective is to convert these schools into an educational reference model. To achieve this, we promote public-private collaboration, uniting companies, entities and public institutions from different countries.
The purpose is to anticipate the needs through the participation of professionals who, in a coordinated manner, adapt the schools to the historical-cultural context of the city of Antioquia in the long term.
Our objective is also to give visibility to the benefits of investment in the region as an opportunity for the future.
What is the cost of the school that we present today?
The total cost of the school that we present is €1,876,863.24 (€439.78/m2).
Currently, 20% of the financing is guaranteed.
– Nursery school, 120 children with a total construction cost of €555,212.74.
– Primary school, 240 children, with a cost of €673,811.77.
– Secondary school, also planned for 240 students at a cost of €647,838.71.
The construction time is 8 months and the opening forecast is for the 2024-2025 academic year, for a total of 600 students in 20 classrooms of 50m2 each.
The construction will be carried out on two floors of 1,500 m2 (total 3000 m2). In the remaining 7,000 m2, it is planned to increase scientific, cultural, social, artistic and sports activities. To carry out the project, important aspects have been taken into account such as height, accessibility, lighting, heating/ac, sustainability of green areas and the needs of the population and the region. The inclusion of advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence and Big Data, is also an essential element. It is an ecological school adapted to climate change.
The reorganization of the provisions on inspection of educational buildings are subject to strict control and inspection standards. Technical decisions and zoning plans were delayed due to insufficient personnel, urban data and information systems (including licenses, geological surveys, etc.)
Who makes up the Antioquia project?
The Turkish organization Dünya Döktorlari (DDD), Doctors of the World Turkey, leads the project with its own financing. The Turkish architects Dr. Erden and Ekin Güven have carried out the architectural project in collaboration with the Architectes de l’Urgence studio , which in addition to carrying out the implementation, participates with financing.
On the Spanish side, the company Otep Konsulting SL , sponsor of the event and through its CEO, Dr. Leticia Dorsch , promotes the project in Spain, committing its philanthropic work to the dissemination and attraction of investors whose management will be channeled entirely by the Ricardo Foundation . Fisas Natura Bissé . Companies will be able to deduct the percentage that corresponds to them by issuing donation certificates.
Although the presence of NGOs is important in times of disaster and crisis, in the process of rebuilding cities, it is crucial to ensure the necessary intervention of the different public-private actors.
This educational investment project is aimed at human beings and preserving the ancient city of Antioquia to keep history alive and remember it. Planning the city appropriate for children will be an essential factor for it to become attractive again and its temporary migrants to return.
Our target investment audience is those that focus on people, on the human capital that a city has with 50% of the population under 29 years of age. Otherwise, it will cause the loss of skilled labor in the agricultural and industrial sectors. It is the way to protect the population and boost the economy of the region.
What is the impact this project will have?
In an important geopolitical context, this project has an educational, economic, social and environmental impact for the region and a return for the investor as an opportunity for the future.
The participation of foreign companies will promote training in the application of innovative, avant-garde and resistant methods in a region in need of sufficient infrastructure to once again allow the exploitation of its own resources.
We increase the impact of the private sector through planned and systematic cooperation.
What is the educational and cultural impact of this project?
The affected provinces had 4.1 million students, representing 21.4% of the total number of students in Turkey, with a school enrollment rate of 94.34%.
In Hatay, the total number of students was 501,525: early childhood education (51,693 students); primary education (151,564 students); intermediate (143,821 students) and secondary (154,447 students), with a total of 29,005 teachers: early childhood education (2,453 teachers), primary (8,696 teachers), intermediate (9,649 teachers) and secondary (8,207 teachers).
This project will guarantee the sustainability of in-person education by designing schools that take care of the mental and physical development of children, supporting child safety and well-being. Support will be continuously monitored through access to quality education at all levels.
It is necessary to monitor the academic success and socio-emotional development of the students who were exposed through the use of the open classroom methodology and the educational cooperation of all those companies and institutions that want to participate and/or collaborate.
Antioquia is a historic city that treasures cultural assets of civil architecture, ruins, moments and protected streets. For centuries, all cultures and religions have coexisted in an exemplary way. It is the city of multiculturalism and diversity par excellence. The affected region has 8,500 works of cultural heritage, 28 museums managed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and 153 libraries, 11 of them for children.
On the other hand, Spanish is included as part of the curriculum of most schools in Turkey. It is considered a language of the future due to the job possibilities it offers and it is the second most in-demand language in the country (behind English). Our schools will teach Spanish classes as part of our educational and cultural commitment to impact the development of this alliance.
What will be the economic impact?
In 2022, Hatay was the region in the affected area with the highest economic growth. The growing trend in the region’s participation in the country’s GDP indicates that the region has experienced a significant change towards more developed economic activities over time, due to the strong presence of sectors such as industry and services. Hatay accounted for 1.6% and 2.1% of the country’s total exports and imports, respectively. The investment potential in the region is significant due to the possibilities of return.
The affected region presents enormous attraction for different investors. 3.8 million people were employed in the region, which also contributed 9.8% of the national GDP, with an approximate annual income of 79 billion dollars, the total participation of the 11 cities in exports was 8.6%.
As an example, with the total export of textile products in Turkey in 2022 being 14.2 billion dollars, the exports of the provinces in the disaster area are at 5 billion dollars, which is equivalent to 35% of exports. country totals. Sectoral exports of carpets, cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables, and raw materials such as leather, steel and forestry products also stand out.
Comprehensive and holistic planning is essential to normalize economic and social life in disaster zones as soon as possible, to make it more developed and resistant to risks.
The activities with the highest proportion of employment in seismic zones are those of the private sector.
In our project in Antioquia, the economic impact will be reflected initially in the hiring of trained labor personnel for the construction of the schools, which will also have a direct impact on family economies. In a second phase, the economic reactivation will begin by hiring educational personnel from the schools themselves.
What will be the environmental impact?
In Antioquia there are protected natural areas, natural parks, wetlands, forest areas, wildlife development areas, important river basins with endemic plant species. The total size of the protected area in the region is 419,801 hectares. 4.35 percent of the area is of great ecological importance in the country.
It is inevitable that earthquakes have negative effects on the functions of the region’s ecosystems (water retention, soil conservation, carbon storage), making areas more sensitive to climate change.
In an effort to improve the ecosystem and restore habitats, territorial plans in the settlement areas are being prepared according to these environmental areas. Our centers are located on land appropriate to the development and implementation plans. Local and recycled materials from cleared buildings will be used to promote sustainable management. Buildings will be more resistant and safer.
As companies that are part of the scope of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals , we prioritize access to quality education, the eradication of poverty in all its forms, the guarantee of food security, equal opportunities for women and men and the dissemination of quality health services. The last ten years have revealed the risk of partial loss of the achievements achieved. Different segments of society, especially children, will be more deeply affected if urgent intervention is not carried out.
We face social and environmental challenges by inserting ecology into design and urban planning.
Why do you want to build again in a seismic city?
The previous earthquake of these characteristics recorded in the area was in 411 BC. Currently, legislation, materials and technology make the new urban planning plans that are being carried out ambitious in their perpetuity.
The new Disaster Reduction Plan in Turkey (2022-2030) determines the goals, objectives and actions related to the intervention of public institutions and organizations, local governments, the private sector, NGOs and universities, in its preparation, within the framework of the internationally accepted strategic priorities.
Long-term reconstruction is the only answer to a pressing need. Plan the effective management of this project, as well as the implementation of rapid construction processes.
The return to normal life for the population is one of our priorities, in a context of reactivation of the local economy through the creation of schools, homes and hospitals. It is important to highlight that 30% of the population that initially migrated to other Turkish cities has returned to Antioquia.
Japan is a country with seismic activity similar to that of Turkey, rebuilt and with great economic development.
How can a company help this project?
Companies, institutions and/or public and private organizations can participate as collaborators and/or sponsors of this project in the account numbers enabled by the Ricardo Fisas Natura Bissé Foundation , writing as the concept “ Antioquia MM Turkey Project .”
La Caixa: ES36 2100 1370 1902 0012 6664
Banco Sabadell: ES25 0081 5118 1600 0111 0221
Interested individuals can make donations in the link also enabled
Through this presentation, we call on all those entities, organizations and public and private institutions that want to participate in a reference educational investment and capitalization of that talent that accepts the challenges of current economic, social, environmental and educational challenges.