Sergio Fajardo served as the mayor of Medellín, Colombia--a city of about two million people--from 2004 to 2007. During his tenure, he is credited with transforming Medellín--once described as the world's deadliest city because of its homicide rate--into a showcase for new educational and architectural projects. For his efforts, he was named Best Mayor by the Colombia Leader Foundation in 2007 and Personality of the Year in Latin America by the Financial Times Business magazine.
Fajardo received his M.S. and Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has taught at several universities including the National University in Bogota and Medellín. He has also worked as a journalist for publications such as Money Magazine.
This lecture was presented on February 19, 2009 and is part of the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs (CIPA) 2008-09 Colloquium Series. CIPA offers a two-year program of graduate professional study leading to a master of public administration (M.P.A.) degree.