Background
Gil Penalosa believes that cities should be convenient for everyone. He advises leaders and communities around the world, helping them create successful cities and healthy communities for all residents, regardless of age, gender, abilities, and social, economic, or ethnic origin. Penalosa's main goal is to design comfortable and attractive public spaces, as well as promote the principle of "environmentally friendly mobility": walking, cycling, using public transport, as well as fundamentally new approaches to the use of vehicles.
Gil is the founder and chairman of the Board of Directors of the non—profit Canadian organization 880 Cities, as well as a special representative of the World Urban Parks Association, an international representative organization of urban parks, public spaces and recreational areas. In addition, Gil heads the private international consulting company Gil Penalosa & Associates, which acts as the organizer and main speaker at strategic seminars, advises municipal authorities and groups of public activists.
Gil has always advocated for the development and improvement of urban parks. His name first became known in the late 1990s, when he led a project to create and develop more than 200 parks in the Colombian capital. His team also initiated the launch of the New Ciclovia / Open Streets program, in which more than 1.7 million people go out for a walk or jog, rollerblading and cycling through the 121 km streets of Bogota every Sunday. To date, this initiative has been taken up all over the world.
Thanks to Gil's unique combination of experience, pragmatism, and enthusiasm, many cities and organizations around the world turn to him for advice and guidance. He has worked in more than 350 cities on all continents.
Gil holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson Business School, which recently named him one of the "100 most successful and inspiring graduates" in the school's history. In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Urban Planning at the Swedish Agricultural University. He is also a certified professional speaker expert of the NSA of the USA.
This year, Gil was included in Planetizen's list of the 100 most influential urbanists, and last year he received the annual World Urban Parks Annual Distinguished Individual award in Australia.