What is Social Collaboration?

Kenya was once faced with crises on many fronts. The environment was deteriorating. Narcotics were prevalent. Its world-renowned safari destinations lacked proper funding. Its government was incapable of attracting foreign investment. The country was also plagued with corruption, which put any social development on hold for decades.

But now the new Kenya is actively transforming itself from an underdeveloped country into a newly industrialized nation. The government is putting a great deal of effort into improving the people’s quality of life and tackling poverty with hopes of escaping the low-income trap and becoming a middle-income country by 2030. The plan is to better Kenya on all fronts and enable the people to take part in all processes of development.

All of these changes are part of a grand scheme conceived back in 2008 known as the Kenya Vision 2030, which underlines the development of Kenya’s four pillars, namely the economy, society, politics, and tourism. The government has devised strategies to develop Kenya into a newly industrialized country. On the economic front, Kenya now focuses on its greatest potential source of income—tourism—which is one of its most highly valued sectors thanks to its unique characteristics. A management scheme has been put into effect to group tourists into several categories. This grouping enables Kenya to design products and services that are best tailored to the demand of each group. It also caters specifically to high income earners from around the world who can afford the unique Kenya experience and culture.

The Kenya Vision 2030 has proven to be effective. Among the many milestones of success is the 17% growth in the number of tourists visiting Kenya in 2017, which resulted in a 6% growth in its GDP. This upward trend has led to the hiring of 1 million new positions, as well as sundry other direct and indirect positive outcomes.

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About 20 years ago, before Copenhagen became an exemplary green city that it is today, the Danish capital city was faced with severe pollution problems. The city’s harbor was so toxic that swimming in it was unthinkable. That’s how bad the situation was. Its pollution problems were rooted in the rapid development of communications infrastructure influenced by the American preference for automobiles as a means of transportation over walking, which had been Europe’s conventional method of commute. A large number of trees were cut down to build inner city roads.

Uncomplacent to the problems, the City of Copenhagen quickly made policy changes and improved their urban development plan. The vision was to sustainably develop Copenhagen into “a metropolis for people.”

The City has not only built public spaces that are suitable for city dwellers of all demographics but also organized numerous activities that encourage its people to spend more time outside. Discussions were held for the people to exchange ideas, enabling all of them to take part in urban development.

The City even put together a waterfront design catalogue, which can be obtained from the city hall, to serve as design guidelines. The catalogue demonstrates city-approved design concepts and inspirations for its waterfront structures, ensuring that any construction or renovation project around the harbor will result in a space that is suitable for all occasions.

Copenhagen’s urban development policy and vision have been developed by the City of Copenhagen based on systematic planning and research on concepts and possibilities spearheaded by the Environmental and Technical Management Department of the City of Copenhagen. The private sector and the people living in the city have also been given a chance to take part in the development of their city.

With this inclusive approach to urban development, the areas around Copenhagen’s bay have been transformed into useful and recreational spaces by both the public and private sectors. Among the many interesting aspects of this mega project are the Kalvebod Wave promenade and the bicycle and pedestrian bridges called Bryggebroen and Inderhavnsbroen, which were built in response to the popularity of bicycles in the city, where half of its population prefer riding bicycles in their day to day lives. In addition, the City is also preparing for possible floods as a result of climate change. An effective storm water runoff management system has been put in place throughout the city.

Allowing all parties involved to take part in urban development is an important aspect of the urban development process. Because the city is constantly changing, heeding the needs and suggestions of each other is therefore crucial for the effective and sustainable development of the waterfront area.

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Japan’s rapid modernization and economic-oriented development have tragically resulted in the loss of cultural heritage in major cities, including Kyoto, where many aspects of its people’s way of life and culture, as well as the environment, have diminished. In 2007 the City of Kyoto formulated a 10-year plan to revive and return this ancient city to its historical glory. The plan stretches from 2011 to 2020 and involves the co-operation of governmental agencies, private organizations, and the people of Kyoto themselves.

This inclusive plan begins with orderly urban zoning and a strong network of civil society that takes charge of renovating the entire city. A maximum building height has been established. Strict regulations for the use of billboards and other public relations materials have been issued. The landscape of certain areas has been modified to better suit some of the older architecture. All of this enables the ancient city to co-exist with modernity.

The inclusive nature of Kyoto’s urban development plan has also given it an eco- and cultural tourism boost. For instance, the Kamo River banks have been transformed into mixed use spaces for Kyoto-ers and travellers. During the cherry blossom festival, the locals will erect stalls selling Japanese delicacies and memorabilia, making the Kamo River an important tourist attraction. The result is a circular economy, in which an increase in the number of cultural tourists have resulted better income for the local communities.

Today’s Kyoto is brimming with historical charms and modern amenities. The co-existence of two seemingly opposite forces is made possible by the power of collaboration, which guarantees sustainability and a true reflection of the local identity.