MIL Cities framework

MIL City - Framework and metrics

We see cities around the world benefiting enormously fr om the digital revolution. Information on transportation, health care, entertainment, news, the private sector, civil society and government increased efficiency, opened new economic, social and cultural possibilities, reduced pollution and increased transparency and participation. An increasing number of interested cities are promoting Smart Cities initiatives, which seek to make better use of information and communication technologies to increase efficiency and quality of life in relation to security, health, recreation, community services and government to citizens. Initiatives related to Smart Cities often underestimate the intelligence of citizens in the process, prioritizing the agility of the processes and not the humanization of them. In this sense, a multidisciplinary approach is needed on the issue, not being restricted to traditional education actors. Schools, bookstores and journalists have the possibility to connect government actors, electoral commissions, transportation system, public health, cultural groups, and environmental policy makers. Other stakeholders may include,: museums, NGOs (non-governmental organizations), community centers and others within the development of educational projects.

Cities would be, as well as Educational Cities, spaces for catalyzing civic participation, empowerment and citizen engagement. In short, the MIL Cities are cities that use the new technologies, but in function of the sustainable human development of all social layers that integrate it in an ethical, inclusive, participatory and citizen way, and not only in function of the financial and technological growth.

Below the 13 indicators are shown together with an example of metrics included, according to the proposal by Chibбs Ortiz (2020), inspired by the UNESCO framework:

1. Libraries

Example: Number of actions and workshops with authors, focused on teenagers and young people, teaching how to research and find safe sources for research, carried out by Libraries per year.

2. Urban planning and mobility

Example: The City (university) has a planned communication proposal on the creative use of space for the various current transportation vehicles.

3. Rectory, City Hall, administrative bodies and citizenship

Example: The (university) city has the diagnosis and mapping of Cultural Barriers to Communication by colleges, units or neighborhoods, municipalities.

4. Health

Example: Quantity and percentage of hospitals, clinics, networks and pharmaceutical industry, as well as other health institutions that the city has (university) with preventive health information campaigns and that offer safe information about medicines and health, including vaccination campaigns

5. Culture, heritage, art, sport and leisure

Example: Quantity and percentage of cinemas, museums and theaters that articulate with the faculties and units of the city (university) for showing educational films produced by students.

6. Education

Example: Number and percentage of colleges, schools or institutes in the city (university) that have in their teaching programs, matters related to the MIL approach and anti-fake news.

7. Associations, unions, NGOs, socio-cultural projects and other non-traditional actors

Example: Number and percentage of class associations and unions in the city (university) that articulate curriculum outside their spaces to discuss media and access to information.

8. Media and media

Example: Number and percentage of communication agencies, city marketing (university) that do MIL campaigns and anti-fake news.

9. Artificial intelligence, startups and digital channels

Example: Quantity and percentage of technologies (Artificial Intelligence systems, Virtual and Expanded Reality) in the city (university) take advantage of the health, culture and education of citizens, as well as in fighting fake news.

10. Security

Example: Amount of applications and cameras made available by the city (university) to ensure safety, preventing assaults, car accidents and natural disasters.

11. Environment and sustainability

Example: Quantity of ecological solutions and reduction of negative impacts of industry and services, as well as referring to the reduction of pollution that the (university) city has developed.

12. Youth, Women, Blacks, Indigenous, LGBTQ + and other minority groups

Example: Number and percentage of women, youth, black and other disadvantaged groups that occupy leadership positions in the city government (university).

13. General Integration Metrics (involve measures with metrics with two or more of the previous indicators)

Example: Quantity and percentage of innovative sustainable solutions implemented by the university city integrating various sectors and multidisciplinary in the city (university).

The proposal aims to spread MIL Cities in different regions of the world, which can also help to stimulate media and information literacy as a tool for intercultural and interreligious dialogue, building tolerance, fighting hatred and misinformation and allowing sustainability development in general. MIL Cities implies a vision of building bridges between local government authorities and NGO activities, non-formal activities, informal educators and MIL-related networks.

University of Rwanda

It should be noted that these cities are not specifically within the MIL Cities paradigm but are worthy to take note of due to the immense value it contributes to humanity.