In year 2010 the city will be the hostess for the 19 ACORBAT International Meeting which gathers representatives of banana corporations from 31 countries; and in year 2012 the city will be the hostess of the 19 FILAP Meeting (Latin American- Iberian Plastic, Esthetic and Reconstructive Surgery).

The Mayor Mr. Alonso Salazar Jaramillo highlighted the fact on how Medellin was postulated and selected to be the set of two new international events which will draw more than 2.200 persons from different countries.

“To choose Medellin among diverse options is the acknowledgement to the new face our city has before the World due to the social, economic and cultural transformation processes which people want to feel in a capital that turned that sad page of history”.

He emphasized on how the city is seen in the World and it is not free that events such as the Meeting of the American States Organization (ASO), next year the meeting of the Inter- American Bank for Development (BID) and also the 9 SOUTH AMERICAN GAMES MEDELLIN in year 2010, speak on how this city is on her way to internationalization.

He emphasized on how the region’s main events are carried out now at Plaza Mayor, one of the places that presents all the guarantees for any forum or international event and highlighted the work performed by the Medellin Convention Bureau in order to market the city which offers the best platform for this type of events.

As it was stated in Line 5 of the Development Plan 2008-2011, the city is in the process of having an international placement and this is how in recent years it has gone from 3 international fairs to 14 fairs, with an annual business average at these fairs of 300 million dollars.

The two new events

In Guayaquil-Ecuador, the Bureau and the Office of the Mayor of Medellin with the support of the Asociación  de Bananeros de Colombia AUGURA (Colombian Banana Producers Association), presented Medellin as the seat for the 19 ACORBAT International Meeting in year 2010, event which will gather more than 31 countries and will have the participation of close to 1.200 persons.

Also in Brasilia-Brazil, the City was offered as seat of the 19 FILACP Meeting, The Latin American- Ibero Plastic, Esthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, competing with the city of Cancun-Mexico, at the first vote both cities were tied, a second vote took place and Medellin obtained 10 votes against 4 for Cancun.

This is how Medellin obtained the seat for this important meeting which had not taken place in Colombia for the last 20 years and gathers the most prestigious plastic surgeons and will have some 1.000 assistants.

The joint efforts of public and private entities such as the Mayor’s Office, Plaza Mayor, The Colombian Plastic, Esthetic and Reconstructive Surgeons and the Banana Producers Association allowed this important achievement for the City.

During this year the City has been the seat of 11 national and international events; for the next four years the City’s tourist industry will be highly benefited.