In two weeks, leaders from across the Americas will convene in the Mile High City for a weeklong summit featuring robust discussions, panels, and activities around shared challenges and opportunities facing communities across the Western Hemisphere. For the first time ever, Denver is the host of the Cities Summit of the Americas, an effort led by the U.S. government and organized by the Denver-based nonprofit Biennial of the Americas. The summit runs from April 24 to April 28 and will bring together a diverse mix of people.
Located in the heart of downtown Denver, CU Denver is Colorado’s only public urban research university and its proximity to the summit allows us to share a significant voice in higher education. The university is excited to announce that two of its partner organizations will host panels on pressing societal issues as part of the summit.
- Tyler Svitak, executive director of the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance and a CU Denver alum, will host a workshop on smart cities on Wednesday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the McNichols Civic Center Building. About 40 city leaders from across the world will convene for the session to discuss smart city technology. The workshop is invite-only, and registration is required.
- Theo Edmonds, research associate professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, a CU Denver 2022 Grand Challenges awardee, and the directing co-founder of the Imaginator Academy, will host a panel with the global Brain Capital Alliance titled, “Creativity and Brain Health in the Future of Work,” on Friday, April 28, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Colorado Convention Center. This event is one of the summit’s plenary sessions, and attendees must be registered for the summit to attend.
While many of the summit’s panels are invite only, there are still plenty of opportunities for our campus community to join in on (including an exhibition at CU Denver’s Next Stage Gallery from April 27 to May 4). Below are five activities the week of April 24 that are open to the public.
Convocamos: Considering the Legacy of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
History Colorado and Biennial of the Americas are hosting a free community event to explore the legacy of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (which was signed in February 1848 and marked the end of a war between the U.S. and Mexico) and its lasting impacts on Southern Colorado. The event will feature a panel discussion followed by a reception with light refreshments.
When: Monday, April 24, 5:30 – 8 p.m.
Where: History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway
Fábrica de Arte Américas
Fábrica de Arte, an art gallery and club based in Havana, Cuba, will curate a “cultural warehouse” featuring work by creatives from across the Americas in a downtown Denver hotel during the week of the summit. Activities include live musical acts, DJ sets, dance performances, fashion shows, visual arts, food truck lineups, and more.
When: April 26 – 30, various times
Where: The Slate Hotel, 1250 Welton St.
Urban Live Lab: Nature-Based Solutions in Cities at Denver Botanic Gardens
Panelists will share their experience connecting cities with nature and creating and conserving green spaces within urban cities. Attendees will hear from the panelists, see case studies showing successful projects, and have an opportunity to explore the gardens.
When: Wednesday, April 26, 1:30 p.m.
Where: Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St.
Free Guided E-Bike Tour of Denver
Spend your Saturday exploring the Mile High City on an e-bike. The ride begins at the Colorado Convention Center and finishes at Prodigy Coffee House, where riders will get to enjoy coffee or tea and hear an overview of the coffee business, which provides experiential learning for young people and houses an e-bike library for low-income people who need transportation to get to work or school. The guided tour is about 4.5 miles, each way. Limited spots are available.
When: Saturday, April 29, 8 – 10:30 a.m.
Where: Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St.
Bomba Estéreo + Gabito Ballesteros Concert
Bomba Estéreo, a Colombian band known for its electro-tropical music, and Gabito Ballesteros, a Mexican artist known for his narrative ballads, will perform the Cities Summit of the Americas’ closing concert at one of Denver’s beloved music venues, Mission Ballroom.
When: Sunday, April 30, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St.