Press Releases

• More than 2,500 volunteers from CEMEX, Citi Bank, Bavaria, Coca-Cola FEMSA, Gas Natural Fenosa, Telefónica and Terpel joined forces to work for Bogotá’s Historic Center.
• During the day volunteers worked on the public space and 104 facades from the neighborhoods La Concordia, Las Aguas and La Catedral.

Employees, family and friends of CEMEX, Citi, Bavaria, Coca Cola FEMSA, Gas Natural Fenosa, Telefónica and Terpel; And 17 District entities joined in the largest day of volunteer work in the country's capital. 2,500 volunteers developed activities in favor of the recovery of the public space and the heritage of Bogotá’s Historic Center.

The initiative was part of Citi's Global Community Day celebration. An annual event in which Citi’s volunteers around the world dedicate a day to work in favor of the communities located where they live and work. This year, in its twelfth version, and for the first time, the bank invited to join six of its corporate clients: Bavaria, CEMEX, Coca-Cola FEMSA, Gas Natural Fenosa, Telefónica and Terpel.

On this day, which has become the largest volunteer activity in the city, around the care and recovery of public space, the Bogota´s Mayor, Enrique Peñalosa said: “Every day we are working to have a decent public space so that all citizens alike can walk in peace and enjoy the city. Activities such as today, where 2,500 volunteers from these private companies united to recover and beautify the public space, demonstrate the commitment of citizens and that more and more assume to have a city for all and demonstrate with effective acts the affection that we have towards the city”.

The volunteers along with their families, transformed over 6,200 square meters with 628 gallons of paint, covering 19 streets and 11 blocks, between 1st to 4th avenue, and from the 12th B to 16th B Street. They covered 104 facades, cleaned the water line of the Avenida Jiménez, did maintenance of 460 trees, painted 47 posts and more than 100 children along with their parents, painted 4 pedestrian sidewalks called 'sidewalks for life”'

The intervention by the volunteers of emblematic places of the city like El Chorro de Quevedo, La Concordia and the zone of the Environmental Axis of the locality of La Candelaria was directed by officials of the District Institute of Cultural Patrimony (DICP), with the participation of different entities from District, in a day of collective work in favor of the beautification, care, recovery and cleanliness of this emblematic zone of the city.

To Álvaro Jaramillo, President of Citi Colombia and the Latin American North Region, "It is a pride to join forces with our clients to make a contribution to the city. In this Global Community Day, the volunteers of the invited organizations, the District and Citi contribute with our time, resources and share our skills and experience in the collective promotion of positive changes in Bogotá. "

The maintenance and recovery actions were complemented by trainings in social and pedagogical intervention, care of the heritage and good practices to promote citizen culture.

About the companies invited to the 2017 Global Community Day

Citi extended the invitation to the 12th Global Community Day in Bogota to six of its corporate clients: Bavaria, CEMEX, Coca-Cola FEMSA, Gas Natural Fenosa, Telefónica and Terpel, whose volunteers participated in the activity.

"We participated with the volunteers of Citi’s Global Community Day, to join forces with other companies and return the beauty and history to Bogota. We are building a citizenship. We are entrepreneurs committed to local governments and their processes. We are a neighbor who can be part of a change and a difference when we work together, and above all when we make tripartite alliances where we all contribute and also win. "
Ricardo Naya, President of CEMEX

Our dream in Bavaria is to" Unite people for a better world" and in this case, the union between different companies, NGOs, government entities and the civilian population is a winning alliance that will undoubtedly benefit the community greatly. With our volunteer program #MeUno, we reiterate our commitment to the country's development and the progress of our communities. "
Luciano Carrillo, Presidente of Bavaria.

"At Coca-Cola FEMSA, we want to contribute and keep improving the living conditions of the communities where we operate, so, by participating in Citi’s Global Community Day, we are consolidating positive relationships with the communities, authorities and business marketplace. This allows us to build a better city for all and contribute to the comprehensive development of our employees and their families. "
Gabriel Coindreau, President of Coca-Cola FEMSA Colombia.

"Within the framework of our Corporate Responsibility Policy, at Gas Natural Fenosa Colombia we believe in volunteering and for this reason we carry out actions of this type in our areas of influence. It is a source of pride and satisfaction to join this initiative that seeks to improve La Candelaria, an emblematic zone of Bogotá, and to benefit both the habitants and the visitors of the place".
Javier Fernández González, Country Manager Business of Gas Natural Fenosa.

"At Telefónica we are architects of a better world from the digital ecosystem, which is why one of our commitments is to be more efficient and take care of the environment, with actions such as Movistar En Bici, the adaptation of public spaces, the collection of batteries in our Centers Of experience and the digital invoice. For us, it is a pride to link our employees to Citi’s Global Community Day. This is a transforming experience that allows us to contribute building a safer, more sustainable, inclusive and environmentally friendly city. "
Alfonso Gómez – President of Telefónica.

"Joining six major companies in the country and working as a team to recover the heart of Bogota is an example of responsible citizenship. We showed our gratitude for the capital of all. I am very proud and satisfied with the work done by more than 2,000 volunteers who accepted the challenge of transforming the core of the city for the enjoyment of neighbors and tourists.”
Sylvia Escovar – President of Terpel Organization.

About district entities linked to the Global Community Day

For the second consecutive year, the District joined Citi’s Global Community Day. Other entities that took part in this initiative in 2017 were:

The District Institute of Cultural Heritage (IDPC), the Ministry of Culture, Recreation and Sports (SCRD): the local Mayor of La Candelaria, the Ministry of Government, the Gilberto Alzate Avendaño Foundation (FUGA), the District Institute of Arts (IDARTES), Aguas de Bogotá, the Water Supply and Sewerage Company of Bogotá (EAAB), Canal Capital, the District Institute of Participation and Community Action (IDPAC), the District Institute of Tourism (IDT), the Institute for Social Economy (IPES), the Botanic Garden, the Secretariat of Mobility, the Secretariat of Social Integration (SDIS) and the Special Administrative Unit of Public Services (UAESP).

In the same place of action of this day, it is located one of the most emblematic and touristic places of Bogotá, El Chorro de Quevedo, which will be delivered completely recovered by the District Institute of Cultural Heritage (IDPC) and the District Institute of Tourism (IDT), with an investment of 600 million COP, and where for the first time, after more than 30 years, water will run from the pile.

If you want to know more about the work done during the Global Day of the Community in Colombia and around the world, lookup for the Hashtags #YoSoyVoluntario, #Viveelcentro, #CitiVolunteers and #ElPatrimonioSeLuce in our Twitter account @CEMEX_Colombia

Get to know our Corporate Volunteer program in http://www.cemexcolombia.com/NuestraEmpresa/Voluntariado.aspx