III INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON URBAN DEVELOPMENT OF BORDER CITIES - “Integration and Sustainability”
August, 02nd to 05th, 2009

FOZ DO IGUAÇU LETTER

“The cultural and political diversity of nations and human groups devote to solidarity congregation of the architects from around the world regardless of race, religious beliefs and ideologies. The architecture, the oldest profession, to organize itself for the construction of living space, has marked its history as a celebration of peace, hope, coexistence, brotherhood, and the libertarian nature of human beings.”

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

We, participants of the 3rd International Conference on Urban Development of Border Cities, gathered in Foz do Iguaçu, on August 02nd to 05th 2009 in the Itaipu Technologial Park - PTI, within the theme "Integration and Sustainability", come the following conclusions and recommendations:

CONCLUSIONS

1. To think and plan the international borders cities and municipalities as a single settlement, a continuous territory with multicultural features, it is necessary to consider the limitations of traditional institutional arrangements for urban and regional management. The economic and social complexities operate potentiality, determining the magnitude of its development;

2. It is necessary to confirm the understanding that the guide principles of the development and discussion are: citizenship, representativeness, sustainability, legitimacy and participation;

3. It is necessary to reinforce the principles, guidelines and policies for culture as input to regional planning, observing and performing the integration by the differences. In the implementation of this so called "human planning", the resulting development is builder of identities, citizenship, social inclusion and generate of wealth;

4. To implement the concept of cultural plurality in the planning, it should preferably take place by the redemption of autochthonous cultures, their historical matrix and means of expression;

5. To be representative, the redemption must search the recognition, the recovery and the integration of existing knowledge centers in the border regions;

6. The spaces and places that better represent the different cultures involved should be recognized and mapped;

RECOMMENDATIONS

7. Raise and systematize the knowledge and thinking of all existing initiatives in border cities, preferably those presented at the conferences;

8. Create integrated and articulated information systems (methodologically and temporally) that based the regional and management planning processes;

9. Inventory the stock of public and private areas in view of structuring projects implementation in the regional territorial organization;

10. Upgrade and integrate the strategic economic sectors, anchors of regional development;

11. Create mechanisms for urgent management of border areas, funds, funding lines, harmonizing international laws;

12. The public works projects must be chosen through public architecture competitions;

13. Support the implementation of the University of Latin American Integration - UNILA, as a space for dissemination of Latin cultures;

14. The University of Latin American Integration must offer regular courses or specialization with the following themes: (i) historical, artistic and cultural Latin American heritage; (ii) Latin American architecture and (iii) regional planning in border cities;

15. Propose to the Federación Pan-Americana de Arquitectos – FPAA and its associated entities (among them the Brazilian Institute of Architects - IAB) to sign a terms of cooperation with the University of Latin American Integration - UNILA;

16. Articulate commitment to coordinated planning and management between the municipalities of the border urban conglomerate, public administrators and civil society, aiming to put them in the staves of the agreements of the Nation States;

17. Create a multidisciplinary Discussion Group, to carry out studies and discussions, coordinate meetings and workshops for constant exchange of ideas and continuity of the border debate;

18. The next conference must discuss the implementation and the gains of the situations presented in previous conferences;

19. Support the creation of the Architecture and Urbanism Council - CAU in Brazil;

20. Support the event with the same theme "Border Cities" as the proposition of the Organización Regional de Arquitectos de Países del Mediterráneo – OMAR and also support the International Congress on Border Cities that have been organized by the Colégio de Arquitectos de San Juan, Argentina;

21. Refer to the Federación Pan-Americana de Arquitectos – FPAA, the suggestion to the "4th International Conference on Urban Development of Border Cities" to be held in Colombia, Argentina or Paraguay;

22. That the next conference has a focus on "A dialogue between nations - the geographic, political and cultural border”;

23. That from the provisions of Resolution nº 08, November 19th 2008, SAF/SRI, Secretariat of Institutional Relations, the Federal Government of Brazil considers the possibility that the Brazilian Institute of Architects - IAB will officially join the Interfederative Working Group for Border Integration;

24. That the MERCOSUR participating states examine the feasibility of establishing "MERCORSUR Borders Regional Units” in example of Resolution nº 41/1997 which established the International Tourist Pole of Iguassu in order to optimize resources. As guides the MERCOSUR Structural Convergence Fund – FOCEM.

MOTIONS

25. Redefining the scope and areas of cooperation:
i. Environment (biodiversity, cultural identity, quality of life);
ii. Development assistance (subject to sustainable development);
iii. Regional trade and convenient international alliance.

26. A change of view:
i. Decentralize decision-making, strengthening communal goals;
ii. Direct support to communities: UN, NGOs, Central Government, Public Institutions, Universities, etc.;
iii. Actions around the conservation of biodiversity and cultural identity;
iv. Integrated conservation strategies;
v. Tools to generate sustainable economic activities;
vi. Payment for environmental services, natural values as global asset;
vii. Enhance and promote the biological corridors;
viii. Prioritize alternative tourism;
ix. Technical support to organic production.

27. Identify suitable development:

i. Regional energy integration;
ii. Optimizing the infrastructure in terms of its impact;
iii. Protection of drinking water and its distribution;
iv. Control of drainage and sanitation;
v. Integrated strategies for health;
vi. Promotion of local and global media education;
vii. Productive infrastructure;
viii. Prevention of natural disasters.

28. Overcome:

i. The traditional view of sovereignty;
ii. Borders as marginal areas;
iii. The vision of development based on traditional economic indicators;
iv. Patriotism as a political tool;
v. Dispel prejudices of historical character.

29. Maximize its importance:

i. Respect for the natural units, even across borders;
ii. Local solutions rather than the chancery;
iii. Quality of life as a goal, as result of environmental quality;
iv. Cooperation, solidarity and above all, respect with the ancient inhabitants of the border enclaves.

30. Send to the family of the Civil Engineer and Honorary Architect Rubens Meister, votes of sympathy, for his death occurred during this Conference.

Foz do Iguaçu, August 05th, 2009.